Crankshaft coming undone

[Pablo_diablo]

I was working on my truck and when i noticed the flywheel was just free wheeling I took my engine out and was going to take the cluch bell off and get down to the root of my problem. Well when i started to undo my cluch bell I found that all that did was turn over my engine, after holding the flywheel against the engine to hold the crankshaft in place while my friend undid the screw I ran into bigger problem. Rather than the cluch bell coming off the threaded protion of my crankshaft undid itself so now I am left with a cluch bell attached to a threaded shaft and an engine with no threaded portion on the crankshaft. Does anyone have any ideas of how I can fix my problem or am I going to have to break down and go buy a whole new crankshaft?

 

[sweetdiesel]

You'll need to lock the piston. You can use a piston locking tool available at your LHS or here http://www.teamfasteddy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=33&products_id=135 .You can also lock the piston by inserting a zip tie in the exhaust port. When you turn the crankshaft over, the zip tie will prevent a full stroke of the piston.

 

[neobart]

Or you can remove the carb and stick the rubber coated end of a set of pliers down in the crank. This way you wont put any stress on the conrod, and the crank is of a harder material.

 

[olds97_lss]

Or you can remove the carb and stick the rubber coated end of a set of pliers down in the crank. This way you wont put any stress on the conrod, and the crank is of a harder material.

You would be better off sticking a toothbrush in there as the edges of the intake port on the crank are sharp and will cut through the rubber coating of a tool. Then it will knick your intake port.

Good idea though. Never thought of that one.

I normally fill the cylinder with ARO after rotating it past the ports. Kind of a pain and a mess. Plus it puts stress on the con-rod. I've only had to do it a few times. Usually a pair of channel locks on the flywheel gets the nut loose or tight if you put a little pressure on the flywheel/collet.

 

[Racer 1966]

I think these other guys missed your question. Sounds to me like you will need a crankshaft. Can you post a pic so I can see for sure what your problem is?

 

[olds97_lss]

I think your right Racer. At first, when I read his post, I thought he had a clutch adapter that came off the short threaded shaft. After reading it again though, it sounds like he broke the end of the crank off...

 

[Pablo_diablo]

Sorry for the confusion, didn't really know how to explain it but basiacally what has happened is the threaded protion of my crankshaft has unthreaded itself. So now I have my engine with no threaded part coming off my crankshaft and I have the threaded portion of my crankshaft with the pilot shaft still attached to it. Now what I'm wondering is how I can thread this portion back onto my crankshaft and make sure it doesn't come back off again.

 

[rocknbil]

Post a pic Pablo!

I agree, especially for a newbie - a piston locking tool is a bad idea, it is a great way to punch a hole in a piston or bend a connecting rod.

Pablo to fix both - get the clutch off or tighten the flywheel so it won't come loose - you will need to lock the crankshaft so it won't turn so you can put enough torque on it. What you want to do is remove the backplate (and pullstart if it has one) and put a toothbrush or some other PLASTIC material - anything non-metal - in so the crankshaft locks against the inside of the crankcase. DO NOT allow it to lock against the connecting rod, and do not use metal objects like pliers or screwdrivers, these can nick up or bend the internals.