LUVTruck.com

I'm going to be doing a timing belt change on the wife's Chevy Aveo. There are sites where people have done it themselves, so I know it's possible. The hardest part is looking to be the crank pulley bolt removal so I can take off the harmonic balancer. What tips can you guys offer? I have heard of doing the following to keep the engine from turning if you want to use a breaker bar. This car has an automatic transmission. Will the engine not turn if it's in park?

-chain wrench on the balancer
-step on the brakes to lock the front wheels while it's in gear (might only work on a manual trans?)
-remove the starter and lock the flywheel with prybar, screwdriver.

Otherwise they say use an impact gun (the logical choice). I have an el cheapo 1/2" impact gun and a 1 gallon compressor (better for my nailgun than anything else).

Any tips and tricks you guys can offer? Stopping the engine from turning also is important when re-torquing the crank pulley bolt.

OldRob: I've seen your flywheel lock tool before on the power by ace website, but all your links are broken right now. You should really get that looked at...

Thanks!

Well I got it removed with my impact gun. I just put my compressor to max PSI (120 I think) and let her rip. It's actually like a 3 gal unit by the way. As poor quality as Aveos are, it doesn't surprise me that nothing is too tight on them.

Still will need to hold the engine when I retorque it...or maybe I'll just go max tension with the impact gun...suggestions?

Yup just went through that... Just use the impact on it. Im puttin in back together right now.

_________________
1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

I hope that's not your personal car in the pic, but that you work at a collision repair place...

Anyhow, update is that I got it put back together and running on Friday night, went to San Diego and back on Saturday. I used the impact and blue Loctite to install balancer/crank pulley bolt. It's working fine. While I was in there I ended up replacing the water pump, timing belt, timing idler, and timing tensioner. Also the serpentine belt. Now I'm good for another 55000 miles or so on those parts.