Honda Crank Bolt.

I started the afternoon off with visions of doing the timing belt on our 2010 odyssey, but I can't get the freaking crank bolt off.  I started with the fancy impact wrench socket that's super thick and people swear by...that didn't work.  I then went and got the actual tool to hold the Harmonic Damper and pulled with the breaker bar....that didn't work.  I tried the "bump the starter" method and that didn't work.  So, when it started raining at 9pm.  I gave up.  Granted, I have 2 garages and I was working inside because both are filled with other projects, but that's a story for another day.  I need help.  Does this thing need flame on the bolt or an act of god or a much stronger impact than my HF earthquake.  I've gotta drive across the state and photograph a wedding tomorrow but I'm going to have to fix this thing monday.  Someone give me wisdom, and probably do a bolt dance for me.  

The starter trick requires a long enough lever. I used a 6 foot piece of pipe wedged to the wall once on something as the sgirter breaker bar by itself wouldn't do it.

I had to buy a brushless electric impact to get the crank bolt off of my Civic.

Is it standard or reverse thread?

In reply to Robbie :

I hope it turns left.  I looked it up and I do think that's correct.  

In reply to red_stapler :

hmmm, I'll look that up.  

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Yeah, I was using a long socket wrench and the starter did not like that.  I only did it twice.  I don't like the idea of doing it to be honest.  

I think they use red Loctite on those.

Woody said:

I think they use red Loctite on those.

whatever they used, it worked.  I'm going to let it soak in penetrating oil over the weekend and then try the heat and cool down really fast method.  We'll see.  

I just went down that road last week on a Honda timing belt job. My big boy Ingersoll Rand impact running at 160psi wouldn't bang it off.

The solution was to buy an OTC Honda crank nut socket. A two second braaappp spun it right out. Those sockets really do work the trick.

How long is your breaker bar? Adding a foot or two with a pipe makes a HUGE difference in ability to apply torque.

Gotta say I'm surprised an air impact didn't take it off though.

Use the crank hold tool to keep crank from turning. Then use a 3ft breaker bar, with a 3ft cheater bar on it. Put your weight into it.  You may need a helper with a pry bar wedged in the flywheel as well.

I've done many Toyota (2jz's) where I had the breaker bar and cheater bar visibly flexing before it let go. Crank bolt laughed at a impact gun. Way way waaaaay more torque than the spec would have you believe. 

Cousin_Eddie said:

The solution was to buy an OTC Honda crank nut socket. A two second braaappp spun it right out. Those sockets really do work the trick.

What's so special about the OTC Honda crank nut socket that it works when others won't?

I've never had one that didn't require to be heated up.

If you're brave, you can brace a prybar against one of the torque converter bolts... but those are weenie little 6mm bolts, and it really requires two people.

So, I just get out the inductive heater and heat the head of the bolt until it's red to orange, and then (and only then) will a sub-3/4" impact gun get that bolt out.

Knurled. said:

 

So, I just get out the inductive heater and heat the head of the bolt until it's red to orange, and then (and only then) will a sub-3/4" impact gun get that bolt out.

 

 

It can’t be tight if its a liquid. 

PeteD said:

Cousin_Eddie said:

The solution was to buy an OTC Honda crank nut socket. A two second braaappp spun it right out. Those sockets really do work the trick.

What's so special about the OTC Honda crank nut socket that it works when others won't?

It's a solid chunk of steel that weighs about what 12 normal sockets would weigh. It works.

I'm sure I could have used a cheater pipe along with my breaker bar, but that's just not how I choose to use my tools. It's a personal opinion. 

Honda crank bolts are magic.  150 foot pounds on, 450 off.  Always have, I presume always will.  My 24 inch Snapon breaker bar and a 4 foot jack handle for a snipe, which makes the pulley holding tool very, very important.  There is usually 20 or more degrees of bend in the breaker bar when it breaks loose.

Cousin_Eddie said:

PeteD said:

Cousin_Eddie said:

The solution was to buy an OTC Honda crank nut socket. A two second braaappp spun it right out. Those sockets really do work the trick.

What's so special about the OTC Honda crank nut socket that it works when others won't?

It's a solid chunk of steel that weighs about what 12 normal sockets would weigh. It works.

I'm sure I could have used a cheater pipe along with my breaker bar, but that's just not how I choose to use my tools. It's a personal opinion. 

The socket helps with a really good impact wrench.

I had a Snapon dealer tell me decades ago, "Use the snipe.  The tool won't break before the bolt loosens or the socket breaks.  If it does, you get warranty."  In 37 years, I've broken the square once, and I've had close to 45 degrees of bend in the handle lots of times.

Spoolpigeon said:

Knurled. said:

 

So, I just get out the inductive heater and heat the head of the bolt until it's red to orange, and then (and only then) will a sub-3/4" impact gun get that bolt out.

 

 

It can’t be tight if its a liquid. 

I said red-orange, not liquid

The nice thing about inductive heaters is that they heat everything inside the coil more or less equally.  If you use a torch, you need to heat the inside through the outside.  The inductive heaters are slow to get the metal to LOOK hot, but by the time it looks hot, the whole thing is hot, not just the outside.  So you don't have to dance around heating the outside and letting it soak in and then heating it again.

Oh, and whatever plating that Honda puts on those bolts is NOXIOUS when heated up like that, so try not to breathe.

Streetwiseguy said:

Honda crank bolts are magic.  150 foot pounds on, 450 off.  Always have, I presume always will.  My 24 inch Snapon breaker bar and a 4 foot jack handle for a snipe, which makes the pulley holding tool very, very important.  There is usually 20 or more degrees of bend in the breaker bar when it breaks loose.

Cousin_Eddie said:

I just went down that road last week on a Honda timing belt job. My big boy Ingersoll Rand impact running at 160psi wouldn't bang it off.

The solution was to buy an OTC Honda crank nut socket. A two second braaappp spun it right out. Those sockets really do work the trick.

I’ve got one. Tried probably 25 times at 125 psi with my earthquake. Didn’t budge. 

I’m using a 2ft breaker bar, looks like that’s not enough. 

In reply to Knurled. : I lol’d  

Only Honda crank bolt I ever dealt with was indeed reverse thread (1993 accord). Those f-series (IIRC) engines spin backwards. So the "bump the starter" trick doesn't work. Ended up using 1/2" impact extensions to get the breaker bar outside the wheel well and supported it with a jackstand. Had about 5' of leverage and all my 180lbs on it before it let go. That bolt was set in there like excalibur, and I was not worthy. Loved that car though.

In reply to barefootskater :

Uhh no I’m almost certain the f22 was not reverse thread for the crank bolt. I had a 1993 Accord wagon and did the timing belt. No problem turning it using the correct pulley holding tool. Turned counter clockwise to loosen like almost every other bolt in the world. 

In reply to dculberson :

You are right. It was a few years ago. All I really remember was that using the starter would tighten the bolt. But honda likes to put their engines on the wrong side of the car so I was all sorts of confused at the time. Still loved that car. Turned me into a bit of a closet honda fan-boy.