Bad water pump

No need to assume "stupidity" here. We've all gotten cornered with a
job at one time or another - the first time I did a TB, I took everything
else apart before I found I couldn't get the pulley bolt out... had the car
out of action for 2 weeks figuring how to attack it. On the advice of a
mechanic, I eventually jammed a big screwdriver in the ring gear but it
scared the sh*t out of me applying all that torque against it.

Honda started putting the 50mm hex socket in the pulley ~'91-'92 - my '90
Civic didn't have it, my '92 Integra does. You might want to check the
next time you're looking there to see if yours has it. The Schley tool
which fits it can be bought here:
http://www.autotoolexpress.com/honachardamp.html Snap-On has a similar
thing:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=53593&group_ID=12560&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog


Another little burp: the 2nd time I did the job, to get at the water pump,
you have to take the inner plastic shield off and it's held on with bolts
in recessed holes in the plastic. My 3/8" drive 10mm socket was to big to
go in the hole - you need either a 10mm "thin-wall" socket or a 1/4 drive
10mm socket.

Good luck when you tackle the job.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Harbor Freight has a very inexpensive torque wrench too. I just bought one
of these when I did the timing belt and water pump on an 85 CRX. I used the
low tech approach on the crankshaft pulley. Just inserted a spanner wrench
in the holes and placed it on a 6 by 12 piece of lumber to hold it in place
and then used a 3/4" socket adaptor with a 3 foot long breaker bar. Good
luck wolf.

 

I've NEVER pounded on a crankshaft bolt (and do not recommend ever
doing so) with an air hammer. Honda probably recommends against using
an impact wrench on the crankbolt because the impact wrench can put
out far more torque than the bolt should ever be tightened to.
However, its fine for removal of the bolt and I've been driving around
on an impact wrench (with the aid of a 120 ft-lb torque stick)
tightened crank bolt for nearly a year with no problems.

But that lug nut was fun. And that was just a practice one..

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N38.6 W121.4

 

To get it off, I agree. Whatever it takes. But when putting it back on,
no. the Helms manual for the '96 Odyssey on page 6-7 says: "Note: Do not
use an impact wrench when installing"; and again on page 6-8: "... 181
lbf-ft. Do not use an impact wrench when installing."

I don't remember where I heard that explanation, or if it is the correct
reason, but if I am doing it to my own car, I am not going to ignore the
manufacturers warnings.

 

For somethng as critical as tightening a crank pulley bolt, definitely not.
Ever seen what happens when one of those things comes off? You're stranded
at the very least. Use a torque wrench.

But you can't damage the oil seals or bearings by using an air wrench or
hammer to take the bolt OFF, which is the subject in question here. The
caution has to do with overtorquing.