I’m trying to tighten the crankshaft pulley using the tool to hold the pulley in place, but the engine is turning over before the bolt gets tight. Any ideas? Do I have to take the valve covers back off and use the timing tool to lock the cams?

 

brace the holder tool against something. if the cone on the balancer is seated the crank physically can’t turn

 

That might be the issue, but the cone isn’t keyed to a certain crank location, right? It just has to be put in from the front and seated flush to the pulley as it is pushed on.

I’ll try again tomorrow. If it doesn’t work, will I do any damage if I use the cam locking tools to keep the engine from turning over?

 

Yes, you definitely will damage something if you use the cam locking tools to keep the engine from turning over.

I strongly recommend that you do not do it.

Best regards,

Thomas

 

Cam ONLY? Almost certainly. And expensively so!

The usual "kit' sold for timing-chain replacement work also has two slightly different bits besides the cam position locking goods, the 4.2 & 5.0 V8's and sibling V6's being not quite identical. (I have one of each..)

Besides the cam position lockers, there is an 'indicator' pin that replaces the Crankshaft Position Sensor. That is meant to ID the correct PLACE, (#1 @ TDC) but not HOLD it. Damage the reluctor wheel if it had no "help" as to resisting torque.

The OTHER player is a toothed sprag that clamps the teeth of the starter ring gear once that pin has placed it where it needs to be - starter having been removed to enable this.

THIS TOOL .....ugly but strong ... places no load on the timing chains. More good news ..... is that the cam tower covers need not be disturbed to lock the crankshaft .. not that dropping the starter is a lot of fun.....

...but still.... that ring-gear is on a lightweight torque-converter adapter, not a much stronger proper (manual transmission) "flywheel".

MOST of the torque should be taken-up by more effective use of the 'kit" meant for the purpose of pulling/replacing the pulley et al.
.. presuming you have that kit?

I had a jackstand that fit as to anchoring the cross bar.

One could cut a length of timber to fit as well. Suggest 6" x 6", not 2" x 4" or 4"x 4"? Day gets ugly if the thing tilts and lets the bar slip-off whilst serious torque is being applied.




Not to forget you also need a new crank *bolt* each go as well. Once "stretched" they are no longer reliable for re-use.

Best to buy two if not three at a time lest lack of a fresh one become a show-stopper.