HELP Crank Pulley. Plus RANT!!!

B

Banky

Senior Member
Hi all.

So I need to replace my crank pulley, going with a one piece. I removed the motor mounts screws, ****** frame mount screws, and gas pedal assembly.

The gas pedal assembly was hitting the fire wall when I was jacking the motor up. I jacked the motor up all the way till the rear head bolts hit the fire wall and my pulley STILL WON'T CLEAR???? Do I also need to remove the front spring shackles?

RANT!!!
I don't know HOW THE HELL the former owner of my A did not kill himself! I've only had my A for almost 2 years and I can see everything f-ed up on it. Which seems to be everything I take apart. The two piece pulley that I'm replacing was practically swinging front the crank. The second small piece was split in two, and had been banging around so long it wore the edges down. WTF!!! I love my A but christ sake I should have just started with a frame.

Thanks all!
Banky
 
It may be time to develop the capacity to pull your engine.

Harbor Freight has a shop crane that can be bought for relatively small money. See http://www.harborfreight.com/shop-crane-1-ton-capacity-foldable-69445.html

I don't own one of these instead deferring for a home made gantry crane made of 2 - 2x12s on edge (8' long) through bolted to 4x4x8' uprights. I use a short piece of 8" channel iron and an eye bolt as the landing point for a Harbor Freight 1 ton hoist (which it is not despite the hubris - but it will lift a Model A engine - or the entire front of the car just fine)

I'm a PE and I have calculated the capacity of this home-made gantry crane at 1 ton.

There are other ways to accomplish pulling your own engine including overhead beams in your barn/garage or even the "shade tree mechanic" method. If the latter try to choose a branch more than 8" in diameter where you attach the hoist sling.

And BE CAREFUL. Don't do anything you can't step back and un-do should the requirement arise. Accidents happen when you say "If I just do this and do it quickly, I'll get this...oops." Stay out from under a supported load goes without saying and jack stand have their place alongside the jack. All common sense.

Good luck with this. A pix of your interference may trigger someone's experiential synapses and they can answer you more specifically.

Joe K
 
Calm down and take a deep breath, Banky. Remember, this is a hobby and we are (supposedly) doing it for fun. :)
 
I'm good, not pissed. I was when I wrote my post, but one pity party later and I'm good. And admitantly i wanted to ride tomortow. Anyway, I am still confused, Les book says I don't have to pull the motor to replace a pulley.

Any more thoughts?
 
Banky said:
I'm good, not pissed. I was when I wrote my post, but one pity party later and I'm good. And admitantly i wanted to ride tomortow. Anyway, I am still confused, Les book says I don't have to pull the motor to replace a pulley.

Any more thoughts?
Click to expand...

Using that language I would say you are well on your way. :D Many of us are really willing to help you thru this but honestly, the majority of us really aren't too keen on reading "subliminal profanity'. :o

Since I have not read that in Les' book, I am not sure what to say but somehow/someway you will need to get some front seal room. A two-piece pulley was designed to be removed with the engine still in the frame, ....not so on the one-piece unless you are really tweaking the rear bolts and pushing against the firewall. The timing cover and/or oil pan needs to be removed to gain that clearance unless the front seal is 'toast'.
 
If you own a stock Model"A" you can not be in a hurry. Just kidding. I love working on old Fords. Try changing a crank shaft pulley on a new car. They had a new Mini Cooper at the local gas station the other day with a bad battery. They called the dealer and the dealer charges $300 to change the battery.Old Fords do not have metric thread bolts with fractional heads.
 
I agree with Bill. The 2 piece screw together pulley is the way to go. Because it screws together with a left handed thread it pretty much locks together when installed and besides - if you ever have to take it off - it's much easier than what you're going through now. Like Bill, I suggested this when you started.
 
I think I'm being misinterpreted. I did, and always do, read everyones suggestions and do tons of research. If I remember correctly the consensus was to go with an original style one piece. And according to Les A's book, you only need to lift the motor about an inch. That's why I was confused as to why mine wasn't working. I see now that if you want to use a one piece, you must pull the motor. That's ok.

My rant was about people doing unseen poor quality work. Then when you sell a car, it's a danger to whoever buys it. For example, one of the break rods wore out on the end. The fix......poorly weld a washer onto the end.

I just don't understand why anyone would "rig" something. That's all.

As always, thank you for all of your input!

PLEASE DELETE THIS POST, going south quickly.
Banky
 
It's called have a little pride in your work. Or a little concern for the person buying your car. I'm to honest, seriously.
 
You shouldn't need to remove the engine. You will need to remove the front spring U bolts and crank guide. That should give the needed clearance. I know it can be done and I haveused this method before. I would loosen the pan bolts to get more clearance for the shank of the pulley to pass through the rope front seal. Its not easy but can be done and it is easier than removing and replacing the engine.
 
last month I replaced a 2 piece pulley with a one piece pulley in my wife's roadster. after raising the motor I had to remove the front spring U bolts to get the one piece to go on.
 
Think of it as an opportunity to learn about the mechanics of the Model A.:cool:

But if the car is showing as many problems as you say, maybe you should check the clutch and associated parts while you are at it. Pulling the engine is not that hard if you find it required.
 
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