Locking crankshaft, flywheel removed....How to?

[Dave M]

So the M50 is on an engine stand, flywheel removed and I'm planning on removing the head one evening this week (when I'm not skate skiing or drinking). Without too much investigation, it seems that the most common wy to ensure the crank does not move is to lock it via the tranny/flywheel, BMW tool 'bla bla bla'.

What , if any, is the best way to lock the crank without the tranny/flywheel installed?

Any advice appreciated, lots of pics to come when i get them off the camera,

Dave M

[Scott H]

is so that the pistons don't move up and down and hit the valves since they have been disconnected from each other. It takes more than the accidental bump to move the crank until the head comes off because there is still some compression in the cylinders.


So the M50 is on an engine stand, flywheel removed and I'm planning on removing the head one evening this week (when I'm not skate skiing or drinking). Without too much investigation, it seems that the most common wy to ensure the crank does not move is to lock it via the tranny/flywheel, BMW tool 'bla bla bla'.

What , if any, is the best way to lock the crank without the tranny/flywheel installed?

Any advice appreciated, lots of pics to come when i get them off the camera,

Dave M

[Tiger]

Get a steel flat bar at Home Depot... drill hole to match flywheel bolt mounting point... bolt it in and allow it to brace against the engine stand or drill another hole to match the tranny mount hole.

[632 Regal]

you could fill a cylinder with sand and that should stop the piston from moving up while you loosen the bolt.

:D

sorry, saw this whan really young and had to spread the stupidity. I actually saw one dude use a nylon rope fed into the cylinder to accomplish the same task...neither look appealing enough to do myself.

[winfred]

that, or if you have the pan off jam the crank with a chunk of wood between a counter weight and the block


Get a steel flat bar at Home Depot... drill hole to match flywheel bolt mounting point... bolt it in and allow it to brace against the engine stand or drill another hole to match the tranny mount hole.

[Dave M]

that, or if you have the pan off jam the crank with a chunk of wood between a counter weight and the block

Thanks, while searching the archives i came across your block idea. Thought there may be a common way i wasn't aware of. I do think the block of wood suits me best :D

Another question if i may.

As I'm mating the head to another block, can I assume if the flywheel "OT" mark on the new block is lined up properly, the crank is in the right position? I assume when they (whom i bought it from) removed the head, they had it TDC.

Thanks,

Dave M

[winfred]

the #1 piston at tdc (all of the way up) will get you close enough if you don't have the ballencer on with it's ot mark, yet ot lined up with the mark on the timing cover is what you want

[Dave M]

I should have the balancer on before I plop the head on, so all should be good.

Tahnks again Winfred, more questions to come,

Dave M

[Bellicose Right Winger]

I think it's very unlikely seller went this trouble.
Now the question becomes how do you determine if M50 head is at TDC?
Check for "rocking" valves on cyl 6?

Paul Shovestul


....... I assume when they (whom i bought it from) removed the head, they had it TDC.

Thanks,

Dave M

[Bellicose Right Winger]

I believe the M50 has a place for an alignment pin that locks the flywheel. Can you put the flywheel back on with 2 bolts or so and stick a 10d nail, or other suitable rod thru the hole in block near starter that lines up with hole in flywheel?

Paul Shovestul



So the M50 is on an engine stand, flywheel removed and I'm planning on removing the head one evening this week (when I'm not skate skiing or drinking). Without too much investigation, it seems that the most common wy to ensure the crank does not move is to lock it via the tranny/flywheel, BMW tool 'bla bla bla'.

What , if any, is the best way to lock the crank without the tranny/flywheel installed?

Any advice appreciated, lots of pics to come when i get them off the camera,

Dave M

[Jay 535i]

you could fill a cylinder with sand and that should stop the piston from moving up while you loosen the bolt.

Heh, that reminds me of a guy I once encountered on the internet who thought a cheap and effective way to port and polish the engine in his Audi S4 would be to run a couple sacks of playground sand through it. He just stuck the intake pipe into the bag of sand and it all got sucked up into his engine. Then he wondered why he didn't get the results he was hoping for...

