Front crank seal replacement

[beater91]

I've got a '91 manual tranny and I cannot get the timing sprocket bolt out. I've tried pulling the starter and wedging a screwdriver in the flywheel but it got to the point I thought I was going to damage the flywheel. I've tried locking the cam sprocket but the timing belt just stretches. Any suggestions.
Thanks

[Jimmy812]

Can't you just leave in in first gear, have a friend keep a foot on the brakes, and keep the engine from turning that way?

Never done it on a Festy, but it works on every other car I've tried.

[freshtiva]

You mean the crank bolt ? Do what Jimmy812 said except use fourth gear (with clutch out) not first. An impact works best. Remove the dust sheilds from the passenger side and loosen the motor mount nuts on the same side to lower the crank bolt enough to get a socket on it. Wham bam !

[gdawgs]

See this thread.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20415

Best way is to lower the engine and get the impact wrench on it.

And for the above procedure, you would want to use First gear or reverse, not a higher gear. The higher the gear the easier it is to turn the wheels by hand. So a lower gear will tend to hold the crank bolt better. Still best to use the impact.

[freshtiva]

Fourth has always worked for me.

[FeistyFesti]

The best bet is to use an electric impact wrench with an impact socket. I bought a $40 one from Harbor Freight and it wouldn't budge because I was using adapters and extension because my darn engine would not go low enough due to the alternator pulley bolt jamming on the body. I then got a deep impact socket and had to pry on the engine to get it low enough for the socket to get onto the bolt. With the impact socket, I hit it with about 15 second bursts, about three to four times and it came off. The impact got hot as hell. I tried cutting a small notch to allow access to the bolt but my fiber cutting wheel wore out and I only had the one. I didn't feel like driving to Harbor Freight to get new ones. I think cutting a small two inch notch would make life a lot easier.

If you look at the thread that Gdawg posted, you'll see the cut marks that I attempted to do until my cutting wheel wore down to a nub.

[freshtiva]

There should have been a "notch" designed in from the factory IMO.

[grizzleebear]

When I did mine I put a 3 foot cheater pipe on the socket wrench so the cheater pipe was resting on the driveway towards the front of the car. Then bumped the starter. I was a little concerned about using this method (got the tip on this forum), but it worked like a charm.

[Dave G]

Do the camshaft seal too while you're in there.

[beater91]

You guys are awesome!! Put it in 4th gear, lowered the engine, used the impact wrench, and out it came. Thanks for all the advice.