How to Remove Crankshaft Pully on 1993 Nissan Maxima VE30DE

The crankshaft pulley is mainly used to turn the drive belt on the engine. During a repair or replacement, a crankshaft pulley can be tricky to remove. First, you must access the pulley, and then remove it from the rotating crankshaft. Luckily, on a 1993 Nissan Maxima VE30DE engine, most do-it-yourself mechanics can remove the crankshaft pulley with a few commonly owned tools.

Tools Used: Tools, Hydraulic vehicle jack, Jack stands, Socket set, Strap wrench, Large pry bar, Pulley removal tool

Remove Crankshaft Pully

Park the vehicle on a level surface. Lift the front of the vehicle with a hydraulic vehicle jack. Place jack stands under the frame rails near the front of the vehicle to secure it while removing the crankshaft pulley.

Remove the passenger side-wheel lug nuts with a socket wrench. Pull the tire from the lug nut studs.

Pull the inner fender splash shield away from the fender to dislodge the fasteners and completely remove the shield from the fender.

Loosen the tensioner lock nut on the tensioner, accessed from under the engine, which also tensions the water pump and power steering pump, with a socket wrench. Loosen the idler pulley adjuster bolt on the idler pulley, using a socket wrench. Guide the drive belt off the power steering pump and water pump pulleys.

Loosen the alternator adjuster bolt with a socket wrench, and then pivot the alternator to loosen the tension on the second drive belt. Guide the second drive belt off the alternator.

Loosen the top idler bolt near the air conditioning compressor pulley with a socket wrench. Guide the third belt off the air conditioning compressor pulley.

Hold the crankshaft pulley with a strap wrench. Unscrew the crankshaft pulley center bolt with a socket wrench.

Insert a large pry bar between the crankshaft pulley and engine block. Pry the pulley away from the engine block and off the crankshaft. If it can’t be pried away from the crankshaft, attach a pulley removal tool onto the pulley. Turn the center of the tool with a socket wrench and pull the pulley from the crankshaft.