[Dave M]

I believe the M50 has a place for an alignment pin that locks the flywheel. Can you put the flywheel back on with 2 bolts or so and stick a 10d nail, or other suitable rod thru the hole in block near starter that lines up with hole in flywheel?

Paul Shovestul

The hole is in the bell housing and the pin feads though it to lock the flywheel. Both have been removed (engine on engine stand). I'm sure i'll find a way to lock the 'new' bottom end when it hits the engine stand (jeff said he'd stare at it from Michigan and assured me it wouldn't move). In terms of it being TDC, I'm interpreting Winfred's statement as meaning that as long as the OT mark is lined up with the mark on the timing cover, I'm OK. The head is coming off my engine at TDC, so I'm not sure if your statement Check for "rocking" valves on cyl 6? applies, although, I have no idea what a 'rocking valve' is :D. My cam locking tool is already in place.

Thanks again everyone,

Dave M

[Dave M]

Heh, that reminds me of a guy I once encountered on the internet who thought a cheap and effective way to port and polish the engine in his Audi S4 would be to run a couple sacks of playground sand through it. He just stuck the intake pipe into the bag of sand and it all got sucked up into his engine. Then he wondered why he didn't get the results he was hoping for...

I remember that,

His Post:

Hey guys, I've got a 98 1.8T. I've had a k04 and chip for a while and wanted to get more performance. I was recommended to port and polish the intake and exhaust. We found out they used abrasive material to do it like gritty sand. So I got with my friend that tunes Hondas and we decided to try it ourselves. We got a bag of sandblasting sand and hooked up into the intake and started the car. We had to hold the gas so it would run. He wanted to let the engine suck in the sand through the intake so it would port it out and then push it out the ehxaust so it would port the exhaust manifold.
I was worried that it might cause problems but he figured it'd be OK as long as we didn't make boost and it get sucked in the turbo. After running the car and letting it suck in sand we got about half way through a 25 lb bag. The check engine light was on and the engine was bucking and kicking and sounding really weird. We stopped and hooked the car back up normal and took off the sand supply. We tried to start it again and it was really hard. Once started it couldn't idle and kept making weird noises. We took it out and drove it and it started to make scraping and knocking noises.
Help! Can anyone tell me what to do! My buddy only does Hondas so he doesn't know much about Audis.

The Link:

http://forums.audiworld.com/a4/msgs/1567770.phtml

Dave M

[Bellicose Right Winger]

OK, I misunderstood and thought you were putting a head someone else had removed on your block.

Didn't know you had the camlock plate. It likely can't be installed unless engine is at TDC.

The flywheel lock pin inserts thru the engine block below starter not thru the trans bell housing. It's confusing because Bentley says to insert "thru bell housing hole into flywheel", but photo clearly shows back of block. But even without it, crank isn't likely to turn without a lot of effort.

Rocking valves - http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showpost.php?p=17873&postcount=5

Sounds like a great mid-winter project.

Paul Shovestul





The hole is in the bell housing and the pin feads though it to lock the flywheel. Both have been removed (engine on engine stand). I'm sure i'll find a way to lock the 'new' bottom end when it hits the engine stand (jeff said he'd stare at it from Michigan and assured me it wouldn't move). In terms of it being TDC, I'm interpreting Winfred's statement as meaning that as long as the OT mark is lined up with the mark on the timing cover, I'm OK. The head is coming off my engine at TDC, so I'm not sure if your statement Check for "rocking" valves on cyl 6? applies, although, I have no idea what a 'rocking valve' is :D. My cam locking tool is already in place.

Thanks again everyone,

Dave M

[Dave M]

I appreciate your help, link and patience Paul. I won't worry so much about locking the 'new' block. Rather, I'll just use your 'rocking' guide and common sense to ensure its all TDC on re-assembly.

I just keep learning,

Dave M