Have a power steering hose leak. Having difficulty removing the pulley. Strap wrench was a joke, couldn't hold onto channel locks and vise grips seems like it will tear up the metal. Any suggestions? Cars a 1984 C4. Thanks.

Are you using air tools or hand tools? It is much more difficult with a hand ratchet vs impact. I have had luck in the past with a strap wrench, maybe and extra hand could help you break things free? Also try some pb blaster.

Also, like you said I wouldn't use vise grips for fear of bending/distorting the pulley.

Like Mat said, it's usually easier with a impact wrench.
Another way, do you have a large pair of channel locks? Wrap a piece of old serp belt around the pulley to help get a better grip and it will also protect the pulley. I've done this many times with good results. Good luck.

Joel

Sanity check. I've stripped out two allen wrenches trying to get this thing off. Great suggestion putting something between the vise grips and the pulley. They are good quality allen wrenches so that's not the problem. I assuming (I know) that its normal in that it loosens going counter clock? Next stop-a small dab of C4.

Here is the front of my pulley. Looking in the middle you can see where the 3/8 allen wrench fits into. I can't get this to loosen up and come out. The curious thing is the manual doesn't say anything about taking this part out. Only mentions using a gear puller. I have all the gear pullers one might need but unless this comes out I'm thinking pullers will not work. What am I missing?

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There is a special tool that will remove PS pulley's from GM cars.

About $15 at Pep Boys.

Pulleys aren't the problem. The question is is there a nut that has to be removed first (manual calls it a "cover plate") ?Thanks for your help.

Not to rain on your parade, Frank, but in all my years of messing with GMs, and C4s in particular, I don't remember any requirement that a bolt be removed from the pulley.

I have the 1984 Helm Manual in PDF, and on page 159 is a diagram of the pulley.

And this is the tool to remove it:

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Cat ... x?R=BK_7769251_0006392273

It's $20 at NAPA.

It slips over the rim of the center shaft and pushed against the inside shaft. In a few cranks of the wrench, the pulley is pressed off. The tool also reverses for install.

My thanks goes out to you guys. Wow, video, parts numbers and tool lists. Incredible.

My mistake was not realizing (knowing) that there is not a bolt that holds the pulley in place once its pressed on. Its just pressed on. No wonder I went through several allen wrench's.

The only thing I've proven is that I can still put some torque on hand tools.

I'm beginning to understand one of my dad's old sayings: "Some people live and learn-others just live".

And you learned! yay!