I'm doing a head gasket job on an 89 Honda Civic 1.5 for my special needs co-worker. The damn crank pulley bolt will not come out. I broke every 1/2" to 3/8" adapter, every 3/8" drive 19MM, every 1/2" drive 18MM (6 and 12 point, shallow and deep), and the damn thing is still in there! I even broke my 3/8" breaker bar (guess who's going to Sears tomorrow...). And no, this isn't one of the Honda pulleys with the 50MM hex for the removal tool, either.
Ugh, I have no idea what to do. 
I see you shop at Sears. Buy some real tools. I know a guy...
they don't use reverse threads on it for some reason, do they?
At the risk of the bearings....big freaking impact gun. And an appropriate socket.
Umm.. I'm pretty sure Honda crank pulleys are left hand thread.
Good luck getting it off now!
Don't worry about the bearings, using an impact on crank pulley bolts is S.O.P.
Its been a while since I saw a Honda that didn't have the hex to hold the pulley. I use my 18" Snap on breaker bar and a 4' jack handle as a snipe. I don't understand the physics of Honda crank bolts- 150 foot pounds tighten, 1000 to remove.
If you are breaking tools, you must have the engine locked down, right? Just buy bigger better tools, and you should be good.
Trans_Maro wrote: Umm.. I'm pretty sure Honda crank pulleys are left hand thread. Good luck getting it off now!
Maybe old ones, but none I've worked on.
I have a 3/4" breaker and impact socket set you can borrow. Let me know.
The breaker bar and starter method won't work because D-series Hondas rotate backwards.
I usually have to get the torch out for the infernal 3.5 crank bolt. For some reason they tighten themselves down to 5,000ft-lb in use.
They do make a tool for the older ones without the hex. Should not have attempted that with 3/8" drive tools. If you can take it to a shop that works on big trucks they can put a 3/4" impact on it and have it off in 2 seconds.
BTW- they are NOT reverse thread.
In reply to old_:
Good to know, I was told that they were.
How the hell do you break a breaker bar? Like I wanna see pictures of that, I didn't think it was possible
In reply to Cool_Hand_Luke:
I've done it. Changing the rear bearings on the 924 with a 6' pole on it. Which is why I now own a 3/4" breaker bar set :)
Or certain Audi axle bolts. Torque is something on the order of 180 ft/lb. Plus 180 degrees.
You only think Mazda rotary flywheel nuts are tight.
I towed my '91 Civic wagon three blocks, with a strap, and PAID a shop $61 to get the damn crank pulley bolt loose.* When I picked it up, I asked how bad it was. The service writer said the tech giggled when he read the RO, "remove crank pulley bolt" "How hard could it be?" It took the biggest impact wrench in the shop to get it out.
*I don't have a big ass impact wrench.
It broke the actual piece that the socket attaches to. I bent quite a few things, too.
It is not reverse thread, and it does not have the hex (that started in 90). The book said it was only a 150 Ft Lbs torque, so my stuff should have done it (I can do hub assemblies all day long!). My tools are a serious mish-mash of things, lots of 50's-70's stuff I've inherited or bought at sales, a ton of Craftsman stuff from when they had the basically free coupon thing, and lots of stuff bought through work.
Maybe you need something more of this size? Crank bolt is always a PITA. I hear about all sorts of crazy techniques. Super heating it with a torch first. Super freezing it with dry ice. Good luck.
you use Heat at all? or any form of lubricant?
lube won't do anything on a tight crank bolt except get your hands dirty and cause tools to become slippery..
can someone explain to me why a crank pulley has to come off for a head gasket job? not being a D, just curious as i've never worked on a honda before.
Fun, ain't they? You need 3/4" drive and serious pneumatics. Sometimes you can get lucky with a 1/2" breaker bar and the pulley lock, but not often. Don't be ashamed to farm the bolt loosening itself out.
Try getting a Verto flywheel off a classic Mini sometime. Holy cow.
patgizz wrote: can someone explain to me why a crank pulley has to come off for a head gasket job? not being a D, just curious as i've never worked on a honda before.
Timing belt.
In reply to patgizz:
To remove the head, you must first remove the timing belt, to remove the timing belt, you must first remove the crank pulley.
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