How to remove a Vibration Damper?

[ldzpstnr]

Hi people.

Yes I know this is a basic question. Here is whats going on. I am right in middle of putting a timing belt and water pump on my '87 325 and am I not sure how to pull the vibration damper off. The manual I have(from Haynes) says to just remove the main pulley and then the vibration damper. IT does not state how the vibration damper is held on. Now I have worked on fords a lot before and on them you just loosen nthe one nut and thats it. This stupid repair manual I have shows a picture after they removed the vibration damper, but the big nut at the end of the crankshaft is still on.

I got to this point and stopped for the night. Now I do have to remove that big nut at the end of the crankshaft dont I? And is that big nut normal thread or reverse threads like the fan clutch is? This is the first time I have replaced the timing belt on this car(I bought it about 10K ago) so I thought I would come here and ask what the deal was. I really dont want to break anything. Thanks

Aaron

 

[chucko]

I've never done this repair, but the first thing you should do is burn that hayes manual..it sucks, get the bently one it's much better. Beyond that I cant offer much assistance, but if you do what I said you'll be much better off!

 

[pauld]

I did mine a few months ago and did not have to pull anything. I thought the only thing that came off the crank was the pully and that is bolted on. I can't go look now, but I know it all came apart w/o any trouble or pulling. I have an 86 325. When I do it next time I will take the hood off. The most trouble I had was seeing the timing marks with the hood in the way. The only other problem I had was getting the fan off. You might want to change the cap and rotor if you have some miles on them. Did you take the radiator out?? Might also want to do the hoses too.

 

[ldzpstnr]

The hoses look ok. I am replacing the belts though. I do need to replace the dist. cap and rotor but being $90 I will try to buy them next week. I found out I just have to pull the big nut off at the end of the crankshaft to get the vibration damper off, just mine is on really really tight. And yes I do want to burn that Hayes manual but it is all I have right now. I do want to get a bentley sometime but I gotta spend money elsewhere first.
The first thing I did was take the hood off. I could see how it was going to be in the way the whole time. I did pull the radiator also, just to get more space to work. Later.

Aaron