Removing the Crankshaft pulley in situ?

[TulsaSpider]

I recently tried the socket on the breakover, bump the starter method, and it worked fine, but my motor is new as well so I am sure it made it easier.

[124ADDHE]

When living in Vancouver, my rescently rebuilt 1800 lost a pulley somewhere in Surrey, left me stranded for days while I waited for my father to send me down a pulley from my storage spot in the country, he had to actually chisel the crank nut off! That said, I would rather have it tight than loose it, especially on the highway, that thing could really hurt someone in oncoming traffic, I thoroughly support cleaning the threads well, using the weaker loctite and torquing to the stock spec, this way you are sure that the pulley will not fail and the loctite prevents the rusting of the crank and pulley together for future teardowns. I also like locitite because it lubricates the union for stress-free torquing.

[124cso]

I also like locitite because it lubricates the union for stress-free torquing.

Yes, that is one thing I learned years ago. All the books you read say to torque threads dry, but an engine reconditioner told me to put in the likes of headstuds with oiled threads so that you get true readings rather than false torques due to thread friction. I think I used a smear of Kopperkote antisieze and indicates such a product in the Fiat North America Workshop Manual.

[Wheel]

Some chain "wrenches" have a place to insert a 1/2 drive breaker bar.Those are pretty cheap. Other, like mine, have a long (24") handle. Often I slide a pipe over that as well. Then I use a socket and I have a looooong 1/2 breaker bar. I often put a pipe over that as well. The longer lever you have the better control and less strain on the ole bod. Like Bob said, good control over everything. Would scare the crap out of me to use the starter motor.

I almost never use the ground/chassis as leverage. With long pipes, is pretty simple stuff. I do a lot of timing belts and balancers on a lot of diff cars, usually no big deal. Except for some Honda's then my 3/4" stuff comes out.

Majicwrench,
I used your advice with the chain wrench, 1/2" breaker bar and a snipe pipe on each for additional leverage. The crankshaft pulley nut broke loose very easily. I was not expecting it to break loose quite so easily as other removal methods only ended in frustration.
I started off by just having the emergency brake engaged and the transmission in 5th gear using the breaker bar, this didn't work. Then I rented an electric impact wrench, Dewalt DW291, supposedly capable of 230-240 ft-lbs of torque. This didn't work either, luckily the rental store returned my money (about $30). Finally I rented a chain wrench ($5) and found a couple of 1" sched 40 pipes (3 ft long) and had success.

The car is a 1982 Spider. Removed the radiator and grilles. The crankshaft nut is a normal RH nut, not LH. Used a 38mm socket.

Thanks for the advice, only wished I had followed it earlier!!