Things I've Learned About The Crankshaft & Cam Pulleys

[DJSG3]

Greets,

Already posted this in another Lexus forum but for those that get around much here goes:

Been reading in here and elsewhere about how to get that screw on the end of the crankshaft off. I keep seeing the one where you use the starter motor to loosen it, sounds good but how do you get it back on? Saw the official tool on Amazon (cheapest price I could find) and said, that's way too much for a one time job ($60). So went to Home Depot and bought a 1½" wide 3/16s" thick steel bar, a 1" metal hole saw and a couple of bolts, $20 total. Measured the hole pattern on the pulley, then created a template for drilling on the PC. Printed & cut it out of the page and then taped it to the bar. Cut the bar to size, drilled my holes, slid in the bolts & attached it to the pulley. Then I put the socket on the nut/screw, attached a breaker bar with a 20" extension to it. Supported that with a tire jack located right before the extension joined the bar and then slid a 6 foot pipe on the bar handle. Gave a long slow tug until the nut made that popping noise and off it came. I've included some visuals for y'all.

To get the ones on the two cam pulleys off, I took the valve covers off and used a 24mm wrench to hold the cam and a regular socket wrench on the nut/screw to take them off. On the cam there is a spot about midway, formed to accept the wrench.

DJSG3

[mxl4729]

Nice job. I used a impact gun to get mine off. i was not able to get the cam gears off. made a tool and it just bent. gave up and cut the shield around the water pump to get it off.