WITW - Ricky's van attack

[spannerrash]

"you MUST not torque up using the belt method, you are putting the full force of the torque against the woodruff key on the pulley which is only a cast piece, you will sheer this and destroy your engine.... the workshop manual and how MJ does it is correct.
The factory way of holding the crank whether V8, V6 or inline 5 are the only way to do the belts..."

I understand what you are saying here but I don't think it is so streight forward." Putting the full force on the key" assumes thet the shoulder of the bolt is in contact with the end of the crank. This therefore would mean that any further turning force is trying to turn the crank and (as you say) if the pulley is held by the belt, risks the key shearing off.

If the shoulder of the bolt though is resting on the front face of pulley, is not the inverse true? whereby holding the pulley prevents the turning force from trying to turn the pulley as the bolt bites into the aluminium.

If the bolt bites into the aluminium pulley face whilst the crank is locked, could this not result in the same problem? The bolt will try to turn the pulley.

There is also the washer on the bolt to consider which should help prevent this.

I've also heard stories of the pulley key shearing even when using a crank pin.

I will use the pin in the future if that is what the book says and MJ recomends but I don't think that either way is bullet proof.