So i spent most of last night trying to get the crank pulley nut off to remove a timing belt. with the engine out, no box, on a tyre. Tried wedging the fly wheel, then Tekkys trick i put the bell-housing on, strapped the starter to it got the jumper leads out and it still wouldn't budge. Then i turned to youtube and used this wrap method. Im sure that its covered in the 100k tech section but it didn't make sense to me. Get the old fan belt, loop it around the pulley and behind the water pump then pull it back on itself so when you start loosening the nut it will pinch on itself. So happy with how it worked i had to run in and type this with oily fingers
most people remember to loosen it when its in car, can undo it with starter motor let the spanner go around and hit the chassis, or get the right tool, an impact thing with a swivel from mechanics
If you have $500+ sure. Another way to do it is get some chain, bolt one end to one of the flywheel mounting bolts and the other to one of the transmission mount points on the engine. Tricky part is remembering which way you need the chain attached lol!
Well in my situation with nothing but a breaker bar this was the only way i could remove the bolt (thought it was a nut...) Even the starter couldn't move it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teaB2JAfVi0
A half decent air impact wrench will deliver five time the torque of one of those cheaper 18v things....
I have never had an issue getting them off out of the car. I put the breaker bar in place, wind it round till its under compression. Then belt the handle with a 2kg block splitter. Comes off every time.