Does the nut on the center of the crank pulley unscrew counter clock wise? It is really tight and I have an outer nut wrench holding the pulley. I can't see in the repair manual or alldata diagrams if it is by chance opposite threads. Anyone know for sure before I keep going in the wrong direction? Please Help.

 

It loosens like a normal nut, ccw. So you have the Honda tool? I just did this myself last week, and I had to use a cheater bar to get it loose. I bought a one-inch diameter, 4ft long, black steel pipe from the plumbing aisle at Home Depot for like $13. It fit very nicely over my 1/2" drive breaker bar. It's the only way to go!

 

that bolt is on with 181 foot pounds of torque, for referance: wheel lugs are 80

you can use the special honda pulley removal tool (kragen.com) that locks it in place, with long bar or starter

or go old school with a STURDY breaker bar on the bolt and its handle against ground or frame member
tap the key to start a few to several times--starter torque will break it loose for sure!!

on install: place a prybar into the teeth of flexplate/flywheel thru the access port on bottem of trans, use long prybar to tighten bolt

if you dont have a 200 ft lb torque wrench, you can set the torque to a lower value,
iirc its 85 with torque wrench then 3/4 rotation of bolt = 181
ck lightweight crank pulley DIY for that info

bolt must be back on correct torque--this is not something you want loose!

 

The starter method didn't work for me, although I've read that it has worked for others. The slow, steady torque of the cheater bar beat the sudden impact of the starter in my case.

For re-tightening without the Honda crank tool, accessing the flexplate by removing the inspection cover is best. However, there are no teeth on the plate...at least not on mine. The edge of the plate was smooth. There were some shallow pockets on the face of the plate near the edge, and some 10mm bolt heads between the shallow pockets; the pockets and bolt heads alternate. To re-tighten my crank pulley bolt, I had a friend wedge (and hold) a prybar between one of the bolt heads on the plate and the trans case, while I leaned on the cheater bar. The prybar slipped several times while doing this, but I think I got enough good turns on the bolt for it to hold. I do wish there was a better way to do it, though.

 

an air gun none of us own,, unless you change semi truck tires~

others may want to make a mark where you get to a set low value--80
then then next 3/4 turn can be visualized

 

To be more specific, I wish there was a better way to hold the pulley or flexplate still while tightening the bolt.

 

^ The Honda tool

Can be had for around 20 bucks. Most people will probably only use it once & resell it, recovering most of their money.

 

Again, to be more specific...
This is particularly true when installing an aftermarket pulley, like a UR underdrive or Bomz aluminum lightweight pulley. These aftermarket pulleys do not have the inset for the Honda crank tool. You have to tighten the bolt via other methods.

BTW, I could not find the Honda tool locally, until I stumbled across one at NAPA while getting my new belts. The price there was $48. I found a decent little package deal online at DenLors Tools, with the Honda crank pulley tool, a valve adjustment tool, and a feeler gauge for $48 plus shipping. Here it is: http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1...0mm_valve.html

 

And that doesnt work for aftermarket pulleys

 

Sorry...didn't know we were talking about aftermarket pulleys. Was assuming just a standard t-belt job.

 

Thanks everyone for help. It is NOT reverse thread but I needed some confidence because of the effort I was having to use. Got it with a pull bar and 4ft piece of pipe. By the way we have an O'Reillys auto store that loans the honda pulley wrench to hold crank still.