Cheap DIY flywheel/ring gear locking tool

[Jxw]

Sometimes it can be fun to lock the flywheel or ring gear up on an engine when you're doing it by yourself, there are many reasons you would want to do this.
Here's a cheap inexpensive tool for this job.

To start with find an old engine valve, it must be a standard metal valve, the valve pictured was an rb30 exh valve..
NEVER DO THIS WITH A SODIUM FILLED VALVE

Work out the length you will need and cut of any excess with an angle grinder.

You'll need to use an oxy or a decent blow torch in order to heat the valve stem till it's red hot, while it's still glowing put it in a vice and belt it to a 90 degree angle, don't try to bend it without heating it as it will just shatter/snap.
(see pics below, i used a home made "reil" burner from some plumbing fitting, old bbq jet and a higher flow regulator)

Once at the correct angle, take it out and using a suitable tool (long pliers, multigrips etc) carefully quench it in either water or old sump oil, wear gloves as it can spit hot liquid around, you could also let it air cool. I preferred to heat it till glowing again and temper it for strength. You may want to grind the valve to have a flat side like below (optional, i only did this to clear the block and have good contact between the valve face and the teeth)

Done, you now have a universal tool for making those jobs easy for 1 person, easier than using a screw driver wedged over a bolt.
To undo bolts place it so the flat side of the valve takes the pressure of the gear, to do them up flip it around.
I've found you will need to hold it in place with 1 hand, it doesn't take much pressure just enough to keep it keyed in, otherwise it may fall out.
The tape is on it as i last used this on an alloy block and wanted to help protect the threads, you could use a piece of old hose or anything if you want, on the v6 it isn't needed if you use it in the shown position as there's no thread in that part.







An assortment of exhaust valves, for the v6 teeth spacing the best fit is the rb30 followed by the 3.8, the older red motor fits but is not as good, could grind it to suit easy enough.
Not pictured the buick intake valve is also a good fit.

ok it looks dangerous, it's really quite safe, use common sense and treat it with respect like all tools if you decide to make one of these burners, this one reaches about 1000°C, i use this for smelting so it was an overkill for this job.

[immortality]

That's not a bad idea actually.

Cheers

[acarmody]

My old lying around Ecotec valves don't look anywhere near as strong as those.

But very creative.