Crank Pulley Loose

[1955cj5]

Well, not really "loose", it seemed tight fore and aft but you could rotate it just a bit on the crank.

Not having the right tool, I tried tightening the ratchet nut with the crank handle, there was no apparent movement... I read here that you can tighten the ratchet nut with a long punch and a hammer...a small hammer...

That did not help, so I decided to take the nut off using the same (wrong) tools and blamo, the pulley just popped apart....

I was careful, I don't think I hit the pulley itself with the punch but there was no going back....

Now with a large end wrench it was easy to get the ratchet nut off...

I had an old two piece crank pulley so I was able to get that installed without major dis-assembly and all is good.

But, looking at the broken crank pulley I think it may have been a poor reproduction..it came on the core engine...the numbers sure aren't Ford and it turns out the pulley shank is about 1/8" shorter on the broken pulley than on the new replacement, no doubt the reason why it never really seated and tightened up....I forgot to measure the two-piece pulley...

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

It doesn't take much of a bump to break the pulley, but I haven't seen one just break while in place on a running car.

 

[tbirdtbird]

it never hurts to have the right tools

 

[Jacksonlll]

Those pulleys are weak and will break. I think it was broken before you hit it. That is why it seemed loose.
Advice: you can put a new pulley on without dropping the pan. Your rope seals are probably gone and will have to be replaced. Remove radiator, timing gear cover, grind a big chamfer on about 180 deg on the pulley hub, put in new rope seals, lube everything, and push the pulley into place.