Morris Minor Owners Club

Has anyone got a good idea for slackening the front crankshaft nut on an engine that is on the bench !! I have a good fitting socket , but when I apply some leverage the crankshaft just turns . How can I hord it without damage ? ( on good thing is that it has unsized the no 4 piston )
Regards Phil

Impact wrench is easiest way without locking crank.
I've an air operated one but find a cheap £10 one, intended for car wheels, that works off 12v volts works just as well for "shocking" nuts / bolts such as crank items.
This sort of thing but from cheaper sources than Machine mart -
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=060810610

Paul Humphries

Hello Phil,

if the flywheel is still fitted, make up a small 'S' shaped bit of flat steel with a hole either end, put a nut and bolt through the strap and the engine backplate, then fix the other end to the clutch fixing bolt on the flywheel.
Otherwise, jam a big flat screwdriver between the ring gear and the starter motor hole. If the flywheel is off, put two bolts back in and put a big screwdriver or bar of some sort to hold the crank.

Alec

I have an old valve that I have bent the stem through 90 degrees. Just pop it in a bolt hole on the block and rest the valve head in the ring gear. To retighten, pop it in a bolthole on the other side of the engine.

Is this nut left hand or righthand ?, from the rotation of the engine it should be left hand , but the manual I have makes no mention of it
Phil

It's normal thread - so starting the engine would tighten it. So anticlock to undo it. You can wedsge a block of wood between the crank and the block wall once the sump is off. These things can be very difficult to undo - I had terrible problems with a Mini one a few months ago - eventually had to heat it and allow to cool. Even then it took a lot of 'shocking' with a very heavy hammer to shift it.

Ok done it this afternoon useing the bolt flywheel to the backplate method Thanks all
Phil