2.2 Crank Pulley Wobble

[synthetic corners]

I've been through a lot of forums looking for info on this but I'm freaking out a bit because it could be such a serious problem and I wanted to see what other folks thought.

I notice the pulley wobble this week, but couldn't say if it was a figment of my imagination or not. I even asked my wife and she says she can see a slight wobble. I'm not having any symptoms of a loose pulley mind you. No CEL, no knocking, no vibration (smoooooth at idle), belts aren't slipping or being thrown.

So today while I had time I pulled the radiator fans and my v belts. I did notice that neither bolt that locks my belt for the alternator, nor the AC condenser was actually torqued. The bolts that tighten the mechanisms were snug and my belts were tight but both the bolt through the alternator, and the one through the pulley below the AC were hardly finger tight.

Anyway I got to where I could get a wrench on the crankshaft bolt and put the car in 5th, blocked the wheels. I torqued it twice, just to make sure I wasn't fooling myself. I went all the way to 120 before I backed off and the bolt didn't budge. I then ran the car without the V belts to see if the pulley looked any different. It did, a little, maybe. It's hard to tell with the rust and all those little ridges spinning.

So here is the question. If my crankshaft pulley is torqued to spec, and it wasn't loose, am I ok? I know the pulley can separate into two peices but the rubber on mine looks good and I couldn't get the inner circle to move independent of the outer. What I'm concerned about is the whole thing walking off the shaft.

Aside from pulling the pulley and examining the keyway I know I can't tell for certain but I feel like if the pulley was not lined up and torqued down it would be very apparent and would wobble like crazy. Also I don't know if the thing has ever been off but the car did allegedly have a timing belt before I bought it.

I also wanted to make sure using the 5th gear, brakes on, technique is ok for torquing this thing down?

Any info is appreciated.

 

[Chris]

That's a fine way to torque it down.

If you have access to the bolt, why don't you take it off and look at it. If it's wobbling, it will round out the shaft and the keyway, and it'll eat up the pulley where it mates up to the timing gear.

If it wasn't loose, and you've now tightened it down to spec. You should be fine.

 

[synthetic corners]

I think I will pull it all apart. I was in the driveway today, and it was snowing, so I didn't want to go full in. I also wanted to make sure it was ok to torque the bolt this way.

What is holding the crankshaft when I'm wrenching on it in this way? Is it bad for the timing components?

When I pull it apart should I use the breaker bar / cheater pipe on the floor and bump the starter trick? Is that actually safe?

Also the pulley should just slip off when I get the bolt out correct? And last question if the keyway and key are intact can I just reassemble, or is it never that way?

Thanks again.

 

[Chris]

I've done the starter trick. I wouldn't recommend it, there are better ways to do it, such as this.

Even if you use the starter to remove, you still have to torque. If you do the starter thing. Make sure the engine won't start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The pulley never just slips off. You'll probably have to tap it with a dead blow or something just to loosen it. Wobble it back and forth a bit, and it'll come off. Don't hit it with anything metal, or you'll ruin it.

If the keyway is fine, just put it back on. I should note here, the key doesn't actually come out, the same key is shared with the timing belt pulley. But you can definitely look at it to make sure it's fine.

 

[Meyagi]

dont torque your pulley the way you did. you can twist the crankshaft which is not good. when installing or removing the bolt, always hold the pulley, not the back end of the crank.

 

[Chris]

The link I posted is a good way to hold the crank without proper tools. You don't want to hold the crank pulley with a strap wrench, either. Because you can spin the ring off the rest of it.

 

[synthetic corners]

Twisting my crankshaft sounds very not good...thank you for the input there. What would that actually do anyway, just curious. I'm hoping since my car still runs right I didn't do that.

My crank pulley doesn't have holes the size of the one in the post Chris linked to, they are pretty smallish. I guess I could find some of my punches that would fit in mine and use the same idea. Think that would hold? I'll have to find out. Also my alternator is on the other side, but I could adapt the method.

Is the actual tool sold anywhere that it doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

 

[Chris]

I do this one of two ways, i either jam something in the flywheel. which twists the crank... but I've never had an issue, or heard of an issue there.

Or, I do the other thing I suggested not to do, and that's use a strap wrench or an old alt belt on the outside of the crank pulley. I've never had an issue there, either.

If you ruin the pulley, they're cheap.

That's how I get cam pulley bolts in/out. I have a tool I made with an old timing belt that holds the pulley.

 

[synthetic corners]

What are your thoughts on an aftermarket lightweight pulley anyway? Seems like they are cheaper, lighter and more durable. Though I've heard people blame some weirdness on them as well.

 

[Chris]

The only gain is adding something shiny to your engine bay.

 

[synthetic corners]

So it seems, good call. Is there a good way to make sure the two metal parts of the pulley aren't rotating around each other? Like I said the rubber on mine looks good, but I would like to be sure and put this to bed.

I bet I could buy a takeoff from someone's car for like 15 bucks that has hardly any mileage on it.

In those pics you posted on RS2.5 what engine was that? Just curious about the difference of the pulley and the position of the accessories.

 

[IBratmanI]

A lightweight crank pulley won't gain you a whole lot, but they will also not fail like the stock one. That's why I replace mine with them. Don't get an underdrive crank pulley, just a lightweight one.

 

[Chris]

So it seems, good call. Is there a good way to make sure the two metal parts of the pulley aren't rotating around each other? Like I said the rubber on mine looks good, but I would like to be sure and put this to bed.

I bet I could buy a takeoff from someone's car for like 15 bucks that has hardly any mileage on it.

In those pics you posted on RS2.5 what engine was that? Just curious about the difference of the pulley and the position of the accessories.

I can tell it's an impreza because they have the end tanks on the top/bottom unlike the legacy. It almost looks like a dohc, but in any case, it's late 90's early 2000's.

There a few different revisions of the subaru crank pulley, and I've found no rhyme or reason as to what are on what engine. I know some time in the mid 90's one got phased out on the 2.2 to that style. The accessories are mounted the same on all EJ engines. And now that I think of it, they changed to an external PS reservoir with the single cam 2.5, or at least in 2000. so that likely is a dohc/98 model.

If the rubber looks good, it's probably fine. They almost never separate. There was an issue on the xt6 (maybe? some older subaru) or something with it, but not much since. Stock or aftermarket, they can still wobble if you don't get the bolt tight, so you're not gonna dispel that issue.

Also, when you put the bolt in, make sure to oil the threads. That way you get true torque, not under torque it because you have friction of dry threads.

 

[synthetic corners]

Thanks for the info, been a big help. When I get the thing apart if the key is chewed up how do I pull it out? Do I pull the timing covers to get at it? Does it require the removal of the timing sprocket? Obviously I don't want to change anything in there in the process.

Looked at that pic again, I was just seeing it wrong. The camera angle was throwing me off. I thought all six of my subys have been laid out the same.

 

[Chris]

I doubt anything is chewed up. if it is, it's a pain to fix, and not really worth it

Just tighten the crank pulley on good and tight, and it'll be fine. The ea81 in my GL doesn't even have a keyway on the crank. On the EJ, it doesn't do anything but align the timing marks so you can use a timing light.

 

[Meyagi]

and the point of using a timing light on an EJ is..... oh yeah to adjust the non adjustable ignition timing lolz

 

[synthetic corners]

Well I guess I'll pull the bolt and take a look, then torque it back down just to make sure.

I'm guessing my "wobble" is an illusion... hopefully.