Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

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Rogue-AE95
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Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Rogue-AE95 » Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:20 pm

I bought a partially disassembled GZE longblock from someone several months ago. I'm trying to tear down the block, but I can't get the timing cog out. I've soaked it with PB Blaster, pried with two screwdrivers (actually one screwdriver and one very small pry bar... and always prying at opposite ends of the cog), heated the cog with a torch then pried it, tapped on the cog's flat surface with a hammer to try loosening it... nothing will make this budge. The woodruff key seems to be fine, so that's not preventing it from moving. There was some surface rust on the nose of the crank, so I'm wondering if there might be more rust between the cog and crank. Previous owner had this sitting in his garage for a few years before I bought it. He pulled it from a junkyard MR2.

I can't get much of anything below the lip of that cog, or between the cog and oil pump's timing cover mating surface. All the gear puller kind of tools I've seen have claws that are much too large to fit in that space. I even tried a battery terminal puller but it's too short to reach under the cog. The crank is more important as far as preventing any damage, but I would like to keep the oil pump if possible. What else can I try?

Image
(Yes, it needs to be degreased badly)

Right now the block is standing on end on some wood planks (to protect the garage floor, mainly), and I've shot the cog/crank with tons of PB Blaster. It does appear to trickle into whatever gap exists between the two.
'88 Corolla All-Trac x2 (manual, auto)

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jondee86
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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby jondee86 » Sun Nov 30, 2014 6:19 pm

This.... ?

Image
http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=56536

Or this.... ?

Image
http://www.toymods.org.au/forums/tech-conversions/28800-how-remove-4age-crankshaft-timing-pulley.html

Or this.... ?

Image
http://www.pbase.com/aw11mr2/timing_gear&view=topic_add

I'm working on one at the moment without any luck, so let us know
how you get on :)

Cheers... jondee86
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persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress
depends on the unreasonable man.

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Rogue-AE95
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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Rogue-AE95 » Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:13 pm

Thanks... all of those look fantastic. I swear I saw a pic of that second one when I was searching for part numbers of tools to use for this, but I've seen no pulley or gear pullers that look like that (small and thin). I might try making something like the first one. I have a steering wheel puller that works on a similar principle, but only uses two bolts.

Whenever I get my engine build underway, I'll be sure to put some anti-seize on the timing cog. No need to go through this BS again.
'88 Corolla All-Trac x2 (manual, auto)

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Deuce Cam » Mon Dec 01, 2014 8:47 am

I've seen a few people on the forums result to drilling/tapping 2 holes on the pulley and then rigging a slide hammer to bolts that were fitted. Some of these people have even mentioned doing the same mod on a brand new cog before installation to ease the removal process in the future.

However, a puller seems like a better option as long as you can get one to fit (might have to mod it).

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby tiprock » Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:48 pm


+1
works like a charm and readily available courtesy of harbor freight and home depot.
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Rogue-AE95
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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Rogue-AE95 » Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:35 pm

That sounds like a good idea, drilling & tapping holes in the cog ahead of time. As long as doing so doesn't affect its balance, I'll probably do that.
'88 Corolla All-Trac x2 (manual, auto)

Jimmee1990
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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Jimmee1990 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:42 am

I wouldn't drill and tap one you were going to use again, they aren't the strongest to begin with and it if fails in operation it'll make a decent mess of things.

When I can't get them off I drill right next to the key-way all the way through, then one sharp crack with a hammer and chisel to crack it and takes all the load off and you can generally just slide them off with a little persuasion. If you keep prying side to side on the pulley you can actually bend the nose of the crank.

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby chi-town » Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:48 pm

I squirted some wd40 in key way grooves and then heated it very lightly with a propane torch. I was replacing the crank seal so I wasn't worried if it got toasty
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Rogue-AE95
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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Rogue-AE95 » Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:21 pm

Thanks again guys for the ideas... I ended up going this route:

http://www.pbase.com/aw11mr2/image/120586192

Worked great! Even better is that I got a lightly-used "OEM" brand valve spring compressor (part number 2520) for $15 shipped!

I suppose I won't bother drilling and tapping holes in the new cog. I think plenty of anti-seize on the inside of the cog (and using this tool/setup) will aid in any future removal. I only wish I had a washer thick enough and the right diameter to use around the end of the tool. I started out using a 7A-FE valve shim (no good, slipped all over the place), then the old crank pulley bolt tightened lightly in place. The latter worked better but the raised letter in the middle of the bolt pushed the tool off-center.
'88 Corolla All-Trac x2 (manual, auto)

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Alex170984 » Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:25 am

I've removed mine recently and i've had to replace my oil pump and destroyed part of the front main seal which is obviously being replaced now as well.

I opted for the heavy duty method of a hammer, chisels, ball joint breaker fork thing and patience.

Patience won in the end but it's so damn difficult to get a 3 leg puller behind it without breaking the recessed material on the oil pump, so i broke it just so I could get the cog off!

If you damaged yours Toyota sell them for £20 each so a surprising bargain really.

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby xarion » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:51 am

I recently wrecked my toothed pulley because I didnt understand how the key worked. I tried everything heating,cooling,pullers, screwdrivers. All I had to do was to tap down on the half moon key gently with a hammer a few times so that it moved into place then it was very simple to pull it out with the puller as you have

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Re: Removing stuck timing cog / gear?

Postby Illegal_Garage » Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:59 am

Sometimes these get stuck pretty good
I usually grind it until the metal is really thin
Making sure not to marr the crank
Then crack it with a hammer and chisel
This small crack allows the inner dia. to increase slightly
enough so that it becomes loose

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