crankshaft woodruff key snapped!

my crankshaft woodruff key has snapped. managed to get the crankshaft pulley off eventually. the bit of metal is stuck in the shaft and will not come out,tried for hours. been told that if the cambelt is taken off and the bottom cambelt pulley, then the woodruff key will just drop out.
is this true? and how much work will this be? any other ideas?

It isn't a huge job - it would be just like fitting a new cambelt, which you should do if you go this far. Be sure to know what you are in for BEFORE you interfere with the timing belt.

You say the Woodruff key snapped. Was is sheared off because the crankshaft pulley turned on the shaft?

Usually, this happens when the pulley bolt isn't tight enough, and the snatching of the accessory drive belt eventually loosens the pulley and jerks at it, which hammers away at the Woodruff key till it shears in two. The alternator is the prime cause of the snatching because it is running so fast compared to the crankshaft pulley. Every time you change gear or take your foot off the throttle the belt gets a big snatch as the alternator tries to keep spinning, and this gives a big tug on the pulley.

That is why crankshaft pulley bolts are set to such high torques.

CharlesY

so will the woodruff key just drop out if i do all that then??

i was offroading when it happened so it would off been under a bit of strain. the bolt was really tight to get off. strange how it hasnt happened before tho, none of this has been touched for at least 18 months.

how long should this whole job take to sort out? and is it a diy job with a haynes? am usually ok at jobs if they is straightforward

If it all goes well and if you don't need more bits and if ..... it's all those horrible "IFs".

You should see it done in a comfortable day. Maybe less when all goes well.

Before you do it, get a few really big masonry nails - those nails you can hammer into brick walls. Also get a set of safety goggles. Do NOT do this job without eye protection.

Masonry nails are VERY tough, and have a good sharp point on them.

Carefully stuff a long strip of clean cloth all round the hole the pulley came out of so that if the Woodruff key comes loose it won't end up inside among the timing belt.

Now use about a one-pound hammer on the nail and tap the tip of the nail DOWN into the end of the sheared-off Woodruff key about 4 or 5 mm in from the end. Yup ... hit it DOWN into the keyway, almost straight down with a little backwards tilt, and with any luck at all the other end will come UP if the bust key slips round in the keyway. You can hit it quite hard. This has NEVER failed for me in 40 years of mechanicing.

Be prepared for it to shoot out, and be sure it won't get into the belt cover.

CharlesY

and i do that once the timing belt and its sprocket is off dont i?

gonna get going on it first thing in the morning. thanks for the help

got it sorted last week. wasnt as big a job as expected, and saved myself well over £100.

si844 said:

got it sorted last week. wasnt as big a job as expected, and saved myself well over £100.

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Hope you checked the key in the pulley coz thats why they sheer em, the pulley is worn and no matter how tight you romp up the bolt it still moves with the torques as charlie explained and it sheers the front of the key.

david451 said:

Hope you checked the key in the pulley coz thats why they sheer em, the pulley is worn and no matter how tight you romp up the bolt it still moves with the torques as charlie explained and it sheers the front of the key.

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Yup .... that bolt has got to be Goddam TIGHT!

Makes one nervous going that tight ... imagine if the head came off it!

Unless you are selling the Landy to a bad guy very soon, don't be tempted to use thread-lock on the pulley to crankshaft-nose joint!

But well done for fixing the problem. I take we'll all be getting a share of the £100 you saved?

Dream on?

CharlesY

done a few hundred miles and all seems well

no sorry CharlesY, wish i had enuf money spare to do that

si844 said:

done a few hundred miles and all seems well

no sorry CharlesY, wish i had enuf money spare to do that

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DAMN!!!

But after this few hundred mile RECHECK the bolt and make it VERY VERY TIGHT.

CharlesY