Clutch time? / Crankshaft pulley.

[zachmac]

I'm working on various items since I recently an 80 FI spider and have no PO history and among other things I am of course doing a timing belt. The car still has the inner belt cover in place so I am going to have to get the crankshaft pulley off. I thought if I had it in gear and the wife on the brakes I should be able to break the nut lose BUT, the engine will turn instead.

1. Does this mean my clutch is slipping and needs to be added to the to do list?
2. Should this method hold the engine enough to loosen the crank nut?
3. What is the alternative (strap . chain wrench on pulley?)?

Also, I read that once the pulley is off the toothed gear is also indexed? This would allow me to align the marks and replace the belt without the crank pulley on?

If I also want to do the front seal while I'm at it, what else is going to need to come off?

Thanks to any and all.

[rlux4]

Were you in 1st gear? If the engine turns, then yes, the force isn't stopping at the clutch/flywheel point, but that may not be an indication of a bad clutch plate. The slow force being applied would allow some slippage. If you remove the radiator, you can get an impact wrench on the nut. This would be better than the method I found accidently. I left the socket wrench on the nut that I was using to turn the engine for cam timing and started the car. I heard a loud CLUNK! and shut the engine off immediately. My son asked me if I'd taken off the ratchet, when I looked, the ratchet had turned until it hit the frame and spun the crank pulley nut off completely.
Luckily nothing was damaged, except maybe my heart from the adrenaline slam.
Ron

[zachmac]

Yeah, radiator is out. Time for the impact!

[launieg]

I followed Mark's advice (thanks Mark) to use an impact driver, and a long extension, and I used a good quality u joint. BE AWARE that u joints are not recommended with impact drivers! (I take no responsibility.) But I don't think you will get it onto the nut without one. Take the rad out, and go through the grill with the long extension. Mine came of easy that way.