Has Anyone Tried This?

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olddman

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I have been working on replacing the timing cover on my 1965 Dart with a 273 engine. Finally have the cover installed, the harmonic balancer on the crankshaft and now I am ready to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt. Problem is I have been trying to figure out how to keep the crankshaft from turning so I can tighten the bolt.
Was surfing the net and came across a video of a guy using a rope to keep the crank from turning while he torqued the bolt. He removed the number one spark plug, turned the crank until the number one piston was at its lowest point. Then he took one end of a rope and stuffed the rope into the cylinder, leaving a foot or so outside. Then he proceeded to torque the bolt. When it was torqued he then turned the crank the other direction, and pulled out the rope.
Has anyone tried doing this?
 
"Rope trick" also works for changing valve seals and springs. Be sure both valves are closed. (IE TDC Compression stroke)
 
olddman said:
I have been working on replacing the timing cover on my 1965 Dart with a 273 engine. Finally have the cover installed, the harmonic balancer on the crankshaft and now I am ready to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt. Problem is I have been trying to figure out how to keep the crankshaft from turning so I can tighten the bolt.
Was surfing the net and came across a video of a guy using a rope to keep the crank from turning while he torqued the bolt. He removed the number one spark plug, turned the crank until the number one piston was at its lowest point. Then he took one end of a rope and stuffed the rope into the cylinder, leaving a foot or so outside. Then he proceeded to torque the bolt. When it was torqued he then turned the crank the other direction, and pulled out the rope.
Has anyone tried doing this?
Click to expand...

I have used 1/4 nylon rope for that and valve springs both.
Safe for the motor and works great.
It is very important to have the piston coming up on its compression stroke then feed the rope in or you can bend a valve.
 
I have never had to do that in the car. I have heard of that rope trick. I have also head people using a pry bar or make a stop that bolts to the block or bell housing to hold the flywheel ring gear or torque converter ring gear stationary.

See picture I found with a quick internet search. This is an example and not a design for your Mopar. It is a part you can buy for a Chevy.

16B41F09-D315-4771-8CFE-C624ECB32012.jpg
 
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Would someone do a eBay search using these exact words. mopar vibration damper balancer holding tool Comments???
 
Rope trick works well....until the rope gets stuck.

If the engine is on an engine stand. Put two bolts in the crank flange holes, diagonally. Place a long bar/water pipe etc through the bolts & lock the bar against one of the arms on the stand.
 
Well, I removed spark plug and valve cover, rotated engine over until both valves were closed. Fed the rope into the cylinder, put torque wrench on the crankshaft bolt and pulled until a click was heard. Easy way torque bolt. Learned something new!
Thanks for the help.
 
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