Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Technical Discussions - Got a mechanical problem?

Moderator: bajabob

Post Reply
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

As I had mentioned before, the timing belt broke while I was driving down the highway. The engine shut down quickly and did not make any abnormal noises so I am hoping the engine is still good. I got everything apart just fine, but had to put the crankshaft bolt back into the crankshaft to rotate the crankshaft to the timing mark. Now I can't get the blasted thing off. I have tried every trick on YouTube and that I could find on various forums. Below is a photo of my problem. Anyone have any ideas on how to get that blasted thing off?
SAM_0005.JPG
SAM_0005.JPG (1.01 MiB) Viewed 5659 times
It's a 2003 Subaru Baja (Base) with an Automatic transmission. 218K.
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
06Suparu
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:10 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by 06Suparu »

Thats easy. Under the throttle body on the back of engine/front of transmission is a big black rubber plug that covers the flywheel. Pop it off and put a screwdriver or small prybar in and that will stop the engine from rotating while you are trying to get the bolt out of the crank.
ZUBAJA
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 276
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:38 pm

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by ZUBAJA »

Another trick: put a breaker bar and socket on the bolt, brace the bar against a solid place on the passenger side of the car and bump the starter. Dennis
mike-tracy
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:30 pm

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by mike-tracy »

Another trick, use a battery powered impact. My Makita 1180 ft-lbs impact hasn't met a bolt it couldn't remove yet.
1992 Legacy SS, 5mt and heavily modified
2000 Impreza RSTi Coupe
2003 Baja, H6 and Dual Range 5mt swap
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

Thanks for all the replies. None of them worked.
As for a battery operated impact drill, there is not enough room, unless I take the radiator out (and I really don't want to do that).
As for touching the starter I think I have worn out my battery doing that when I first took the bolt off.
Lastly, there is not an inspection port under the throttle body on my engine. There is a mount that connects both the engine and transmission to the frame of the body. Yes, I looked it up on the internet, all I have at that location is metal. So I put the throttle body assembly back together. I had such high hopes.
- Update - Not being one to give up on an idea that everyone seems to be saying is there but I could not find, it turns out that the images I found were wrong. I found the part number for the cover on another forum so I looked it up on Subaru Parts and found a diagram of where exactly it was. Sure enough; there it was. https://www.subarupartsdeal.com/parts/s ... AT;5=BAJA). I found a hole, stuck a screwdriver into it and what do you know, I got the blasted bolt from unknown parts off. :D Thank you oh so much, without you telling me about it I would never have even known to look for it.
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
mike-tracy
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:30 pm

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by mike-tracy »

Awesome, glad you got it
1992 Legacy SS, 5mt and heavily modified
2000 Impreza RSTi Coupe
2003 Baja, H6 and Dual Range 5mt swap
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

Now I am feeling picked on. I had a friend come over to jump my car. We connected the jumper cables, let his car run for about fifteen minutes then tried to start mine. The starter spun up, but did not engage the fly wheel. All in all, we made three attempts to start it over about an hour, then let it sit another half hour charging up the battery.
I am wondering if there is some fail safe procedure I didn't know to do, perhaps I just need to rap on the starter a few times to free it up with a rubber mallet or replace the starter. This is blowing my budget big time as I live on Social Security Disability, and like most people it took all of my savings to live the years it took to get the disability granted.

I would appreciate any ideas on how to deal with this.
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
06Suparu
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:10 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by 06Suparu »

Hey something else that has happened to me lol. Guve the starter a "love tap" or 10. It will probably start. Go to a junk yard and buy a starter. It wont be new but it should get you by for a while. I had an Outback that did that. I had a spare from a previous car. Bing Bang Boom switcho chango and i never had an issue with it again.
Whats going on is the solenoid isnt engaging and pushing the gear forward to turn the flywheel. When you pull the starter i would suggest pulling the ground wire and the bracket where the starter is and cleaning all those surfaces also and then put them back.
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

After a couple of "Love Taps" the starter engaged and started spinning the crankshaft. Now I think I am in deep do-do. Crank spins with a loud noise, but the engine makes no attempt to start. I have a video, but scoobytruck will not allow mp4s so I stuck it on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ken.zaske/vide ... &ref=notif
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
mike-tracy
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:30 pm

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by mike-tracy »

For those of us without Facebook (that's more than you think, since we are still on a forum), would you mind uploading it to YouTube?
1992 Legacy SS, 5mt and heavily modified
2000 Impreza RSTi Coupe
2003 Baja, H6 and Dual Range 5mt swap
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

mike-tracy wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 8:54 am For those of us without Facebook (that's more than you think, since we are still on a forum), would you mind uploading it to YouTube?
I don't have a youtube channel. I had several friends in the Baja group that watched the video. The result was unanimous, no compression. The engine is toast. So it looks like I will be in the market for a replacement used or rebuilt engine once I get some money saved up.
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
mike-tracy
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:30 pm

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by mike-tracy »

Timing could have slipped too.
1992 Legacy SS, 5mt and heavily modified
2000 Impreza RSTi Coupe
2003 Baja, H6 and Dual Range 5mt swap
kzaske
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:52 am

Re: Stuck Crankshaft Bolt, Balancer already removed.

Post by kzaske »

Update:
In the last year I have aquired most of the special tools needed to work on Subarus, taken both heads off, removed the old bent valves, checked the pistons (all good) and reinstalled the heads without removing the engine. I know that not removing the engine is not the best way to install/remove a head but I didn't have the option of either an engine stand or a lift.
As for the old valves, not a singe one was useable. They were all bent, some by as much as 13 degrees. Of the pistons, two showed marks of having struck the valves however none were damaged.
Now I am reinstalling everything on the engine. A slow process for me. I followed one set of instructions I found on YouTube, and ended up discharging the AC gasses. Not a good thing. So I am going to need to recharge the AC compressor. One step at a time very slowly.
Oh, I did find online a set of Subaru manuals for a 2003 Lagecy; which is the exact same engine my Baja uses.
2003 Subaru Baja
Automatic Transmission
About 215K miles.
Post Reply