Engine Rotator Tool
Discussion
Rat_Fink_67 said:
Why not just use a socket and power bar? Snap-On do a 1/2" ratchet adaptor to fit a bar, and then all you need is a good socket over the damper nut.
You don't need any fancy crap like that picture, we use a long 15/16" spanner!
'cos when the motor is tight after a rebuild you round the head of the bolt off. Plus because of the fuel pump you need to use an extension on the socket, increasing the chances of damage. It is also better to turn against the damper/crank keyway rather than the internal thread of the crank, which is what you do when you turn the motor on the damper bolt.You don't need any fancy crap like that picture, we use a long 15/16" spanner!
We don't need a ratcheting mechanism in it, all we need is a female 1/2" square drive which bolts to the damper using the standard accessory drive pattern.
Time Machine said:
'cos when the motor is tight after a rebuild you round the head of the bolt off.
No you don't. Well, we never have in 12 years anyway.Time Machine said:
Plus because of the fuel pump you need to use an extension on the socket, increasing the chances of damage.
So surely if there's no room for a socket and bar, there's no room for a spanner either??? This is for an engine with an on-board starter yes? Maybe a simpler solution is just to have a seperate starter button near the engine?And how does an extension "increase the chance of damage", unless of course you're just ham-fisted??
Time Machine said:
It is also better to turn against the damper/crank keyway rather than the internal thread of the crank, which is what you do when you turn the motor on the damper bolt.
Thanks for the lesson, I'm fully aware of what happens. It maybe "better" yes, but I've certainly never known people damaging the engine from turning it over via the damper. Edited by Rat_Fink_67 on Thursday 5th July 10:16
Rat_Fink_67 said:
No you don't. Well, we never have in 12 years anyway.
So surely if there's no room for a socket and bar, there's no room for a spanner either??? This is for an engine with an on-board starter yes? Maybe a simpler solution is just to have a seperate starter button near the engine?
And how does an extension "increase the chance of damage", unless of course you're just ham-fisted??
Thanks for the lesson, I'm fully aware of what happens. It maybe "better" yes, but I've certainly never known people damaging the engine from turning it over via the damper.
Look, this was never intended to be an argument ferchrissakes. We spotted a need and asked about it, these things exist because others have had similar issues. I'm not criticising the way you do things, but for whatever reason they don't work for us so we are looking for a solution.So surely if there's no room for a socket and bar, there's no room for a spanner either??? This is for an engine with an on-board starter yes? Maybe a simpler solution is just to have a seperate starter button near the engine?
And how does an extension "increase the chance of damage", unless of course you're just ham-fisted??
Thanks for the lesson, I'm fully aware of what happens. It maybe "better" yes, but I've certainly never known people damaging the engine from turning it over via the damper.
We don't want to use a spanner (in fact we cant as the damper bolt is below the surface of the damper from what I recall), we want to use a 1/2" drive bar which goes inside the device (note square hole in picture), thereby preventing it from jumping off when you are trying to turn the engine to a specific point for timing, leakdown or doing the lash - this removes the starter motor option since you cannot get the same degree (excuse the pun) of accuracy.
The extension bar creates a turning moment and with a socket this moment exerts a force on the head of the bolt which will lead to it rounding off. With a 1/2" drive female square hole on the damper this moment becomes a side load on the engine turning device which is less likely to fail due to the greater depth of engagement. The critical difference is the square internal drive instead of external hex drive, not spanner vs. socket.
Note this is the same technique often used on a blown motor where the square drive on the top pulley.
The fuel pump is cam driven from the front of the timing cover.
I knew I had seen one somewhere, unfortunately it was on Ken Lowe's site:

http://www.kenlowe.com.au/tools.htm

http://www.kenlowe.com.au/tools.htm
Edited by Time Machine on Thursday 5th July 12:48
Edited by Time Machine on Thursday 5th July 12:48
Time Machine said:
Rat_Fink_67 said:
No you don't. Well, we never have in 12 years anyway.
So surely if there's no room for a socket and bar, there's no room for a spanner either??? This is for an engine with an on-board starter yes? Maybe a simpler solution is just to have a seperate starter button near the engine?
And how does an extension "increase the chance of damage", unless of course you're just ham-fisted??
Thanks for the lesson, I'm fully aware of what happens. It maybe "better" yes, but I've certainly never known people damaging the engine from turning it over via the damper.
Look, this was never intended to be an argument ferchrissakes. We spotted a need and asked about it, these things exist because others have had similar issues. I'm not criticising the way you do things, but for whatever reason they don't work for us so we are looking for a solution.So surely if there's no room for a socket and bar, there's no room for a spanner either??? This is for an engine with an on-board starter yes? Maybe a simpler solution is just to have a seperate starter button near the engine?
And how does an extension "increase the chance of damage", unless of course you're just ham-fisted??
Thanks for the lesson, I'm fully aware of what happens. It maybe "better" yes, but I've certainly never known people damaging the engine from turning it over via the damper.
We don't want to use a spanner (in fact we cant as the damper bolt is below the surface of the damper from what I recall), we want to use a 1/2" drive bar which goes inside the device (note square hole in picture), thereby preventing it from jumping off when you are trying to turn the engine to a specific point for timing, leakdown or doing the lash - this removes the starter motor option since you cannot get the same degree (excuse the pun) of accuracy.
The extension bar creates a turning moment and with a socket this moment exerts a force on the head of the bolt which will lead to it rounding off. With a 1/2" drive female square hole on the damper this moment becomes a side load on the engine turning device which is less likely to fail due to the greater depth of engagement. The critical difference is the square internal drive instead of external hex drive, not spanner vs. socket.
Note this is the same technique often used on a blown motor where the square drive on the top pulley.
The fuel pump is cam driven from the front of the timing cover.

noggin the nog said:
time machine im not looking for an argument but surely if your trying to turn a freshly built engine over and its so tight you round the crank bolt off you got to have a problem somewhere ?
Like I said, the problem is more the fact the bolt has a shallow head and the cam driven fuel pump necessitates an extension bar than the fact the engine is really tight - we just had less of a problem before as the motor was a bit tired. Gassing Station | Drag Racing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff