Crank pulley broke!!!

Abe's 1987

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Sep 5, 2017
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Weirdest/Craziest thing happened to me in the morning. Was driving my supra to work and started hearing squealing from the engine. Assumed it was the tensioner pulley just squealing so continued to keep going. Then I hear a pop and squealing got louder. Pulled over and the crank pulley snapped. Lol well damn. Luckily I wasn't to far from home and the engine was still spinning. Just limped it home.

Will replace that but got to figure out what caused it to brake. May need to test to see if all accessory pulleyes are spinning freely later when I get home. Just thought that was weird. Thought those pulleys were tougher than that.
 

Bru

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Feb 28, 2013
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Tampa Bay Area
Are you saying that the rubber insulation that separates the inner and outer metal pieces deteriorated? I have a spare MK3 pulley, but I'm reluctant to part with anything because of scarcity. I see one on eBay for $75 plus $37 shipping and taxes.
 

Abe's 1987

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Sep 5, 2017
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Houston,TX
Yes the rubber did separate. I'm considering aftermarket to negate this issue in the future. Considering the ATI pulley but looking into the reliability of the aluminum pulley.

1000008634.jpg
 

Bru

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Feb 28, 2013
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Tampa Bay Area
What I have done to remove and install the pulley bolt is to pull up the parking brake more than usual and put it into first gear. I have a 3/4" drive ratchet and I put a piece of pipe over the handle for added leverage to remove it. Putting it on I use a torque wrench. I believe the bolt size is 19 mm. I have a steering wheel puller and also some long metric bolts that I used to pull the damper, if it's stuck. If you have air tools, that should be the easiest way to remove it.
 

trofimovich

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Jun 29, 2012
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What about the aluminum crank pulley, are those any good?
A pulley made from a single piece of aluminum, without a damper to dampen vibrations, can do a disservice. For some it works, for others it doesn't.
To unscrew the pulley bolt, you need to hold the pulley itself so that the torque is not transmitted to the crankshaft. You need to make a device as described in the manual and hold the pulley itself.
Look in my logbook how I made such a device. And for ATI I also made a device further down the pages.

On page 21.
 
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Abe's 1987

Member
Sep 5, 2017
253
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Houston,TX
What I have done to remove and install the pulley bolt is to pull up the parking brake more than usual and put it into first gear. I have a 3/4" drive ratchet and I put a piece of pipe over the handle for added leverage to remove it. Putting it on I use a torque wrench. I believe the bolt size is 19 mm. I have a steering wheel puller and also some long metric bolts that I used to pull the damper, if it's stuck. If you have air tools, that should be the easiest way to remove it.
I will use this method along with the tool I bought.
 

Abe's 1987

Member
Sep 5, 2017
253
10
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Houston,TX
A pulley made from a single piece of aluminum, without a damper to dampen vibrations, can do a disservice. For some it works, for others it doesn't.
To unscrew the pulley bolt, you need to hold the pulley itself so that the torque is not transmitted to the crankshaft. You need to make a device as described in the manual and hold the pulley itself.
Look in my logbook how I made such a device. And for ATI I also made a device further down the pages.

On page 21.
So in theory the aluminum pulley will have more vibration during idle and normal driving compared to a dampen pulley. But drivability will still be the same correct?

I did buy the crank pulley tool so will test this to see if it works. Was only $20 on amazon.
 
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Abe's 1987

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Sep 5, 2017
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Yes. This tool on a breaker bar resting against the frame plus a weighted impact socket should do the trick.
Great, it worked flawlessly. Got the crank pulley bolt broke free and crank pulley off the engine. Just waiting on the new pulley to be delivered.

1000008690.jpg1000008691.jpg
 
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Bru

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So you're saying the Amazon tool you ordered, in the link provided, fit properly? The bolts were long enough and had the correct thread dimensions, etc. If that's the case, I'm going to get one as well, because doing it the backyard way does stress the crankshaft a bit as trofimovich posted.

For Faye: Hey Faye you Tampa girl you.
 
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Abe's 1987

Member
Sep 5, 2017
253
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Houston,TX
So you're saying the Amazon tool you ordered, in the link provided, fit properly? The bolts were long enough and had the correct thread dimensions, etc. If that's the case, I'm going to get one as well, because doing it the backyard way does stress the crankshaft a bit as trofimovich posted.

For Faye: Hey Faye you Tampa girl you.
Yup the tool fits perfectly. The bolts were long enought and the perfect size. I would run a thread chaser through the threads on the pulley though as mine seemed a bit rusted. I can get a picture of the tool installed on the pulley later tonight for yall.
 

Bru

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Feb 28, 2013
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Tampa Bay Area
Put the pulley back together to see if it still has enough reach from the front without touching the side extension. It may require cutting the rubber where it tore.
 
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eraezer

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Nov 6, 2008
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So in theory the aluminum pulley will have more vibration during idle and normal driving compared to a dampen pulley. But drivability will still be the same correct?

I did buy the crank pulley tool so will test this to see if it works. Was only $20 on amazon.
It's primarily about the internal forces and resonances.
Since it's a multiple of 3, the forces them self are well taken care of hence the expression that a 6-cyl engine is well balanced. The problem comes when adding the length of the inline six and focus is turned to the resonance frequency. An all aluminum pulley have nothing to mitigate this which could lead to premature failure of the crank, bearings or anything adjacent. But since the frequency is a function of engine speed it means that it will be very dependent on how the engine is driven. The longevity will of course be lowered but I don't think anyone can provide any numbers on how affected it will be. I don't think Toyota tried that, they probably only calculate what dampening is required for this engine and went with that. Some adjustment might have been made based on long term testing.
 

Abe's 1987

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Sep 5, 2017
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Houston,TX
Ok here is the oem pulley with everything attached as far as what I did to break the bolt free.1000008750.jpg1000008751.jpg

Here is the breaker bar on both ends of the tool
1000008746.jpg1000008748.jpg
 

Abe's 1987

Member
Sep 5, 2017
253
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Houston,TX
I did go ahead and cheap out and get the aluminum pulley until I can save enough for the fluid damper or ati just to get the supra on the road for a few months. Question is what would I tourqe the bolt to with this aluminum pulley on?1000008738.jpg1000008741.jpg