Stubborn key in the crank

[2wrench]

My key is rather stuck in my crank. Advice on how to
remove?

Looking to loose fit the timing gears, etc.

Still working on the end play tolerances for the cam.
Contacted both the parts vendor and machine shop.
Both advised cam retainer should be placed onto a flat
surface and sanded down to size.

Got tired of sanding. Installed. Seems to turn very
well. No "end play," though, to measure. I'll give it
a few more licks, but want to now look ahead.

 

[heliguy]

Well, if the key is allready in the crank, just tap the gearwheel on to the crankshaft....

 

[bash]

If you need to adjust the alignment of the crank and cam sprockets then the key has to come out. Mine didn't want to budge, but fortunately a few minutes pounding with a brass drift did the trick. I guess any kind of metal would be okay, but someone told me the brass would not damage the crank if I slipped. Not sure if that is right, but since I had a big brass drift sitting in the tool box it seemed silly not to use it.

 

[2wrench]

So, Bash, is it rapping on it from the front of the
crank and to the back. That's the only real access
angle that's any good.

Also, I wonder if heating the crank a bit, even with
some very hot water or something to get it to expand a
bit. Nervous about a torch, but certainly willing to
go there if I must.

 

[DrEntropy]

No heat. Should come out with some judicious knobbling with a (preferrably brass) drift and small hammer. It's supposed to be a snug fit. Why are you needing to remove it? Unless you have need of an offset one, the thing doesn't interfere with any assembly bits I can think of.

 

[TR3driver]

Use a cold chisel at an angle, so the cutting edge is almost but not quite touching the crank. Rap it firmly with a BFH, making a mark on the key, then use the chisel as a pry bar to lift the end of the key. Repeat as necessary, prying it out.

If that fails, use a Dremel with an abrasive cutoff blade and cut vertically through the key (in line with the crank slot). When you have it mostly cut through, pinch the protruding end together with pliers and pull it out. It won't hurt anything if you accidentally grind into the crank (but try not to cut all the way through the key).

Since both the key & the crank are steel, heat isn't going to help very much. And, since the crank is carefully heat treated, I sure wouldn't use a torch on it !

 

[hondo402000]

how about going to the drug store and get one of those new kits that freeze warts off, direct it on the key only and the try pulling the key out??

 

[AweMan]

I can`t understand why you would need to remove the woodruff key from the crankshaft. If you do, deffinately DO NOT use a torch and heat! Tap it out with a hammer and drift as suggested. It is a very snug fit , therefore may take quite an effort in the tapping department. Of course you want to NOT score the crankshaft at all! Keep the drift completely on the key while working it out. If you Bend.score. or otherwise damage the key here is a webpage than may help to obtain another.
Woodruff Keys

 

[martx-5]

90% of the time I can get those keys out with a large sharp pair of dikes (diagonal cutting pliers). Grip the key toward the front with the pliers resting on the crank. Squeeze hard to get a good bite, then pry up on the handles. Should come right out. If not, a small chisel and hammer under the front edge to get it started, followed by the dikes. If you reuse the woodruff key after this, make sure you file down any protruding nicks caused by the dikes and/or chisel.

 

[rlandrum]

I thought woodruff keys were one time use only. They shed parts of themselves as they are inserted into the crank and timing gear. Or at least they did on my Small Block.

 

[martx-5]

I reused the crank key on my TR3 rebuild. I had to lightly hammer it back in. If it's the right fit to begin with, it shouldn't be peeling any material away. Sometimes in the process of getting them out, they get mangled which, in that case I wood(ruff) replace.

 

[tomshobby]

After talking on the phone last evening with 2wrench he feels he needs the key out so he can add shim(s) for his new chain sprocket. He had the key out and the engine shop put it back when they installed the crank. I wondered if the shop may have used loctite or something similar.

 

[TR3driver]

I thought woodruff keys were one time use only. They shed parts of themselves as they are inserted into the crank and timing gear. Or at least they did on my Small Block.

Shouldn't work that way IMO, but I definitely would not reuse a key that did that. Or that was damaged in any way, including extreme measures to remove it.

Usually I get them out just by prying under the end with a small pry bar (aka screwdriver

); the other measures are for stubborn ones.

 

[2wrench]

Thanks to all. As mentioned in another thread, I'll
be on a Boy Scout outting for a few days and won't
be able to address these issues.

Thanks for all the suggestions, and thanks, Tom, for
giving me your phone number way back when. It really
was a pleasure to attach your voice with the posts.

Best to you all and I'll contact you again when
I'm back in the saddle.

Paul, I'll bet you'll have some great engine build
photos on line by the time I return. It will be a
big help to me, most especially these next steps of
trying to install timing chain and gears properly timed with
the cam.

See ya,

 

[Brosky]

2W,

Have fun on your trip. I remember my Cub/Boy/Explorer Scout days very well and I'm still grateful for the men who gave up their time to spend with us at camps every season of the year.

I saw my engine block come out of the cooker yesterday and saw the head after an hour inside. The red paint was still on, but he said after another 5-6 hours in there, it will be gone.

I was very happy to see extremely clean coolant passages in the block. Bob said that he took before and he will be taking after pictures as he sets up for the machining. All of the parts are here now, including the adjustable timing gear, so I'm just waiting to get it back.

The crank was machined and it looks great. It's probably been balanced today, so everything is moving along nicely.