trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

684 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by turboneal, Apr 1, 2006

turboneal

Discussion Starter · Nov 23, 2005 (Edited)

ok, i spent half the day searching the forums AND vfaq (i mean WORKING

). it is probably out there somewhere but i couldn't find it.

MAIN problem: my 97 GST with 80,000 miles is in Louisiana, i am in IRAQ.

right before i came over, my belts came off. I got new belts- Thought the alternator one came off starting a chain reaction. i thought this was to due with me changing the alternator so recently (4 times altogether? lifetime warranty= change it the rest of the life of the car...)

anyway, with the car on jackstands, i realized that the crank pulley was WAY closer to the drivers side of the car than it should have been. I didn't have much time before i was coming to iraq so i didn't get a chance to deal with it. (just drove the talon...

)

at the time i assumed it was crankwalk.

recently i got back on the boards and after i saw a post by AWDPetmitsu on someone elses thread i learned of "crank pulley seperation" (thanks for your message AWDPetmitsu )

EVERYTHING i could find on crank pulley "seperation" seems to have the pulley coming clean OFF.

i haven't seen my car in 8 months but it seems i remember the pulley being firm in place- just sticking out of where it should have been by a 1/2 inch or so.

So, the question: Can it be "crank pulley seperation" if the pulley was not falling off with no belts on?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. i searched a LOT for keywords "crank pulley seperation" and crank pulley seperating" etc. if this RE-newbie missed the obvious answer: accept my humble apology.

-Neal

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Asmodeus

· #2 · Nov 23, 2005

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

It doesn't always "come off" The seperation is of the rubber dampning material between the inner and outer metal pulleys. The outer being the double belt grooves of the crank pulley, the inner being whats bolted to the timing gear underneath the cover. Sometimes it feels firm but the power of the car can "walk" it out. Or back in, ect. Give it a pull, and your belts are holding it tight. I'd take it off, and give it a good look. Sometimes it'll spin on itself and find a snug spot again making this a PITA. My 2g pulley I tapped, and it fell in pieces. My 1g, which I replaced it with... is 5 years older and is in good shape. (Go figure.)
Look at the timing cover behind it to see if there is chafing. Mine was dug apart and melty.

Some swirl marks indicate a bad pulley.
Once its off, tap the center bolt of the inner crank pulley with a hammer and a block of wood. Hold your breath, and have someone push the clutch. If it pushes out. You walked it. Also, if you tap it in, and it slides in a half inch...

Well you get the idea.
Be safe out there!

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turboneal

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 23, 2005

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

Asmodeus said:
It doesn't always "come off" The seperation is of the rubber dampning material between the inner and outer metal pulleys. The outer being the double belt grooves of the crank pulley, the inner being whats bolted to the timing gear underneath the cover. Sometimes it feels firm but the power of the car can "walk" it out. Or back in, ect. Give it a pull, and your belts are holding it tight. I'd take it off, and give it a good look. Sometimes it'll spin on itself and find a snug spot again making this a PITA. My 2g pulley I tapped, and it fell in pieces. My 1g, which I replaced it with... is 5 years older and is in good shape. (Go figure.)
Look at the timing cover behind it to see if there is chafing. Mine was dug apart and melty. Some swirl marks indicate a bad pulley.
Once its off, tap the center bolt of the inner crank pulley with a hammer and a block of wood. Hold your breath, and have someone push the clutch. If it pushes out. You walked it. Also, if you tap it in, and it slides in a half inch... Well you get the idea.
Be safe out there!

Thanks for the reply! one of the threads i found on this subject was yours, with no replies to it....

I just wanted to RE-iterate that my belts were completly off and the pulley seemed pretty snug. (just out of place...)

i am hoping to figure out which one is more likely over the internet because if it IS more likely just the pulley, i will have my brother get it towed to STATELINE back in the 'ville to get them to fix that simple concern so i can drive my baby as soon as i get back home for my RNR.

if it is more likely Crank walk, then, well... i have to come back to iraq in january anyway...

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Asmodeus

· #4 · Nov 23, 2005

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

Its four 12mm bolts, a good whack and its off. Your bro can do that.
Then just look for where it might have run into the timing cover.
The 2g felt solid, I was using it to hold onto while sliding out from under the car, as soon as I gave it a shot with the hammer tho. Pieces. I didn't even notice until I tried to take it off. Then I saw the timing cover.

Get your ass home son. Bring everyone else with you.
You guys all just need to come home.

Thats all I can tell you. Besides its like an hour of work tops. Including the belts. I wouldn't pay anyone to do it.

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turboneal

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 24, 2005

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

ROGER THAT. I want to get my brother to get it towed to the shop to get worked on so i can spend my time driving my car, chasing my ex-fiancee around the bedroom, and drinking vast amounts of Jameson's (definitly not in that order....

) then if the shop confirms it was only the pulley, i could go ahead and order a turbo from here...

but you are right- i HATE to pay someone to do that crap... especially since i would have to let them do my alternator too since it was scavenged for the talon while i have been overseas...

have my brother do it? this kid drove around his ranger with a tailgate and bumper that were COMPLETELY wrapped around a tree when he forgot to put his e brake on...FOR 2 YEARS.

work on my turbo eclipse? uh, no.

Behind a drum kit? HE IS THE MAN! (his newest band is called Cry Mortal- google them- they have some music posted somewhere...)

anyway, in between drinking and chasing women i shall try to remember to post on this thread how everything turns out (december 8th can't come soon enough...)- STAY TUNED...

-Neal

Thanks again to AWDPetmitsu and Asmodeus for their help!
BTW, from a private message from AWDPetmitsu:
Definitely, yes. The crank pulley is comprised of 3 parts, the inside hub, the rubber dampener, and the outer ring. What happens is that the rubber deteriorates over time and the inside hub will move concentrically around the outer ring. Soon after, the whole crank pulley assembly will fall apart, dropping all your belts in the process. It's not easy to check because sometimes it takes a lot of torque in order to move the inside hub, if it's loose. What I did once was mark the inside hub and outer ring with a line and over the course of a few days, see if the marks changed position. If the crank pulley separates, the water pump will not run and you'll overheat quickly. The crank pulley usually fails around 80,000 to 90,000 miles. I always change it along with the timing belt, just to be safe. It's around $120.00 at the dealer. Make sure you get an OEM crank pulley, even though they'll fail again, and not an aftermarket one, as aftermarket ones are worse.

Of course, your belt may have come off from another cause, but this is one possibility that no one mentioned so I thought I would. Hope that helps.

Thanks again guys!

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SVT Rob

· #6 · Nov 24, 2005

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

I like my aftermarket pulley. But then, when I had the engine balanced, they had the pulley with all the other rotating parts.

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turboneal

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 1, 2006

Re: trying to figure out if my crank is seperating or if i have...crankw...DON'T SAY IT!!

Well,

never came back to post: IT WAS THE PULLEY! i got to drive my car while i was home in dec!

unfortuneatly my new turbo did not come in until after i was back in iraq...

thanks again for the help guys.

-Neal

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