Crankshaft Removal

* The crankshaft can only be removed after the engine has been removed from the vehicle. This description assumes that the flywheel (or drive plate of the torque converter), the camshaft driven gear, the oil level gauge tube, the oil pump and the piston and connecting rod assemblies have already been removed from the engine. Before removing the crankshaft, remove the rear oil seal retainer.

PROCEDURE

1. Before removing the crankshaft, check the axial play. Position the dial indicator so that its plunger is parallel to the crankshaft axis and contacts one of the crankshaft thrust faces.
2. Push the crankshaft toward the rear of the engine with maximum force, and in this position set the indicator dial to zero. Then push the crankshaft toward the front of the engine and read the indicator. The axial play equals the distance the shaft moved. If the axial play exceeds the specified value, check the wear of the crankshaft thrust surfaces. If the wear is minor, the play must be compensated by installing new thrust half-washers.

3. If a dial indicator is not available, the play can be measured with a set of feeler gauges. Carefully push the crankshaft toward the front of the engine. Insert a feeler gauge between the crankshaft web and the surface of the No. 3 (thrust) main bearing, and measure the axial play.
4. Check the markings on the main bearing caps, which must correspond to the cylinder number. Caps are normally numbered starting from the front of the engine. If the markings are missing, mark the caps with a center punch.
Loosen each main bearing cap bolt by 1/4 turn at a time, in the reverse of the specified sequence (refer to the Main Bearing Cap Bolt Tightening Sequence figure), until the bolts can be turned out by hand.
5. Using light taps of a hammer through a soft drift, break the main bearing caps loose and remove them from the engine. If necessary, insert the cap bolts into the caps and use them as levers. Do not allow a main bearing to fall out if it remains in the cap.
6. Carefully lift the crankshaft out of the cylinder block. It is recommended to do this with a second person, as the shaft is quite heavy. Install the main bearing caps with bearings onto the cylinder block in their original order and tighten the bolts by hand.