Loose 185 crankshaft pulley

I threw a fan belt while sickle mowing the other day, went and got a new one, installed it and threw it again shortly after. Noticed crankshaft pulley was loose, finger tightened and headed back the 3/4 mile to home. Ever so often I would here a growl coming from somewhere.
Got it home and the fan was barely spinning until I heard that growl again, and saw fan started to work again. Called a friend who has way more experience with wrenching than I do, and he said he had a similar situation on one of his Olivers.
He lock tighted some ready rod in, and used nuts so he could still get the pulley off when needed. I am looking at the parts manual and see a gear and some woodruff keys and wonder if the ready rod fix will work for me. Any of you guys dealt with this before?

A 185 doesn't have a rubberized crankshaft pulley. It is sold cast iron. A crank pulley that has been loose is something I've NEVER seen on one of those engines in a farming application. The crankshaft snout is tapered and the crank pulley bolt is torqued very t-i-g-h-t and they never come loose. In fact, they come off hard !!!    I'd be expecting the pulley at least to be junk and the key in the crankshaft as well. If the snout of the crank isn't hurt it will be a miracle.  If you even think you're going to try and fix it, you need a new retaining bolt and the thick washer better be in good shape or new too. New half-moon key from AGCO. Lots of red Loctite on everything. Torque to 180 ft lbs.  I'd find a different pulley so it is smooth and in proper taper shape.

Broken crank?

Edited by Lonn - 15 Aug 2021 at 6:45pm

take it off and post pictures for us to see

What is the condition of the pulleys retaining bolt and washer ??  Is the bolt broken ?? What does the half-moon key look like on the nose of the crankshaft ??   What does the keyway slot look like inside the pulley ??

When torquing to 180 lbs,is there an easier way to to stop the engine from turning over other than removing the starter and wedging a bar in there? Didn't think putting that much pressure would be good on the keyway by stopping the pulley.

Thanks DougG, I'll take a look.

Why didn't you use the OEM grade 8 bolt and special flatwasher torqued to 180 ft lbs ??

Well, I think that was a very bad idea. IF and only IF you ever needed to remove the pulley again, all it would have taken is an impact wrench on the bolt and the proper three-bolt puller to put heavy pressure on the pulley and then warm up the cast pulley hot with a torch. Your pulley is totally cast iron with no rubber on it and warming it up to loosen the Loctite would have been no problem. Good luck. The only reason to ever have had to remove it again would be to replace a leaking front crankshaft seal which, if it was leaking, torch heat would have made no difference, as you'd be replacing it anyway.

Edited by DrAllis - 05 Sep 2021 at 7:30pm

This is a very serious matter. First of all, those pulleys just don't fall off like yours did. Why did it ?? Secondly, you have one shot at maybe getting it to stay put and you choose not to use the correct bolt and torque it up properly??? Now when it falls off again a different crankshaft will be in order.