BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

Crankshaft Nut - NIGHTMARE continues

20K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  MKJS 
#1 ·
Hello again

So since last week I have been applying lubricant daily to help loosen up the crankshaft bolt in order to remove the cover and replace the broken pieces to get my car running again - see NIGHTMARE post a few weeks back if your really interested

Up to this point i have broken one breaker bar and used enough foul language to make my kids think the devil is inside me :p ALL TO NO AVAIL!!!

So before I start heating things up literally I wanted to ask if anyone has any advice to get the @#$% thing to move

Thanks for reading and hopefully someone has a trick :thumbup:
 
#2 · (Edited)
I don't have the trick, but I typed /crankshaft f3 in the bestlinks and this came up ... which might help ...

- How to remove the crankshaft pulley (1) & how to make your own BMW crankshaft holder tool (1) & how to remove the BMW E39 540i V8 waterpump without removing the crankshaft pulley (1) (2) (3)
Some references resulting from that thread are...
- timing guides replacement results at 112k miles
- 540i crank bolt..
- Lower chain case cover removal and reinstallation (M62TU) -
- Pelican tools for crankshaft pulley removal
- 540i top end noise (awful)-
- Ebay crankholder tool
etc.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I didn't find the reference thread all that helpful.
But, are you perchance using a tool like this one?

Did you find it helpful? (probably not).

BTW, running an E39-only title-only search for "crankshaft nut", unfortunately, finds only your thread.
It finds nothing for the E38.
But, it found stuff on other forums, which I posted to the canonical thread.
 
#7 ·
did you try a 1/2 breaker bar and using the starter bump it on, to brake the seal?
 
#13 ·
Maybe I was just lucky, but it wasn't really a bad for me at all. I made a holding tool (five holes in a ring with a rod welded securely on) and used a 3/4" john deere breaker bar. Used two 6 foot steel pipes as breaker bars and it came right out. Without using a holding tool I have no idea how I would have done it.
 
#14 ·
I have never dealt with this V8 crankshaft nut (when would it need to be removed anyway?)...

Looking at the tool pictured, I don't see how it works.

Does anyone have a picture of the tool in situ?
(What are all the little holes for?)
 
#15 · (Edited)
Ah, nevermind.
I found these two pictures separately, which explain that the picture above.
With mental extrapolation, I can surmise that what is missing are the "pins" that go in the pulley holes....

Presumably, the tool is used to hold the engine from spinning when you try to remove the bolt.

Is your problem that the bolt is stuck?
Or that the engine is still spinning when you try to spin off the bolt?
 

Attachments

#16 ·
So another day spent trying to spin that dang thing off with the tools on hand and yet another point for the nut

SCORECARD

Nut - 15 + and one bent allen key
Me - 0

I haven't tried the starter trick yet as the entire front of the car is torn off with battery disconnected. At this point I am going to see about a 3/4 breaker bar and order the proper holding tools from pelican TOMORROW

on a side note : ever notice that when you hit a speed bump during a build and you start thinking about options - things like V10 and such start to sound more intriguing and intriguing every second :bigpimp:
 
#18 ·
I'm also confused since, when I searched for pictures, I didn't see a NUT but a bolt.

Also, it's not clear to me that the engine isn't spinning when the OP is trying to spin the bolt, so, my first guess is that the OP need only lock the engine down in place.

I noticed that only takes a metal angle iron, hacked out so that the bolt head fits over it, with two holes drilled in it to accompany a bolt sunk into the crankshaft pulley.

One other related question:
Does the I6 have a similar issue?
 
#20 ·
Get a crank

Shaft lock pin for doing timing chain guides or other engine work. then get a 3/4" breaker bar from hf...put a 6 pt impact socket 3/4 drive and ger a 4' piece of 1.5" cast iron pipe...lock it down...it'll come right out...
 
#22 ·
A tdc lock pin but without a crank holder tool like you posted you can risk bending the crankshaft sprocket, the dealer sells a solid steel pin for $30. I broke mine loose and luckily didn't bend my crank sprocket some people have, I used the $150 torque wrench from Canadian tire that maxes out at around 250 lb did a couple hard pulls leveraging the wrench standing beside the passenger side of the car and it came loose, be carful if you don't use the crank hold people. (M62/TU) V8
 
#26 ·
Based on the video that someone had posted above, isn't the real problem with a beefy impact wrench the lack of room to access the bolt head from head on?

And, isn't the secondary problem, if you use a typical wrench from the side (with or without leverage extensions), that the engine will spin?

I'm still not sure from the responses whether the OP's problem is that the engine is spinning or that the bolt is on too tightly (or even if it's being turned the correct direction).

So, I'd want to know, by way of clarification:
a) Is the engine being locked somehow? (if so, how?)
b) Is there room for an impact wrench? (what size is available?)
c) What direction is the OP turning the bolt head?

PS: I would never use my torque wrench to break a bolt free!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top