Crank gear install...

[86 t-tops]

So I've seen this done a few times... slip the crank gear on, put the timing chain around the cam gear, loop the chain under crank gear, line up the timing marks on the gears, and push them on... this was always done with a stock crank...

I tried to do the same on the engine I'm building and the crank gear is very tight... can't push it all the way on... once it hits the keyway on the crank it wont move by hand... I'm dealing with an aftermarket crank (Probe Industries), and a Ford Racing gear set...

I'm assuming that the aftermarket crank is the problem but have done some reserach as well... In general some sites talk about either pressing the crank gear on or heating it up to get it on...

Either way I wont be able to do this while holding the cam gear and timing chain in place as I install them, which the instructions say to do (install both gears and timing chain at the same time).

Any comments or guidance on this?

Thanks

[Ponyryd]

You say it won't go on by hand, but have you tried tapping it on with a piece of pipe and hammer? I don't mean beat the hell out of it, but a few reasonable hits should work, obviously both surfaces are clean and lubricated? Alternately, you could make an install tool but you'd need some steel, and a bit of elbow grease.

[B-blown]

try warming the crank gear in the oven and using gloves ? just need it to expand enough to slip on

[ZR]

Lots of good advice above.
Key if it needs tapping on, never hit close to the outter edges, teeth break off very easily.

[Ponyryd]

^Ya, forgot to mention that. You wanna use a piece of pipe barely bigger than the crank.

[86 t-tops]

^Ya, forgot to mention that. You wanna use a piece of pipe barely bigger than the crank.

Got it... Thanks.