Labor Day Putting down your wrenches or time for
MORE wrenching? 
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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 101 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 101 | I had to let my engine sit for about 10 years after getting it rebuilt. It is sitting on a roll cart. How do I hand turn the engine to be able to put the pressure plate on the flywheel under the bell housing?
1946 1/2 ton - 1962 "261"
1953 1/2 ton 5-window - "235"
1955 1/2 ton - 55 "265" Corvette motor
1959 1/2 ton Fleetside - "283"
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Mark, I often use a heavy screwdriver or a crowbar, levering in the teeth and against the clutch housing. Slowly and carefully. Or, borrow/buy a flywheel turner. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | There should be a place to put a wrench on the front crank pulley.
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2015 Posts: 59 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2015 Posts: 59 | I just built a turning tool tool to rotate my 261, I used a steel plate 2" x 6" drilled 2 holes to index with the puller holes on the damper,welded a 5/8 nut to the center, bolt this to the damper with a couple 3/8 bolts, use a rachet and 15/16 socket to roll the engine.
1962 GMC 920 step side 261 4 spd
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | misread earlier posts - sorry
Last edited by tclederman; 11/16/2015 2:39 AM. Reason: oops
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Sorry - I misread previous posts and posted incorrect reply. I cannot delete my post above.
As usual, ignore me. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,214 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,214 | If the harmonic balancer has provision for a hand crank, you can use a 1/2" drive to 3/4" drive adapter to fit in the HB to turn it. I use the adapter on my 1/2 rachet to turn my 54 235. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,747 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,747 | With a fly wheel attached and the spark plugs out, turning the engine with a screw driver on the starter ring works. Turning the damper pulley as suggested works as well. If you have oil in the pan, and the dizzy out, you can turn the pump and provide oil pressure to all the moving parts. If it is a new rebuild, it will drag a lot. New rings have some friction and a honed surface to seat against. Times 6 so don't be surprised if it takes some real torque to move it. Use the holes on the damper pulley and a strap as recommended above. Make an adapter for the hand crank if you have a pulley that supports it. Use a screw driver on the fly wheel and the bell housing if you can get to it. If you don't have an oil canister hooked up spinning the pump will make a mess. If the line to the oil pressure gauge is open you will have a mess...I am certain I have missed some warnings so take care. Opinion ahead. On any engine that has sit, been just assembled, Or had a major repair, I like to turn the oil pump, with the valve cover off. You can see if oil is getting to all the rocker arms. I like to turn the engine over and watch each rocker arm and valve move. Seems like cheap insurance to prevent a bent push rod or sticky valve from escaping notice. Just my 2 cents.
Steve H
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 85 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2009 Posts: 85 | On a different note______ I would put about 4 squirts from a good pump oil can in each spark plug hole before I did anything else.
1949 3100
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 378 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 378 | tcleaderman no big deal. We all make mistakes, I think. | | |
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