Crank pulley bolt removal - another way

[Lola]

It would be awesome if a tool maker made one of those for us...

One method I've used alot and I mean alot! is to pull #1 Spark Plug and Rotate the crank left from #1 TDC from the compression stroke. Very Important! You can usually watch the piston travel down than stop through the spark plug hole. Than shove that cylinder full of soft rope. It's easy every time. After you can't get anymore rope in the hole that you can torque the Crank Bolt to spec. The crank will rotate a bit, the piston will travel up the cylinder and squish the soft rope against the head and the shut Exhaust valve (because it's on the compression stroke) and the engine is now locked in a safe manner. After the bolt is torqued you can turn the crank left a bit again and pull the rope out.

Or if you need to loosen the Crank Bolt it's the same but on the right side of #1 TDC. Pull #1 Spark plug and turn it right till you hit the compression stroke. Rotate the crank past Top Dead Center to the right and watch the piston travel down the cylinder (Power Stroke). Shove if full of rope and turn the bolt left till it squishes the rope against the head and shut valves... gets tight... than backs out.

Manual guys have it easy. Just put it in 5th, Yank the E-brake and do it to it.