Ok, so I put my new water pump, tensionor, and timing belt on a 98' Civic LX after a head gasket replacement which is when my trouble began. I put the lower cover on and then attempted to put the crank pulley on but noticed the woodruff key was sheared off somehow. It was there on the part where the crank GEAR goes over it but was missing at the part where the crank PULLEY goes on. It was basically sheared flush at the end of the crank gear.

So, I tried to pound it out of the crank gear but it WON'T budge! Took my dad's good Snap On air chissel and NOTHING but I did manage to mess up the gear Those keys can't be welded on the gear can they? Can I just go to the dealer and order a new gear and key? Luckily the crankshaft was not damaged at all. I went to Majestic Honda site and it looks like the gear is only like $10 which I don't believe at all (must be mispriced or I'm not looking at the right thing). Anyone know how much a new one is? Thanks for the help.

 

no it isnt welded. call honda and see what they say. or goto a local junkyard and pull one.(way cheaper)

 

Yeah, a junkyard would be a possibility but I don't know if I want to go running around trying to find one. I doubt they would typically sell those but maybe I'm wrong. Any idea why it won't come out of the gear? Doesn't make sense to me....Would heating it up possibly work to separate the key from the gear?

 

best bet would be to goto the junkyard and look for any 96-00 civic and pull the gear and key.

 

The exterior pulley key is a separate piece, a tiny $4.00 bit of metal that is real easy to lose. You have apparently lost yours.

The timing belt pulley has an integral key. Forged or powder sintered as one piece. It's supposed to be flush at the top like yours is, or was until you started messing with it. Clearly you need a new one now.

Atop the timing belt pulley on the crank, under the plastic cover, you need the dished washer which guides the timing belt. Without it, the belt will walk off the edge of the pulleys. There's also one on the inside of the pulley. You should be looking at that washer and not the pulley when you're about to put the outer pulley and key on.

 

Yeah, I feel like an idiot right now lol I don't know what I was thinking but maybe I was working on it too late and was tired. I called my dad up who is a GM mechanic and he had a good 5 minute laugh (or so it seemed) before he told me the same thing you said MK378; that I had a separate key for the crank pulley.

However, I'm not sure I follow you with the dished washer that holds the belt on part. I have the gear where the belt rides and then it elevates at the end of the gear so the belt won't come off. Is that what you are talking about?

 

what he means is this you should have the gear and a washer.

 

I was wrong, the OP's model does have the outer washer built into the pulley. Older models have two washers.