I have a 98 DOHC Neon with @86,000 miles on it. The other night the engine began dumping oil out of the front of the engine behind the crankshaft pulley. Although I can't see behind the pulley I suspect that the front crankshaft oil seal failed. So, I started to take things apart to get to the seal. With the miles that are on it now I figured that it would be a good time to replace the belts, the timing belt, and the water pump. Once I got to the crankshaft pulley I was unable to remove it. The damn thing is stuck fast. I have a Haynes manuel and am following the procedures listed there to the letter. It is so stuck that when I tried to use my first puller I broke it. I bought another puller from Napa but the pulley won't budge. We tried putting heat to it but still no luck. At one point, we even broke away part of the pulley where the paw of the puller fits to the pulley. I'm pretty sure that I will have to replace the pulley now that I broke away part of it. Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong or what to do next?

 

now are you talking about the crank pully or the harmonic ballencer. if it is the ballencer than the key is warped and the only way now is to cut it off

 

It is the crank pulley. The one on the end of the crankshaft that the drive belts for the accessories are driven from. The pulley won't budge.

 

the napa puller woulnt work youll just breack it off go get a blue point

 

Thanks but it is too late. I broke off part of the pulley where the indent is for attaching the puller on the backside of the pulley.I'm going to have to replace it now. What's next? And more importantly, why is this damn thing so hard to pull off?

 

the reason its so hard to pull is the way dodge designed it. weve all been throu this one youll still need a blue point

 

I thought that the damn head gasket was the "rite of passage" in Neon World. This pulley is an ordeal. Anyway, when you say Blue Point I assume that you are referring to the other brand carried by SnapOn?

Since I already broke a piece out of the pulley and am now going to have to replace it would it be easier to just use a harmonic balancer puller, drilling holes in the pulley arms, installing bolts, and then pulling it again? Also, I used heat last night when I tried to pull it but maybe I didn't get it hot enough. With the right puller do I need to use heat?

 

The correct puller along with insert and impact wrench get it off easily.

 

Ok well I will tell you right now I made the same mistake. What you need to do is go to autozone and get a loaner puller. Now the reason I say this is because you have to get the special one made for chrysler and mitsubishi because this is a press fit, its not splined and that little round center of the pulley that looks like the crankshaft, is really part of the pulley so using a coventional puller wont work. Autozone is the only place that has loaner tools that I am aware of, and I got it there for 60 bucks which they give 100% of that money back when you bring the puller back. This puller is special because it inserts a rod down into the crank bolt hole and grabs onto the center of the pulley and as you turn it it will pull it off. I have seen a couple of other ways to do it, but this is the easiest cheapest. Only took me about 5 minutes to get off with this puller. But sadly I made the same mistake you did but I found a new pulley on ebay for 15 bucks. GOOD LUCK!!

 

if your autozone carries it go for it but the blue point is a snap on that grabs from the inside so it will still work. just curios how many other people struggled with the wrong puller their first time, i know i did