# 2000 Frontier crankshaft pully nut on 3.3 motor



## LeoB (Nov 7, 2007)

Can someone tell which way the crankshaft pully nut is loosed on the 3.3 liter 6 cylinder engine. I tried to loosen it last night and it didn't budge. I broke the same bolt on an old honda by trying to loosen it counter clockwise as a normal bolt would loosen. I don't want to repeat that mistake again.

So... loosen clockwise or counter clockwise.

Thanks for your help.

Leo


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## LeoB (Nov 7, 2007)

*Counter clockwise*

Well, no answers here or anywhere else. I tried 2 dealerships and they both said the same thing... you need to bring it in, that's not a job for a driveway mechanic. Well, that's just a line of bull crap. It's complicated, but not impossible, you just need to use a manual, take notes and take pictures.

So I decided to use my torque wrench set to 150 lbs and try to loosen the crankshart pully nut. Fortunately, I tried the standard counterclock wise direction for loosening nuts and it turned out to be the ticket. I had a Honda a few years ago that was threaded opposite and broke it using a power bar that put too much pressure on the thing. I didn't want a repeat of that mistake. 

So now I have the engine torn down and the heads out at the shop being pressure tested and planed back to true. If everything goes well, then next weekend, I'll start putting it all back together again. The cylinders look to be in amazingly good condition considering the milage.

The truck has 259,000 miles on it and is a 2000 4WD Crew Cab with the 3.3 liter engine. I blew a head gasket at around a 130,000 miles and that repair cost me almost $2000. I don't think putting that kind of money into a truck with this much milage is a good bet. Doing it myself will cost me around $700 in parts and labor, that I can justify. I could've probably gotten by cheaper by skipping the reconditioning of the head, but that's foolish in my opinion and I'm also replacing the water pump, timing belt and tensioner while I've got it torn down. That adds another $100 or so. Again, I don't want to be tearing this thing down again to do the water pump. I'm here so I think it's good money invested to just get it done. Other than the head gasket, the truck is in pretty good shape, I'll just retire it from daily driving duties. I do need it for hauling kayaks and wood pellets though.

If anyone wants any more updates on this repair as it progresses, let me know and I'll fill you in on the nitty gritty. There are a couple of surprises along the way, but nothing too crazy. This job is doable by someone who isn't intimadated by what you find under the hood of modern cars. You just take it one step at a time, I put in maybe an hour a night after work and one 6 or 7 hour session on a Saturday so far. I'd say I have about 14 hours into the tear down, but I've been going slow and steady labeling electrical connectors and vacuum/water hoses. I expect the rebuild to go faster.


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## LeoB (Nov 7, 2007)

Ok...
I'm getting ready to start reassembly... should be fun. It turned out that one of the heads was cracked, so not a blown head gasket, but something far more serious. I looked into used heads, but the cost was prohibitive, so I decided on just buying a bare head and taking the components out of the ruined one. Everything was in pretty good shape and the machine shop was able to take care of everything. The machinist also told me that whoever did that last job flattening the heads did a pretty poor job of it. He showed it to me and I had to agree, it was really pretty course. These things want to be almost polished smooth, otherwise over time, they chew up the head gasket and it eventually blows.

The other thing I found was that both exhaust manifolds are cracked. I had thought I checked those on disassembly, but apparently, I didn't look close enough. I discovered the cracks on Saturday when I was starting to bolt everything back up again. So work again comes to a halt as I wait for those to come in. The new water pump, tensioner and gaskets all all in place now. So hopefully, next weekend I can get head back on and start bolting things back up again.


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## LeoB (Nov 7, 2007)

Well... at long last it's done!

I would've never thought it would take this long to get it back together. I don't know what happened, but the first time I put it together, I started it up and made a hellacious racket. I pulled it all apart again to the block. I thought maybe the valves had been hitting the pistons and dreaded looking at those. Surprise, surprise... nothing... anywhere. I don't know what the deal was. I bought new head gaskets and made sure that the engine turned freely everytime I put a new component on. This time it turned freely all the way through until I put the plugs back in. I fired it up and it just purrs, perfect... sounds like I should be good for another 120k... that'll be over 360k on it. We'll have to see. I bought a new Altima for my commuter now and so the truck will be a weekend hauler for house projects and kayaking.

I don't know that anyone will ever read this, it looks like this particular Forum doesn't see too much activity, but if so and you need any help or advice on a similar job, leave a message and I'll try to respond at some point. I don't get here too often either now a days due to lack of response.


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## Cusser (Apr 16, 2004)

I read your thread, good job getting it back together. I've got a '98 Frontier 4 cylinder, and it seems to me that not many here on this board do any mechanical repairs, many seem more concerned with getting fancy wheels. No one could tell me three years ago where the fuel filter was even located (it was on the INNER chassis rail), and no one could provide information whether the starter or oil filter came out from the top or bottom (surprise: they both come out from the side after taking off the RF wheel and protective panel). At least when my engine light came on and AutoZone read it as EGR, I traced it to a bad (but hidden) vacuum hose about 2 inches long that was corroded and broken in its middle. And my Haynes manual is pretty useless, like for the starter it simply stated unbolt and remove wires, and that took me almost 2 hours to do. When I replaced the age-deteriorated front door speakers, it took me 45 minutes to get the first one off, 5 minutes for the second, and I posted the how-to. And I used aftermarket speakers instead of the real-expensive Nissan special-order ones by breaking a little tab off the housing adapter that prevented aftermarket speakers from seating, and re-soldered new wire ends as the Nissan ones are special (aren't we special) to try to get more dealer sales. Incredible.


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## Hardyhunter (Apr 17, 2011)

I've got a 2003 Frontier...and taking crankshaft nut off...it's 11/16". How did you keep the crank from turning while loosening the nut?


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## Cusser (Apr 16, 2004)

No, it's metric. Use impact wrench to loosen. If you don't have that, put into gear, brakes on tight. If the engine still turns, you can take out the starter, engineer a stop, see photo (of different make of truck).

See crankshaft pulley removal..?????/ - Mazda Truck Forum and Tech Site


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## Hardyhunter (Apr 17, 2011)

*thanks*

after three progressively stronger, bigger compressors, a friend finally got his impact wrench to break it loose. 
Now, to find a puller !
I can't imagine why a guy would need an installer to put it back on, on this type of pulley, since it is held on by one bolt, but Autozone offered me to rent one ...?
Thanks again


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