Ok, how do you get the pully off this thing?? 3 bolts, no mystery, but I can't figure out a good way to kee the thing from spinning while I undo them.

Any suggestions??? Please be nice, this is the first time I have dug this far into an engine!!

 

Pry bar?

 

OMG, no! I hope you were joking with him. It's only held on by the three bolts. But if you know of a safe way to do it with a pry bar, please elaborate, lol.

Scanman, I'm assuming the air pump is off the car? I've done it the good old fashion way, lol... you should be able to get two bolts off easily using two wrenches. You'll loosen one while tightening the other. You'll be turning the wrenches/bolts in opposite directions and the same time. That'll hold the pulley steady. So after you get the first one off, do that again on the two remaining bolts, which will get the next one off. Then the last one will be tough--especially cause you've just tightened it up even more to loosen the other one, lol.

Ok everyone, stop laughing!!! I'm sure there's a better way to do it or even a tool with which to do this, but this is the best way I came up with given my tools, lol.

So for the last one, you'll just need to find something, anything, that you can get a good grip on the pulley so it doesn't spin while you try to loosen that bolt. But be sure whatever it is doesn't damage the pulley. Between the knees probably won't work in this case, lol. If you've got a friend, have him try to hold it tight with both hands while you turn the wrench. If not, then you're back to looking for something to grip with. That'll be up to you.

I hope this helps, or at least was entertaining, lol.

 

Maybe a strap wrench woud work well enough to hold the pulley in place, while you turn the bolt with another wrench. Might want to get a rubber or cloth strap wrench, the chain ones may mar the pulley.

 

just use two wrenches or a wrench and a socket. it works. thats the way i did mine like 3 weeks ago.

 

Here is the best idea yet. Leave the belt on and loosen them. Problem solved and the pulley does not spin.

 

ah, doesnt really work that well. You need someone else to lean on the bar on the tensioner to make the belt tight enough to hold the pully in place depending on how tight the screws are. Using two wrenches is still the easiest and best way to do it.

 

Has worked 100% of the time for me on numerous cars with all kinds of mileage. Your way is effective though.

 

It's what I did, too.

Belt still on, and just held it tight with my other hand and leaned on those three bolts. I had my pump off and on five or six times trying to pass the smog tests.