Crank shaft pully problem?

[Damian]

Hello

Whilst underneath and examining my car earlier I noticed that the crank shaft pully is virtually touching the side of my sump tank.

Something tells me this can't be right. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[PW@Woodsport]

Sounds normal to me.

[Damian]

Ok, rather than 'virtually' touching I would say it is 'actually' touching the side of the sump. As in it's right up against it and you couldn't get a hair between then.(Sorry to spell it out but I just wanted to make it clear)

Still normal?

[PW@Woodsport]

The sump flares out a little on its mating surface to the oil pump, is it just that area it's nearly touching? Still sounds normal to be honest.

[Damian]

If I look from the back of the car (with my head just right of the exhaust) and look with my eyes left to right I've got, a smaller pulley mounted to the larger pulley and then it touches the sump. I'll see if I can put a picture up.

[Damian]

[BIGBOBO]

I'll compare the pic to my SC engine tomorrow. (it's on a stand in my garage)

[Damian]

I would appreciate that. Thanks.

[mk1 dal]

hi , what paul said is right ( and he should know ) they are very close to the sump , but you now say its touching the sump which usually means the pulley as become de laminated ( the alternator pulley is rubber bonded on )if the larger pulley spins while the smaller pulley stays still or you can move the larger pulley from side to side ( hence its hitting the sump ) its bugged and will need to be replaced . it might not be this but its worth a look

goodluck gary

[Damian]

I've been out giving the car a good coat of looking again this morning and I'm still none the wiser. One minute I think all 3 pulleys look lined up but then the next I'm thinking it can't be right that the bottom one touches the sump.

Has anybody got their car available to have a quick look underneath and look at their crank shaft pulley please?

[BIGBOBO]

It sits close, I'd say there's a 2 or 3mm gap.

[jon_st205]

As stated earlier in the thread it is probably delaminating (the outer and inner sections are pressed together with a rubber dampener inbetween).

Cheers,
Jon

[Damian]

Thanks for the post BigBobo. They are great pictures!

It's put my mind at rest somewhat then.

Is it a major / big job to change the crankshaft pulley then?

[un1eash]

Depends on the tools you have, i had to use a pully puller to get mine off as it just wouldnt budge. Other then that its quite easy.

[Damian]

Are you able to just crack the big nut inside it and take it off (using the pulley puller) or do you have to remove other things as well?

[kaiowas]

It's pretty simple on paper (remove alternator belt, undo bolt, slide off pulley).

In reality the bolt is usually pretty difficult to crack off, if you don't have air tools you'll need a decent size breaker bar and it can be tricky to undo it without the engine turning. 5th gear+hand brake should do it if you're handbrake is decent, if not have an assistant sit with their foot on the brakes but even then it's possible to overcome the friction of the clutch.

Once the bolt is out you've then got to remove the pulley which will be a very tight fit if it's been on there a while. Getting access to get a puller on there is awkward and most people are tempted to start levering at it with a screwdriver which will just chip the pulley (being cast iron it's quite brittle) although that's not really an issue if it's scrap anytway I suppose. Personally I use a small tool which I made up out of a lump of steel bar I had lying around plus a couple of bolts and a spare socket.

[BIGBOBO]

Get under the car, take of the flywheel cover and jam a big screwdriver in there and hold it. Slide a long pole over your socket and get someone else to undo the nut using it as a lever.

Next up either buy or make a puller or tap the pulley from behind with a rubbel mallet (and turn it after each hit).

That's how I undid mine.

[un1eash]

Get under the car, take of the flywheel cover and jam a big screwdriver in there and hold it. Slide a long pole over your socket and get someone else to undo the nut using it as a lever.

Next up either buy or make a puller or tap the pulley from behind with a rubbel mallet (and turn it after each hit).

That's how I undid mine.

+1 about the flywheel cover.

[Damian]

Great, thanks guys.

Any idea where i can get a crankshaft pulley from?

Is secondhand my best bet?

[un1eash]

Ask some of the guys breaking cars, should only be about £20-30 posted