Replacing S54 crank hub

[marksae]

The crank hub on my car has a broken dowel pin. So I decided to replace it. I thought I could just unbolt it from the crank and remove it, but it looks like part of it is recessed into the main bearing. I've tried pulling and prying, but it won't come off. Will I be able to remove this if I pull off the main bearing cap? I think it should give me enough access to pry it off the crank. Will unbolting and rebolting just one main bearing cap cause any issues?

[cobra]

There is a little screw in the middle holding it to the crank. I think it's a 4 or 5mm socket head, really long. That's what holds the sprocket on temporarily until the 4 big thicc bois that hold the vibration damper get installed.

Once you remove it the sprocket will just about fall off.

[marksae]

There is a little screw in the middle holding it to the crank. I think it's a 4 or 5mm socket head, really long. That's what holds the sprocket on temporarily until the 4 big thicc bois that hold the vibration damper get installed.

Once you remove it the sprocket will just about fall off.

I did remove that small center screw. I thought the crank hub would just fall off, but it's stuck to the crank pretty good. I hit it with a hammer a few times and tried using a pry bar in several spots, but didn't have any luck.

[cobra]

There is a dowel pin to align it, that might be making it stick. Try tapping it with a hammer on alternating sides to jiggle it free.

[marksae]

Okay, I'll give it a shot. I think the oil film in the main bearing might be making it stick as well. I'll try spraying some alcohol around it. Maybe that'll help dissolve that film enough give it a little more clearance.

[marksae]

Okay, I was able to get it out. Like you suggested, I hammered it from a few different angles and saw that it moved a little, so I ended up just prying it a little at a time from the left and right sides until it came out. Now I'm having a really hard time getting the new one back in. I don't want to hammer it in and score the main bearing.

[eacmen]

Okay, I was able to get it out. Like you suggested, I hammered it from a few different angles and saw that it moved a little, so I ended up just prying it a little at a time from the left and right sides until it came out. Now I'm having a really hard time getting the new one back in. I don't want to hammer it in and score the main bearing.

I’ll admit I never had to do this job, but a day in the freezer might make the part fit easier.

[marksae]

I’ll admit I never had to do this job, but a day in the freezer might make the part fit easier.

great suggestion! I will do that.

[sapote]

"I’ll admit I never had to do this job, but a day in the freezer might make the part fit easier."

great suggestion! I will do that.

I would freeze the dowel sleeve and bake the sprocket to 300F, then install sleeve on the crank first, then sprocket over.
I'm curious of how did you know about the broken dowel pin with the 4 Torx bolts locking the sprocket in place solid? Are these bolts loose? Also there are 2 dowels: a large sleeve and a smaller pin and so which one broken?

[sapote]

On this subject, how to ensure that the sprocket and balancer were perfectly concentric in the crank nose when installed? A little off center will cause chain vibration and the balancer doing more harm than good.
On the pic below, could someone confirm how much radial plays between bolt 1 and the sprocket hole? Check at the bolt threaded section and also the bolt head OD. I believe the factory wanted to use this bolt in combination with the sleeve to ensure things are concentric, so the screw #1 must not have plays to the sprocket.

[eacmen]

What in the freezer -- the crank? I don't think you want to put the new sprocket (not hub as title says) in freezer, it should be baked to 300F.

I'm curious of how did you know about the broken dowel pin with the 4 Torx bolts locking the sprocket in place solid? Are these bolts loose? Also there are 2 dowels: a large sleeve and a smaller pin and so which one broken?

Doesn't the sprocket fit into a bore in the crank? I would think you'd want to make it smaller by freezing to more easily fit into the bore in the crank?

[sapote]

Doesn't the sprocket fit into a bore in the crank? I would think you'd want to make it smaller by freezing to more easily fit into the bore in the crank?

Not the sprocket itself but the dowel sleeve fitted on the crank. So the sleeve to be in freezer if needed, then the sleeve should slide into the crank and sprocket easily.

[marksae]

Not the sprocket itself but the dowel sleeve fitted on the crank. So the sleeve to be in freezer if needed, then the sleeve should slide into the crank and sprocket easily.

The dowel between the sprocket and crank is pressed onto the sprocket.

[sapote]

The dowel between the sprocket and crank is pressed onto the sprocket.

Assuming the hole on the crank and on the sprocket are the same, then there is 50% chance the dowel sleeve will stay with the crank or with the sprocket when removing the sprocket.

[marksae]

Assuming the hole on the crank and on the sprocket are the same, then there is 50% chance the dowel sleeve will stay with the crank or with the sprocket when removing the sprocket.

The dowel hole diameters are different. It's a press-fit on the sprocket and a clearance fit on the crank. I verified it by sliding the dowel into the crank before installing it onto the sprocket.