99 PA 3.8L crankshaft removal...

[82Stang]

Hello,

Is the crank supposed to come off with a little prying or does it need to be pulled with a puller? The haynes I read said nothing about using a puller, but I know better. I need to change the crank sensor, anyone have any insight for me?

Thanks.

[BNaylor]

Are you referring to the harmonic balancer?

You need a harmonic balancer puller with special bolts that fit properly to get it off on a SII 3800 engine.

The tech procedure at link below should help. Applicable to all GM platforms with the SII 3800.

Click here

[82Stang]

AHA...

That is exactly what I needed to know!

Many thanks.

[Mickey#1]

That article shows the wrong bolt size. They're actually 6mm.

[HotZ28]

Actually, the exact size required is M6X1X80mm, however, 1/4X28X31/4” will work fine. The ¼-28 bolts are much easier to find. Use grade-8 bolts (hardened)

[BNaylor]

Techically you should use GM's J-tool to remove the Harmonic Balancer (J-38197-2). But these DIY pocedures are written up to save money, for convenience and getting around having to use the GM J Tool by using a standard harmonic balancer puller that you can either rent or afford. This procedure has been posted on the Internet for years.

I checked the bolts in my kit and they are the exact same size specified in the procedure. 1/4" X 3". I've done two CKPS changeouts on circa '97 and up SII 3800 engines so I can confirm they work.

[82Stang]

Thanks to all reply-ees. I got some good tips from all and now I know what I need to get.

[82Stang]

Update....

I gave it a shot with the puller and the crank was on so tight, it just bent the washers and distorted the bolts. My gun has more than enough power to take care of most jobs, but I didn't want to push it and risk breaking something then making it worse. So, I put it back together.

Ironically, there is no code now. SO I am assuming that the banging away on the crank pulley dislodged debris from the crank sensor, therefore no more code.

Thanks for the tips. All is well now after replacing the darn belt tensioner assy I broke while doing this. Whoever thought of designing coolant through the tensioner assembly, should be shot. Shotty design, but amazingly it holds tight with just the o-rings as a seal.

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by 82Stang

Update.... I gave it a shot with the puller and the crank was on so tight, it just bent the washers and distorted the bolts. My gun has more than enough power to take care of most jobs, but I didn't want to push it and risk breaking something then making it worse. So, I put it back together.

I assume that you removed the big bolt in the center of the balancer before you tried to pull it off.

Originally Posted by 82Stang

Whoever thought of designing coolant through the tensioner assembly, should be shot. Shotty design, but amazingly it holds tight with just the o-rings as a seal.

This has yet to be confirmed, but I heard from a reliable GM inside source, that when this “coolant through the tensioner” design was implemented, some of the old farts were getting fat and lazy and depended on the co-op Engineering students to design this system. It certainly appears that was the case!

[82Stang]

1) Lol, yes

AND

2) I believe it. These "designers" probably don't even work on their own!