ive got an 89 tpi and i was just curious what the size of large bolt holding the harmonic balancer was and whether it would be strong enough to use to manually turn the crank?

 

Turning the crank by the balancer bolt isn't recommended, it's easy to strip the threads in the crank snout.

 

i was afraid of that and thanks for the confirmation, but my real problem i posted in general tech. under, "can my engine be saved" but im under the influence that my crank is siezed and i wanted to try and turn the motor with a breaker bar... being thats a bad idea, is an official way of turning the crank without the starter (because my brand new one wont) and without one of the flywheel wrenches(because i dont have one)?

im just hoping i could give it a try and fix my ignorant mistakes without having to take out the motor and trans.

 

The tools you need aren't expensive, any of these would work, with varying degrees of effort.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...4&autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...1&autoview=sku

If you can't turn it by hand there's no work to be saved, it has to come out.

 

Also, if it is seized..... be prepared to pull the tranny as well, as you probably wont be able to get to all of the torque converter bolts. It "is" possible to pull the engine, and the torque converter without the trans, but, it tends to trash seals, and other expensive items as well. Best just to pull the trans with the motor, and then, when you have it out on the floor, unbolt the trans, and pull it straight back, so you can get the torque converter off of the flexplate.

 

I think that the crank bolt is an M11x1.5, but it has been awhile since I had measured this bolt.
In order to set my lifter preload, I have always turned the crank by the crank bolt.

 

The stock balancer bolt is 7/16-20 in a SBC. Use a strap wrench (marginally successful), a crank snout socket with a new Woodruff key, or a flywheel tool to try to turn the engine.