My 2004 Sprinter is down again. This time the bolt that holds the crank pulley and harmonic balancer on the crankshaft has snapped at the bolt head. I wasn't sure what the problem was but I knew something wasn't right. I didn't hear exactly when it happened but the engine wasn't as smooth running as usual and a sounded a little more noisy which was barely noticeable. I pulled off the freeway and into a Shell station and shut off the engine. I popped the hood and looked for the obvious problems that I could visually see. Nothing noticeably was wrong that I could tell. I checked the engine oil and it was fine. I got my trans fluid dipstick out and was going to measure the trans fluid level and when I started the engine I heard something curculating in my fan blades and then heard it drop to the ground. It was the beveled washer behind the head of the bolt that holds the balancer and crank pulley on to the crankshaft. Immediately I knew that this is not good as the head of the crank bolt has either unscrewed itself or has broken off. With an inspection mirror and a flashlight I determined it has broken off. The balancer was still on the crankshaft and the pulley appeared in proper alignment as if the balancer had not moved. After having the van towed (on a flatbed) it sits in front of my house and I have done nothing yet to start the repair. I realize that the grill bumper, radiator a/c condenser etc... has to come off to access the broken off bolt in the crank. My first question is: Why and how did this happen? I'm leaning toward that the bolt was damaged from over torquing or maybe something else might have caused this to happen? I'm not looking forward to this repair and will take any useful input from someone that has been through this repair before and can help make this repair a little less of a pain in the ass. I realize that the crank bolt is hardened steel and VERY difficult to drill into. I also realize that 240 lbs of torque is the torque that these bolts are supposed to be set at. With the bolt head gone is the torque relieved from 240 lbs? I imagine it would be relieved and the shank of the bolt could be removed without much drilling and using an ez-out to unscrew it.
Thanks for reading as my van is constantly down for one reason or another and this time I will be working on it in the sun at 90+ deg. temp. and want to do this as quickly as possible.
Thanks for reading as my van is constantly down for one reason or another and this time I will be working on it in the sun at 90+ deg. temp. and want to do this as quickly as possible.