mcholdfast

Does anyone know where I can buy a gear puller with jaws small enough to pull the timing belt gear off of the crankshaft without destroying the plastic cover behind it? I've tried a few with no luck. We had to cut the cover on one car to pull the gear off. I'm afraid I may have to do the same on the Murano Green this weekend and I'd rather spend the money on a gear puller instead of replacing the plastic cover. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Fabio421

Cheap puller +

= success!!!!

mcholdfast

Thanks, we thought about that too. It will most likely be the only solution.

GlenL

I just used a regular puller. I wanted longer fingers to get further behind the gear, though. Ended up chipping the gear teeth and, later, put on a better one.

Screw the plastic cover, and the thrust washer. Get new thrust washers in advance and that cover doesn't make the car faster.

mcholdfast

I've got new thrust washers. No way to prevent sacrificing the rear one. I'm not so sure I want to leave the cover off though. Wouldn't that make it more likely to get goop on the timing belt if a leak occurs?

GlenL

Don't leave the cover off. I'm suggesting that if the part behind the gear gets broken then cut away what might interfere with the belt.

mcholdfast

dr bob

Mike-

I found on mine that the key was rolled slightly up in the front. A gentle radial nudge with a hammer and drift drift on the end of the key, towards the centerline of the crank, and the gear came off easily. Otherwise you can warm the gear up (quickly) so it expands off the crank nose.

mcholdfast

Thanks Doc. We tried all of that and then some on my friends 88 S4. The key was flat and clean. Unfortunately the engine wasn't clean so we were afraid to get close to it with a torch but we heated it pretty well with a heat gun and it wouldn't budge even with liberal apps of PB Blaster. Once we got the puller around it, it had to be pulled all the way off the shaft with the puller. It never loosened up and the key wasn't touching it. I read on the list that a lot of them just slide right off but this wasn't one of them.

blown 87

Are you putting a new gear in Mike?

If so you can make a deep score in the crank gear and crack it, we have had to do that before on other cars.

mcholdfast

Yeah, we replaced the gear because it was pretty worn. I don't know what the one on my car looks like yet but I want to be prepared in case I find the same thing. I'll keep that in mind. How did you score and crack it? Dremel then a hammer and chisel?

dprantl

I've had to use a puller on the crank gear before. I don't remember having much problems with a standard 2-jaw puller and the plastic cover. I'm pretty sure you can clock the puller around 2 and 8 o'clock and get a good grab on it. The only problem I had was getting really close to the radiator (for some reason I love to do things the hard way and remove as few parts as possible). This also bends the washer behind the gear pretty good, but those are cheap.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

blown 87

A dremel would work, use a cut off tool, grind a slot over the key way then use a screwdriver as a wedge to crack it.

Mike Simard

I've drilled and tapped 2 holes in the gear and improvised a puller. I like that so much I now drill and tap holes on new gears.
You're welcome to stop by if you want that done to the new one.

mcholdfast

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the offer but I don't take mine apart twice a week like you do. I'm hoping I won't need to take it off again given the number of miles that I typically put on them.