crankshaft bolt

[streetknight]

how do i get the crankshaft bolt out? i know the pulleys have 6 13mm bolts on them. but what about the 22mm bolt how do u get that off. i have tried a 800ft/lb impact gun. and tried with a chain wrench and breaker bar but it will not budge. any one know how to take this off. i have alldata at the shop and all it says is take it off and a pic. of it being turned counterclock wise. am i missing something?

[e30Matt]

We had success with a 10ft long pipe and a bunch of people standing on it.

[streetknight]

hmm intersting might have to try that everything else has failed.

[hugh jass]

a 1/2" impact wrench will get it off in about 5 seconds

[Simon S]

the following is an excerpt taken from here:

"Loosen the crankshaft bolt (22mm). It is VERY tight - ~230 ftlbs, but needs a shock to release it. Forget a rattle gun (not strong enough) or a breaker bar (you will slip the clutch first). So, remove the airbox (2 off 10mm nuts and a jubilee clip). Put a power bar (of suitable length) vertically upwards on the pulley bolt and a block of wood on the LH chassis arm. Crank the starter motor momentarily so that the bar rotates 90 degrees into the block of wood! 3-4 goes at this will usually release the bolt. It is a normal right-hand thread. Note that BMW uses a tool which bolts on in place of the vibration damper (6 bolts). The tool is locked against the chassis arm and a breaker bar is then used."

[Stu]

Assuming the engine is out of the car and the oil pan is off, my dad usually had me hold a 4-5 pipe in the rear section of the engine-stand...while he used a breaker bar/socket with a 3-4 foot bar on the crack bolt. You can block the crankshaft against the block casting (block of wood)to keep it from rotating, and the force of both people pushing in opposite directions usually does the trick. Some are a real bitch, some not so bad.

If the engine is in the car, I have no idea how you'd do it other than the method Simon described.

[streetknight]

its on a stand at work i might try that as my next resort. last resort is to take it to a truck repair shop down the road and have them give it a try

[Addissimo]

Yeah its supposed to be 307ft/lbs

I used two long as cheater bars and another person. Took a while.

[aeryk7]

the following is an excerpt taken from here:

"Loosen the crankshaft bolt (22mm). It is VERY tight - ~230 ftlbs, but needs a shock to release it. Forget a rattle gun (not strong enough) or a breaker bar (you will slip the clutch first). So, remove the airbox (2 off 10mm nuts and a jubilee clip). Put a power bar (of suitable length) vertically upwards on the pulley bolt and a block of wood on the LH chassis arm. Crank the starter motor momentarily so that the bar rotates 90 degrees into the block of wood! 3-4 goes at this will usually release the bolt. It is a normal right-hand thread. Note that BMW uses a tool which bolts on in place of the vibration damper (6 bolts). The tool is locked against the chassis arm and a breaker bar is then used."

I was just gonna say that is always an option too ,it worked for me.

[///tonic]

wow, this actually worked! Cranked it over about five times, and then it was loose enough to get off with a 3 foot breaker bar (car in 5th gear).

[golde30]

i just took one off my s50 this afternoon. the engine was on a stand, i put in 2 flywheel bolts, a long crowbar in between them and against the engine stand arms, then used a 4ft long heavy steel pipe cheater bar over a 2ft breaker bar and it came off pretty easy.

[mode]

I had no issues whatsoever removing mine. Didnt even have to lock the crank. I just used a 1/2 impact. Your tools must be weak.

[mattdk318i]

Ive had lots of luck with my Electic 1'' impact. Dewalt FTW!!

[streetknight]

no air pressure sucks at the shop. my impact is pretty strong

[swooper]

I got it off, now what?

Well, a mechanic friend of mine is helping me change the timing belt, but he mostly works on domestics. He managed to get the crankshaft bolt off of my 1989 325i about a week ago using Simon's method. He thought he needed to take it off to get the timing belt off.

Now I need to torque it back up to 300 foot pounds. Does anyone in Norther Virginia have a crankshaft holding tool that I can borrow.

If not, does anyone have any advice on how I can keep the crankshaft from moving when I toque the bolt? I've heard someone suggest putting a prybar in the flywheel. Will that work? Will it cause any damage? Does anyone have any other ideas?

Finally, the crankshaft seal doesn't seem to be leaking should I change it anyway since I have the bolt off?


Thanks.