My brother and i are attempting to remove head/replace timing belt and water pump on my 02 neon sxt. Having a difficult time removing the camshaft pully (harmonic balancer) to get to the timing belt cover bolts. any suggestions. (please don't say tap the gear puller bolt with a hammer, been there done that)

 

It is the crank shaft pulley auto zone rents out the puller it is called the chrysler pulley puller. that is the only way too get it of is too get the puller. it will be like $45 too rent but when you take it back you get all your money back.

 

got it done, we got a pulley from advance auto parts, it bent, took it back, went to farm supply and found some heavy duty ones, one was too big , the other we snapped in half, went back, got the big one, modified it top fit, used the dogbone as a brace for the center and used impact hammer, got it off, head's off and in the bed of the truck on our way to the shop for milling and inspection...... we will hopefully get it back tomorrow and install new water pump, timing belt and head gasket kit. just hope we don't have parts leftover or run out of parts putting it together......

 

sounds like a bitch but good luck..

 

went to the shop to pickup the head - it was warped - it was off by about 10000 - milled - compression test checksout. tomorrow we will hopefully, reinstall head with new head gasket kit, install new water pump and drivebelt, hook and fill everything back up and pray that A: It Starts and B: It Runs Without Overheating Anymore.

 

after 4 days and 2 broken gear pullers (finally modified one from a tractor supply place), got the crankshaft pulley off, took head to machine shop - it was warped by 10000, had it planed and compresion tested out good, installed head gasket kit, put on new water pump and timing belt, everything put back together , refilled fluids and at 3:30 am rolled out of my brothers shop. I started on a route today ( i am a home inspector) and the car overheated. stopped, let it cool, no leaks but after popping the coolant filler cap (rad cap) the chamber was dry. had some coolant /water in the and refilled fluid. overheated, once again no leaks, let it cool and the checked coolant level again. dry. refilled fluid, drove back to my brothers. he is bringing a new radiator home and were going to install that tonight. any other suggestions would be appreciated.