99 chevy cavalier timing chain replacement - how and what needed
You need a repair manual.
Have that - I needs tricks to crack the crank bolt - no impact
I don’t know specifics on a Cavalier. Some crank pulleys are set up to use a special holding tool. If the manual specifies this you can usually “borrow” these kinds of things from chain-type auto parts stores (e.g. Autozone, Advance). To “borrow” it, you buy the tool set, take it home & use it, bring it back when you’re done to get a full refund. (So you basically leave a deposit equal to the retail cost of the tool).
If no special tool is given, get a strap or chain wrench of some kind on it. Have someone hold the correct size socket on there with a hefty breaker bar and start giving the breaker bar some sharp whacks with a hefty hammer - poor man’s impact.
Make sure you know whether the crank bolt is reverse threaded or not.
Using A Chain Or Strap Wrench To Hold The Outside Of A Harmonic Balancer Can Damge It. That’s Why The Holding Tool Is Designed To Hold The Hub Portion Of That Pulley.
I believe it’s Tester, a regular here, who recommends filling a combustion chamber with rope, fed through a spark plug hole (with the end sticking out). The engine is turned and since rope won’t completely compress, the engine’s crankshaft is held in place.
CSA
A couple of other possibilities could be to fold a heavy rag (old towel) multiple times and wedge it between the serpentine belt and crank pulley. The thickness of the rag can lock the pulley. (At least in most cases)
Another is to wedge a long breakover against the frame rail or suspension component (lower control arm, etc) with a short extension/socket on the crank bolt.
Very (VERY) quickly bump only the starter motor. Do NOT crank the engine over. This can break it loose.
Make absolutely SURE you’re eyeballing the engine rotation and breakover location correctly and that bumping the starter does not try to tighten the crank bolt. This could lead to snapping the crank bolt clean off and then you’re way up the creek without a paddle or even a boat.
Good point CSA. I went & looked at the set up & the pulley will easily take a holding tool - even a half-baked, home made version of some kind.
Thanks CSA forgot about that 1 just got spoiled with impact guns!
Thanks all got it! Sure to be talking to you soon.
Quote from OK4450 Another is to wedge a long breakover against the frame rail or suspension component (lower control arm, etc) with a short extension/socket on the crank bolt.
Very (VERY) quickly bump only the starter motor. Do NOT crank the engine over. This can break it loose.
Make absolutely SURE you’re eyeballing the engine rotation and breakover location correctly and that bumping the starter does not try to tighten the crank bolt. This could lead to snapping the crank bolt clean off and then you’re way up the creek without a paddle or even a boat. Unquote.
I did this inadvertently with a VW; worked like a charm. Forgot to remove a breaker bar used to turn the engine over manually. Loosens the crank bolt even if you don’t want that. Starter turns crank CW with a normal right hand thread for the crank pulley bolt that would loosen with a CCW turn.
I lock the flywheel (ring gear) when loosening a crank bolt when there is no room for an impact gun.
Some crank bolts are so tight that rope in the cylinder may result in a broken piston or bent valves. When a piston is 40 or 50 degrees before or after TDC (blocked by rope) there may be valves open, engines with 4 valves per cylinder have very thin valve stems.
Save the rope trick to hold the valves up while replacing valve seals in your back yard.
Well went through all that because was told timing chain was broken. Chain in tact and timing set perfect. Here’s the deal. Drove it and parked. Went back about 6 hours later wouldn’t start. Cranked but wouldn’t kick over. Had spark - fuel delivery fine - and now find timing is all good. Any ideas?? Really stumped here. Oh did I metion I’m on crutches and this is a real pain in the…!
Now you have to check if there is 12 volts to the hot side of the injectors. If there is 12 volts DC there, install a “noid light” and see if the light flashes when you crank the engine.
Have you tried ‘starting fluid’ into the intake to see if the engine at least catches but dies after the combustible is consumed?
HTH