k Series flywheel locking tool.

[patibbitts]

Can anyone help with advising the best solution regards locking the flywheel / crank, whilst trying to remove the crank pulley nut, on the Rover K Series engine?

 

Does anyone know who produces a locking tool that can be inserted into the ring gear or flywheel on the drivers side engine appature - perhaps Laser Tools, or suchlike?

 

I intend to use an air ratchet gun to spin it off.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Wrightpayne]

Big flat blade screwdriver on the big web at the back of the block. I’ve also used an allan key.

[SM25T]

Big screwdriver into teeth. Held that with one hand and pushed the breaker bar with the other.

[Steve Cragg]

Same approach but used a piece of flat bar with G Clamp to hold it in place to leave both hands free.

[Bricol]

In gear, handbrake on and someone leaning on the footbrake - came undone easily.

An air ratchet won't undo it - an air impact gun might - but just as easy with a breaker bar and a heave.

 

[revilla]

OK I know I'm in the minority here and I'm about to be shot down by people saying it's always worked for them but I've never liked the idea of trying to wedge something into the flywheel with one hand and swing on a breaker with the other. Maybe you all get away with it but knowing how tight the crank bolt can be to undo, if I was swinging on it and something slipped I don't like the thought of gashing my hand as the breaker gives way (it happened to me once when a cheap breaker snapped the pivot pin and I had a nasty bruise and gash across my wrist).

So I always use a Laser 4523:

It's really designed to be bolted onto the two bolt holes where the bellhousing attached, locking the flywheel from the top, but with the engine in place obviously you can't to do that, but it will fit on the top stud where the starter mounts:

To be honest the stack of washers on the other bolt there was belt and braces and these days I don't bother, if you tighten the top but it has no great urge to go anywhere so long as you make sure that the tooth is properly engaged with the flywheel.

[revilla]

PS: I almost exclusively work on the car on my own so the options involving "getting a mate to" don't work for me.

[SM25T]

Ranging from £34 to £62 on Ebay!!

[revilla]

Well they're not exactly single-use!

In my case that's less then £1 for each time I've used it I'm sure.

[SM25T]

Well you are a serial engine builder !

[revilla]

Sometimes even a parallel engine builder !

[Tony Whitley]

No danger of of gashing your hand and no need to have a mate helping - use a third hand:

My other top tip is to use the weight of the car to undo the crankshaft nut: jack up the car, put the socket on the nut with the tip of the breaker bar on the floor then lower the car

[revilla]

I still prefer having a proper tool for the job myself. I've seen all the various tricks but personally I'd just like to lock it solid so I know I've got peace of mind then I just use a breaker (or a torque wrench when it goes back on again). I am slightly spoiled with an SV which makes whipping the starter on and off a doddle, no issues with wiggling it around the primaries.

Quite useful when you've got an engine on a stand too:

If you're changing the clutch or flywheel and you crane the engine out into the floor, the tool will bolt across the two upper bellhousing mounts too and hold everything still while you do the clutch or flywheel bolts.

[RogerB]

Screwdiver in the flywheel and breaker bar worked for me undoing. However retorqing is turning in the opposite direction. Can this be achieved without the special locking tool and the engine in the car?

Edit-

OK I've done it with the car in gear and brakes on. As there is some wind up in the transmission as the bolt is torqued up I turned the engine back a little from the safe position so that the safe marks lined up when the full torque was applied.

[oilyhands]

Wedging a screwdriver in the ring gear has worked for me single handed on over 200 Caterhams and around 100 Elises, an alternative as long as you dont have a lightweight flywheel is to use a length of round bar (12mm or so) through the hole where the crank sensor fits and push it into the crank sensor holes. Or the method with a screwdriver and mole grips on the induction side of the engine on the wing of the engine ladder. 

Oily

[Baggiebird]

If you have a flywheel which has the position sensor it is possible to remove the sensor and put a suitably shaped piece of 16mm bar through the hole left by the sensor and into the front of the flywheel into one of the machined recesses.  I made mine from stainless but mild steel would be fine.

Very safe and reliable one in place.

[oilyhands]

Just be careful if you have a lightweight flywheel as these do not have the same machined recesses, they have raised spurs which will snap off if used to lock the flywheel.

Oily