Hey guys, I tried pulling my harmonic balancer off yesterday and it wouldn't budge. I would like to know how you guys are getting yours off. Mines is on so tight that it would've bent the heck out of my flywheel. Also what size socket are you guys using. Standard or metric. Thanks Jason.

 

Hi Jason
I have best luck with an air wrench. Sometimes it has to chatter for a while to break it loose. On an old motor that has been in the weather I've soaked it with Kroil before trying to remove the bolt. Which engine do you have? Some of the 330's used a smaller bolt, but if I remember right most Olds engines use a 1 1/8" socket to remove the bolt.

John

 

I have a 455. I. Was using a 1 1/8 but I was just wondering would a metric size fit better. Have you ever had to put heat on one to get it off.

 

I've never done heat, just soaking in penetrating fluid and using an air wrench.


John

 

Air wrench. You'll need a good one, not a Chinesium one.

Turn up the air pressure and hit it long and hard - it'll spin off.

Then all you've got to do is use your balancer puller.

- Eric

 

Ok. I got a 1/2 drive snap on impact I can use. Only thing now is what size socket you guys use. Metric or standard.

 

1⅛".

Works every time.

- Eric

 

Block the crank from turning, either at the flywheel or using two bolts of the damper with a long bar. Reinstall the bolt without the thick washer and use a steering wheel puller to remove the damper.

 

OR by feeding a length of rope into one of the cylinders through the spark plug hole.

- Eric

 

There is NO fastener on a 455 Olds that is metric.

 

Did you make sure you took the thick washer out? Had a fried helping me one time, and he took the bolt out, but left the washer spacer, broke the puller.

 

I just pulled mine off today. Stripping the engine to rebuild inside when the snow flies.
Used a 1 1/8 socket with an IR 20V impact. Bolt came right off.
Then I put the bolt back in without the washer and used a piece of stock that I laying around and what do you know? 2 of the holes in it lined up with 2 in the balancer. I used 2 of the longer water pump bolts through the stock and evenly tightened each up using the impact.
When I ran out of crank bolt I just threw a 1/2" impact socket in the crank to space the bar out, repeating the operation and all came out fine.

 

Alright, here's a weird one on my 455, the balancer bolt is larger than 1 1/8". That's my largest socket, so I guess I'm going to the store to buy some bigger sockets. Any guesses on what it's going to end up being? 1969 442, Oshawa built, imported to US in 2016. Obviously non-original 455 casting is 396021F. Also, if anyone knows what this stamping means: L2E H 5343

 

1 1/4" does it.
Well. There we are.