72 AMC 360 - Removing harmonic balancer

[W300]

Hey All,

Leaking water pump on my 72 360, so went to pull it off. Battled the bolt holding the power steering pump and timing cover and lost... Bolt head snapped off after days of soaking, heat, moving back and forth a little.

So, now I need to remove the timing cover to get that fixed. Got everything stripped off, and now working on the crank pulley and HB. Videos I watched online and articles all show 4 bolts holding the pulley on, which can be removed to get up close the HB and crank bolt. My pulley is held on by 3 bolts, and it looks like the crank bolt, too?
Trying to figure out how to hold the crank while I apply enough torque to loosen the crank bolt so I can get the pulley and harmonic balancer off.

TSM just says to remove the pulley and HB to get the timing cover off. No instructions on how to that.
I've seen recommendations on other forums to put a 3/4 breaker bar on it down to the ground, then bump the starter to break it loose, or use a screwdriver to hold a tooth on the flywheel. Any other recommendations? Tips and tricks?

[W300]

Crank Pulley:
Crank Pulley by W300, on Flickr

[will e]

howdy. The earlier AMC engines had a three bolt pully. The pully itself is a bit different too. I think it only has two grooves?

Anyways. You're having a problem with the center bolt? Try an impact on it. They are quick enough it won't move the engine unless that SOB is really stuck on.

[W300]

howdy. The earlier AMC engines had a three bolt pully. The pully itself is a bit different too. I think it only has two grooves?

Anyways. You're having a problem with the center bolt? Try an impact on it. They are quick enough it won't move the engine unless that SOB is really stuck on.

Yep, two groove pulley.
I tried the impact earlier, went and tried again and got it off!

Now I need to figure out the water pump. Looks like I got a later one, the face of the pulley mount is about 1/4" farther out on this one from the one I pulled off.
Thanks!

[tgreese]

There is an earlier water pump that is not compatible with later engines.

Several sellers offer the earlier water pump - https://theamcforum.com/FORUM/6872-v8-c ... 98457.html

[will e]

I am glad it worked out for you. I am going to assume you know not to install it with the impact.

Yeah, the three bolts are all 2 groove. I have a part that can be added that adds a third groove.

[W300]

I am glad it worked out for you. I am going to assume you know not to install it with the impact.

Yeah, the three bolts are all 2 groove. I have a part that can be added that adds a third groove.

Yep, I got a harmonic balancer removal and installation kit. Got everything back together today and was hopeful that my water pump would work after taking some measuerments on the bench. Nope. Need to get a new one.

[tgreese]

Somehow the link I posted above does not point to the page I meant to. Maybe it's changed, maybe I linked the wrong page. I corrected it.

Gen II and early Gen III AMC V8 water pumps (1968-1972) have a different deck height than the later water pumps.

Look here - this is the pump you want
https://theamcforum.com/FORUM/6872-v8-c ... 98457.html

Unfortunately some of the online sellers list the newer style pump as correct for the older engines.
For example, these are all wrong: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/jee ... +pump,2208
The pump with ribs in the casting to support the front bearing is not correct.

And the older style pump was unavailable for several years; it seems like lots of owners used the newer style anyway. Belt alignment is wrong with the newer style pump.

[W300]

Thanks Tim!
Yep, I was hoping it would be just a little off and I could shim the alternator and power steering pump to compensate, but the crank pulley and water pump pulley were too far off. I found the other post recently about pulleys that had the correct link, and got one ordered from one of the sellers listed on the AMC site. That would have been really difficult to find!

Link to the site I got the pump from:
https://www.americanpartsdepot.net/waterpumps.htm

[W300]

So while I was waiting for my new pump to arrive, I decided to remove the new (incorrect) pump and put the old pump back on to check the alignment with the belts, and it's the same! Off by half the width of the pulley. So I'm not terrible at measuring things, this pump is the same distance from the surface to the pulley, I had the wrong pump installed the whole time! Now how was that not an issue before? I replaced the timing chain and sprockets while I was in there, maybe the old timing set was a wider set that pushed the crank pulley out further to line up? Wish I took more picture during disassembly.

I got the new pump, and everything lines up perfectly now.

Re-assembled and back up and running!

[devildog80]

That is good news.......good work

[will e]

What balancer tool did you use to remove it?

[W300]

I picked up this set from Harbor Freight:
https://www.harborfreight.com/harmonic- ... 63740.html

Worked great to remove and install the balancer!