Last year I pulled the Crank pulley on my wife's 1971 Spitfire to change
the front engine seal and the timing cover gasket to slow the 'controlled
seepage' from the engine to the garage floor. I found the nut on the crank
was <very> tight. I rented a 1 and 7/8 inch socket ( I think that was the
size) and power bar (also known as a breaker bar or a Johnson bar) from the
local rental shop. I found that with the wheels blocked as best as I could,
and the car in any gear, I would 'drive' the car with the power bar. And
when I got them locked up solid by cranking the brake adjusters to apply the
brakes fully, with the parking brake tightened up too, I slipped the clutch
with the power bar (and a pipe on the end of it!). Then someone told me
about the rope trick - take out the number one spark plug, turn the engine
by hand until the piston is at bottom dead center, (or close) beginning of
compression stroke is safer than exhaust. Then feed rope into the spark
plug hole until it is filled. Make sure the end is still available to pull
the rope out. I used the polypropylene rope. Now, when you pull on the
wrench, the engine will not turn as the piston cannot rise in the cylinder.
With a lot of force, the nut will come loose.
David Chiahotny
'71 Spitfire
'70 Jaguar E-type
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