If anyone with some expertise on engines I have a question please help me. I need to replace my head gaskets and I've already removed valve covers, intake exhaust, fuel rail, upper and lower oil pans, passenger side engine mount, center member engine mount, belts and a/c compressor. I now learned how hard it is to remove the crankshaft damper bolt. I would like to do the breaker bar method where I brace it and turn the key just a little to bump the crankshaft in motion loosening the this bolt.

Which parts would I need to put back on to the car to be able to do this? I have tried placing a screwdriver in the teeth of the flywheel and but after a good whack or two it falls out. Not working for me at all. I've also been spraying PB Blaster on it as well.

Anyone on the org. have some info that would be useful for me? I believe in the ORG! Thank you in advance

 

You want to make the engine as stable as possible, so I would advise you to put the two motor mounts back in. The rest of the parts can be left off.

 

You literally turn the key for a split second, so I'm tempted to tell you to just go ahead and do the "bump" method, of course after you put the motor mounts back in. Some oil/fuel will come out.

Best bet is to have a friend help you. One guy holds the screwdriver in the flywheel steady, while you break the crankshaft bolt loose. Good luck.

Let us know what ultimately works for you.

 

What about a large impact wrench? I think I needed to bust out my 3/4" drive when I removed the pulley bolt on mine. Some reason the 1/2" drive didn't seem to budge it.

 

Thanks you guys for chiming in and responding to my question. I will put the motor mounts back on as you said. The other part of my question is can I re-attach the idler pulley add back the belt, that goes around the ac compressor and crankshaft pulley, connect the battery, position my breaker bar to stay stable and barely turn the key just to enough to get a crank so the bolt could come loose?

I really don't want to put everything back on to do this. I will if I have to. There's no need for oil pans or fuel rail the way I see it because I'm not going to fire it up or let it crank repeatedly, just one little crank. Do you think anything would get damaged? I don't think so but then I'm not an expert. I got a buddy of mine coming by later today but I want to get that bolt loose by early morning. I'll wait for your input before I go any further, then I'll let you know how it went. Thanks again

 

Impact gun = Job done.

 

Do you live near me? Can borrow yours? I called around and nobody rents them and I'm the only one I know besides my father that fixes my own cars. I'd hate to spend the money on one knowing I'll use it once every 5-10 years. If I had one this post would have never happened lol!

 

+1 The few times I had to do it with the engine out of the car this is what I did.

 

I watched some videos on youtube using the bump method but would I need to put the valve covers and fuel rail and everything else back just to do this? Or can I just put back the motor mounts re-attach the a/c, idler pulley, belt and battery. Then bump the one time without harming anything.

 

Believing in the Org makes things happen! Although my original question was never really answered the suggestions given worked and so the answer doesn't matter. Thanks you guys, I had no idea where I would get an impact wrench the cost to rent one was $29 for 24 hours. They assumed I had a compressor and hose, those were another $50. Just so happened a friend of my wife was mentioning her husband had left his tools when they split up a few years ago and to stop by and see if I could use any of it. Without expecting much low and behold a compressor, hose, impact wrench, torch, and every attachment you could think of. Christmas happened today for me.

I had to heat up the bolt first then used my new impact wrench (sweeet) 10 minutes later voila, a week and a half of frustration turned into 10 minutes of pure joy.

Last question I have is where is TDC on the compression stroke? I'm supposed to set piston 1 to it but how do I know for sure it's the compression stroke? I've searched the Org already and no clear cut answer and of course not one photo of what TDC looks like. Give me a minute while figure out how to upload a pic of where my cams sit right now

 

Never mind the pic I'm not photo upload create a url savvy. Any advise will do. Thanks for your replies

 

Everyone except you thinks that posts 2, 3, 6 and 8 were answers to your question.


The compression stroke is when a piston is traveling upwards in the cylinder towards the head and all the valves are closed. Top Dead Center is the point where the piston has reached its maximum upward point.

If you look at the top of page EM-22 in the FSM (Factory Service Manual) it has a drawing of how to do this.

If you don't have a FSM, download one from here:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/

 

I went back over the replies with (a hard to get into contact with) Triple Master Certified mechanic I and stand corrected, my apologies. I guess I was expecting more of a yes there will or no there won't be any damage adding back some of the parts. I know now what you guys meant.

You have just given me the most clear description of TDC I've seen yet! Sometimes less detail and to the point makes things much more understandable. Much oblige, I have downloaded a copy of the FSM 2 years ago but I must have skipped over the setting of the TDC while looking for step by step instructions on removing all of the necessary parts to get to the head gaskets.

Some say I should set it now before removing camshafts and some say it doesn't matter. I'll check the FSM I do recall it saying to set TDC prior to removing timing chain, secondary chains and camshafts.

Again thank you for the all the info!