See my post above about a bunch of pliers in a package at Costco, including 90 degrees and 45 degrees.

I simply sharpened the pointy ends a bit, so they fit well to remove the snap ring. HF has similar.

 

Doing a timing belt service without a proper flywheel lock is to me is like working under a jacked up car with no jackstands. I don't do it. In my opinion the starter shouldn't even be attached to the car when the belts are being done and it wouldn't be with the proper lock in place. The devil never sleeps!

 

If I had realized it was absolutely necessary to do the crank pulley bolt I would have gotten the flywheel lock, but given the circumstances I was very happy with how my solution worked out. I put the timing belt back on, transmission in gear, parking brake pulled tight, and both rear wheels chocked. Then I only worked on the bolt from above, not below. I don't really see any circumstance where it could have really caused a problem given my precautions. I can see how some might prefer to put the tranny in neutral, but I didn't want the breaker bar to go flying if the screwdriver came loose.

 

I have an extra pair of needle nose pliers, I'll try grinding them down tonight. Thanks for the tip.

 

I used a Dremel tool with ceramic cutting disk and made a little notch right near the end of each tip, so as to fit the snapring better. Works.

Also, use a small piece of clay or used bubblegum, and make an impression of the snapring as it sits in the engine. This for a guide on how to grind or file the tips of the long pliers, i.e., how much to taperto fit the little holes in the ends of the snapring. Saves trial and error messing around.

I also made a skinny pin spanner essentially like the Porsdhe tool, but from a rusty old spanner at a junk shop, for $2. Drilled holes in each side of the C, and JB Welded in a short piece of a fat nail.

 

Grinding my 90 degree needle nose pliers worked great for the lockring, thanks for saving me a trip to the store. I'm staying home today to get this job done. I just put on the timing belt and I think I have it tensioned correctly, I can just twist it 90 degrees. Does it matter if the water pump guide is installed when I do the twist test? It seems like it could interfere with the accuracy...

 

Another useful trick is the try and turn the water pump pulley. If you can barely turn it with your hand strength, you're in the right neighborhood. Or so I've read.

I did the twist test and the WP turn test in addition to using the deflection measurement tool and PRESTO, I waaay overtightened it. Cost me a few bills to make things right. Just be careful....