2.3L ('02-'11) removing belt pulley & bearing from timing cover

[pjtoledo]

this is the timing cover from my 367,500 mile 2.3, Duratec, 2005. the bearing is still in good shape, they must be quite durable.
but it's there! So I must remove it.


I didn't take the pics until I was finished, a couple appear out of order.

instead of doing it the easy way with a 3 jaw puller I decided to turn a previous fan nut into a tool.

drilled and tapped a 10 x 1.5 hole thru it. the OD is 36mm.

the threads inside the bearing shaft are 3/8 NC, I put a short bolt in there to push against
.

with the pulley off the internal C ring/snap ring is removed, not shown.

started with a 36mm socket, it wasn't deep enough and later switched to longer pipe.
bolt is threaded into the bearing center stub, held the bolt head and screwed the nut down to push the cover away.

added a pipe, pulley, length of threaded rod for more room.

did I mention how much fun it is to improvise with left-over junk stuff?


everything laid out

misc pics.

never throw out a good piece of mutilated exhaust pipe.

t'was a fun afternoon

 

[DaveH]

PJ, I was about to paint the block, pan and front cover when I noticed the Clutch Fan bearing was making noise. I remembered your post and decided to do it the "easy way" with a puller. Murphy's law was in full swing today. I bought a 3 jaw puller and somehow drove the center point onto the shaft to where the bell of the clutch fan bearing literally got stuck on the bell. What happened next was unbelievable. One of the jaws snapped. After looking at the unit I appeared the bearing in the case was trying to come through the snap ring retainer. Harbor Freight stuff going back tomorrow. Luckily, I have another 2.3 cover with a good bearing in it.