Since I have 30 minutes+ breakin on my new motor I figured I might as well run valve lash again before doing more heat cycles on it.

Here's the situation: Solid roller valvetrain with rev kit, stud girdles, springs are 210lbs on seat over 400 lbs open, SFI balancer, and ARP 12 bolt balancer bolt.

I have a flexplate/flywheel turning tool, but I do not really feel like having a spotter to tell me I have a valve closed to run lash on it. That's at lot of trips back under the car to turn it over.

Putting a wrench on the balancer bolt and turning it sounds like a excellent way to strip it out with that much pressure on the top end.

Obviously I can't use the keyway socket I used to first run lash when I put it together.

I'm thinking about getting a rotation tool like this... From the looks I'd have to remove the balancer bolt each time to install the adapter.

What does everyone else use?

 

That's a good one to use.

If you trust your damper's inertia ring not to spin on the hub, you could use a big strap wrench on it.

Some people use a pushbutton on their starter.

Another approach that works good, if it's a stick car, is to park it on a mild hill facing down, in high gear; then pull the car down the hill to move the engine.

 

The one you list will work fine. It attaches to the damper itself. So you will have to remove the crank pulley (if it's on), then bolt the tool to the balancer with the 3 perimeter bolts.

On my 400, I used the crank snout socket.

 

I wonder why they don't make one that bolts on, permanetely holding the pulley on with slightly longer bolts? If they did wouldn't it look like the picture? It looks like they made room inside it for the thick washer that holds the damper on.
Just bolt the pulley on with it and leave it.

 

You could probably do that with that one.... might have to grind a bit off the outside of those ears, just so it would go down into the pulley.

 

I actually thought about taking an old pulley and cutting out the center of it (I have 2 spares), then going to the tools section at the local store and buying a large deep socket to fit over the center bolt. Then once I actually looked at my setup I kind doubt it would clear the balancer bolt, the one ARP gives with extra large washer. It nearly touches the pulley bolts already.

I should have also mentioned I'm running a 3 piece clear coated underdrive pulley set.

I guess I'll be ordering the proform tool next week or so. I'll get back to you guys with the updates and also a picture from the backside. Seems like everywhere on the net only shows the face of it.

 

That would be great. Since you still have the stock serpentine pulley, post a pic of the adapter "in place" in the pulley and one showing the stock washer in the backside. I could certainly use that setup if it'll work.

 

I used rubber gripper gloves on the balancer + muscle, plugs out - at least it worked with stock springs + cam.

 

i used that rotation tool and did not take the pulley off. The bolts were long enough to go through both. No problem.

 

That was on a "V-belt" pulley setup, right? Did you leave it on? Do you see any reason it can't be left on a serpentine pulley? If not, this is "sticky" material. Much better than prying on ring gear teeth or breaking off the harmonic balancer bolt (which happens often).

 

Only problem I might see from it being left on the pulley all the time is additional stress on the harmonic balancer. That tool is not perfectly balanced and would definitely cause extra weight to the snout and to one side of balancer all the time. If it was a stock motor I don't think I would mind leaving it on there. But since I plan on turning 7,000+ RPMs I think I'll pass, and just remove the bolts every acouple oil changes to do lash. I'd rather take a little more time than chance at messing up my $8000 motor swap project.

I plan on ordering this next week so I will get back to you guys with pics of it in a stock serpentine pulley.

As for using rubber gloves to muscle the balancer/pulley around with the plugs out, fat chance at that with solid roller stuff. I was using a rubber strap wrench from Sears and it was strenching before it even start to turn. I actually managed to bend the little prong off the Jegs Flywheel Turning Tool using it. I guess it's just not made for that kind of stress. After I cleaned it up a little bit, using the swing bar without the prong seems to work fine.

As another alternative ARP makes square drive balancer bolts (~$26 for sbc) that are suppose to be strong enough to turn a motor over right off them. Course I wouldn't want try it, I'd be scared to death at stripping out crankshaft threads.

 

Then put it on a lawn mower blade balancer and balance it with some washers.

 

Yes, V-belt.

No reason it wouldn't work on serp.

 

I don't know if you have a Harbor Freight close to you but get a hand held starter button. Cost me $3 (it's just a switch that bumps the starter, you could even make your own if you trust yourself). Then all you need to do is ground your coil wire and press a button when you need to go to the next cylinder.

 

Part came in and yes it does fit inside the OEM pulley. It might fit inside the March Performance Pulley, but it's hard to tell with it on the car. It would definitely be a tight fit.

And this does NOT fit an ARP balancer bolt. The washer and head of the bolt are simply to thick. So you would have to remove the bolt and pulley bolts to install this, which would make it easier just to remove the pulley also if you use an ARP bolt.