9550

so i took the balancer bolt out today and attempted to pull the balancer. the balancer bolt came out surprisingly easy. i got excited thinking maybe the balancer might go easy as well. no dice. bent the bolts on the puller. and decided to go no further

i think i might just put everything back together and call it a wrap. then again, i might go overboard and take the whole damn thing apart.

mattdel

If you're bending bolts on the puller, you're doing it wrong. Balancers are BARELY pressed on, you could take it off with a small hammer if you could manipulate the angle.

9550

i dont know much, but i really dont think im doing anything wrong in this case.

9550

of course, theres always a chance. probably im doing something wrong
8-)

Project 5.GO!

Let it soak a little longer in the blaster, it might be rusted on there. Take a pic of how you have the puller set up. If we look at the pics and determine that it's on right, chances are you could just throw a set of stronger bolts in it and give it hell.

AdderMk2

you should be able to line up the keyway (yes, the balancer only goes on one way) and tap it a few times with a rubber hammer. Once it is on far enough, you should be able to put the center bolt back in and slowly tighten it into place.

9550

so, i checked out some pics of a ford 302 balancer. shows where the timing marks are in relation to the various bolt holes on the balancer. going to try and study that area on my rusted balancer and see if i can see anything, and maybe re-try to get the rust off in that area which would allow me to not have to remove the balancer.
if that doesnt work, i will again pursue taking the balancer off

thanks for the input guys
stay tuned

Five0hFox

Try putting pb blaster on the srea and scrub with a wire brush. Should clean the rust off rather easy.

9550

that was the first thing i did

9550

ok, so update time. i know people love pics, i do too, so i have included a few.

first things first, the balancer bolt has a washer. i didnt realize it at first, but apparently theres not supposed to be a washer there? does it matter if i leave it on when im done or not, assuming i torque the bolt properly?
heres a pic:


now, i noticed one of the threads on the bolt is damaged. if i look at the threads from the side, the damaged area is pushed into the grooves at all, if you know what i mean. there does seem to be some tiny shavings in the area when i take the bolt out, so maybe it is worse than it looks. i suppose i need a new bolt and hope the threads arent screwed up inside.
heres a pic of the thread from the side and one from the front:




now, here is the puller assembled and in place. does it appear i am doing it correctly? i have the cone shaped tip attached to the center bolt.




right now, im at the point where if i try to tighten the center bolt, the balancer will turn, so its on there tight. i need to pick up a strap wrench for sure i guess.

im guessing it shouldnt be this hard. the balancer appears to not have moved at all. if it has, it has moved less than 1/32 of an inch, but i really dont think it has moved.
can it really be rusted on there that badly?
i have been spraying the pb blaster every day for for the past few days, sometimes twice a day.
spraying it here (yellow arrow points to what i believe is where the balancer meets whatever it is it is sitting on. i spray all the way around) :







so whats my move? get a strap wrench and keep going, hoping i dont snap a bolt? do i try to heat the balancer? throw the car in the garbage?


im thinking im going to drain the coolant and take off the water pump. just for fun. at least it will give me a better view of the balancer.