A reply to Gross and a totally mundane question

[Phil@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <3481DAB1.277AA4EB@ns.sympatico.ca> geo writes:

> Thanks for the reply Phil.  So I'm going to do some bench presses,
> get a great big long lever and see what I can break.  BTW it's not
> mentioned in the 'manual' so I assume this is a normally threaded
> bolt, ie. clockwise.

Yeah.  It's real weird when it starts to move, though.  Usually a bolt
'breaks' - there's a moment when it unsticks with a bit of a jump.
Doesn't happen with the harmonic balancer bolt - it comes off so
gradually that you think you're just bending the extension bar.

I used a Sykes Picavant torque wrench, rated from 250 lb ft to 1000 lb
ft - it's 5' 5" long and protrudes about two feet out from the side of
the car.  Very easy.  I think it would be an unpleasant job with
anything less than around 4' long.  The bolt is 27mm, of course - I
used a 3/4" drive power socket and a 200mm (8") extension (both from 
FACOM) to clear the front bodywork.

In total, the tools to handle the job cost me GBP230 ($370).  The
only reason I decided to do it myself was that the water pump started
to leak and I couldn't get a workshop slot in under ten days, no
matter where I tried.  I also couldn't find a local company that could
rent me a suitable torque wrench.  Several offered me perfectly boring
torque wrenches at rental charges sometimes higher than the purchase
price.  Having done both cars, I'm showing a tiny profit over labour
charges, I know it's been done properly, and I still have the tools
for next time.

All in all, a good deal.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@isham-research.demon.co.uk
 Phone: +44 385302803  Fax: +44 1536723021