geo storm crankshaft bolt

Hello all-

I have the honor of trying to change a timing belt and water pump on on 91 Storm, 1.6L, non-turbo, sohc. This should be a no brainer but I have been fighting this for a couple of weeks already. The problem is the crankshaft bolt. I have tried everything I can think of, gotten advice in other forums and so far it won't break free. I tried an impact wrench, maybe not enough power there. It has a 450lb rating and I think I am giving it enough air. I tried doing it manually with a breaker bar and a pipe (1/2" variety) and pounded on an offset box wrench with a sledge. I even tried using the starter motor and a breaker bar to get it loose. That broke a short extension I had to use. Scarry stuff. Not a squeek out of this thing. I was concerned it might be a reverse thread. Being unable to get this piece of info from the local Chevy dealers I ordered a replacement bolt. Assuming they got the right one for me it is a standard thread.


I am not left with a lot of ideas at this point. The current list is to (1)give it a little more with the impact wrench, (2)try a 3/4" breaker bar and socket with a longer pipe (3)See if I can get a truck road service rig over to the house and have them drive it off with their impact wrench. (4)Change the water pump only for now but the belt is in poor shape. (5)Pull the engine to get better access to everything(I really hate this one)

Other than all of the above I will shortly be left with no alternative on this other than, heaven forbid, paying for the job.

Anyone ever deal with this specific engine and this problem? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

Hmm-

Looks like just posting in this forum works:)

I tried one more time using the 450# impact wrench. It was sorta like a last ditch effort before looking to another solution. It worked.

Now we'll see how much trouble I can make installing the water pump and timing belt. I do understand the timing issues involved,---I hope.

Hmm-

Looks like just posting in this forum works:)

I tried one more time using the 450# impact wrench. It was sorta like a last ditch effort before looking to another solution. It worked.

Now we'll see how much trouble I can make installing the water pump and timing belt. I do understand the timing issues involved,---I hope.
Oh my gosh....I thought it was just my car......lol
My male freind tried to get that bolt for DAYS.....finally I gave it a shot and it came right off......pretty funny. I guess you just gotta keep tr4ying and someday, when it feels like it, it will come off, huh.

Well I'll tell ya-

Thanks for the good words.

The Storm is up and running, at least for now.

My latest fun is an old Camaro that I use as a fill in. I need the thing like right now but it failed the NJ emission inspections about 18 mo ago. To fix that, among other things I have to replace the cat, O2 Sensor and other assorted junk. Right now I am fighting with the front Y pipe on the stupid thing. The trick is to separate it from the exaust manifolds without breaking the bolts off in them.I am trying to save the pipe as all that's wrong with it is it's donuts are leaking. I used PB blaster, gave a couple of the bolts a real soaking bath. Bolt #1 actually came out with reasonable effort. The second bolt on that side (right) is in a location that can only be described as some sadistic engineers' idea of a joke. To get at the bolt the pipe has to be off. To get the pipe off you have to remove the bolt. A bit of a circular type of problem. Anyway, either I need someone of the opposite sex that can handle a wrench :) or I'll have to keep standing on my head until I get the thing off.

Later

Ted