crank shaft key flogged out!!!

[Dingo T Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dingo T]

ive had my very first major drama with my prado... only its a pretty bad one!. I found that my crank shaft pulley was "on the piss" causing loose belts etc . i pulled the fan out and all belts and got my crank shaft pulley off. what a mess!!! the shaft wasnt too bad, but i could still see that there has been a slight amount of pulley movement. but the key is almost completely flogged out! the harmonic balancer is flogged too. Things are looking quite expensive, especially if i gotta get some machining done.
Has anyone ever come across this before?

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Once ... many years ago ... on the 253 in my old VC Commodore.

The Woodruff Key (who knows ? .... I s'pose they had to call it something) shat itself and the harmonic balancer sat there flopping about. It was only a bit of luck, and the fact that those things had so many belts hanging off them, that the missus had time to shut it down before any serious damage was done.

One replacement Woodruff Key .... and an hour pulling out the radiator to get access to the front of the motor .... and everything went back together nicely. Had the car for another 5 or 6 years and it never missed a beat.

Cheers
Chippy

[MattWhite Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MattWhite]

haven't had the timing belt replaced recently? It is quite common and it's good if the crank is salvagable. I wouldn't recommend repairing the balancer though if thats what your referring to machining. Throw it out and cut your losses. Lock tight the bolt in and do it up with a ratttle gun or a VERY long bar.

[Beast2h Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beast2h]

toyotas have have had a bit of an issue with these comming loose... if you have had a timing belt done in the not to distance past it may have been incorrectly fitted.
what do you use the car for?? touring, or just playing around in the bush? because depending on that and the damage will be the decision on what you do...
if its just a play around car if get a naw balancer, key, and bolt use loctite and put it back togeather if the new balancer was not to loose on the crank. and see how it went.
if its used for touring: if there is little damage to the crank and the new balancer is firm i would probley bolt it up.. but in saying that it will always be on your mind.
the last option depending on crank damage it remove the engine flip it over and put and new/good condition crank in.

[MattWhite Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MattWhite]

Assuming it's v6, just thinking about it, might pay to pull the timing cover off and check the timing belt pulley as this is only sandwiched on when the front bolt is done up. This may have been rattling around too and done some damage.