How to Remove the Stock Pulleys from a Subaru BRZ
Difficulty: Difficult
The removal of the pulley's is not an easy job. It requires certain tools to make the job possible. This write up will help with the pulley removal. As long as you have an Impact gun to remove the alternator pulley, you may continue with the install. If you do not feel so confident about it, it is advised that a mechanic is seen for the install.
Step 1
Place the transmission gear into the 6th gear position and apply the e-brake. If it's an automatic, please check the factory service manual for the proper locking procedures.
Refer to our BRZ Intake Removal Guide to remove the intake for an easier install.
Also, before taking any pulley's off, do not forget to take a picture or draw out the orientation of the belts, so they can be re installed properly.
Step 2
Use a 22mm socket and a 1/2 inch drive with a breaker bar to loosen the crankshaft bolt.
You may need to use 100 ft/lbs to get it loose. The engine will have a slight give, but just pull on it and it will eventually loosen.
Step 3
While the serpentine belt is still on the pulleys, use a 10mm socket with a ratchet to loosen the water pump pulley.
There are 3 bolts. Do not lose these bolts, as they are essential to the drive-ability of your vehicle.
Step 4
With a 10mm socket or wrench, remove the alternator cover before attempting to remove the alternator pulley bolt.
Once removed, use a 24mm socket and impact gun to now remove the loosen the alternator pulley bolt.
It is advised to use an Impact Gun for the alternator pulley removal because there is no other way to hold the pulley from spinning. The torque from the impact gun will remove the nut from the alternator without spinning it.
Step 5
With a 14mm socket and wrench, slowly turn the tension pulley clockwise until the belt is removable.
With the 14mm socket, loosen the bolts to both idler pulleys.
Step 6
Once the pulley's are loose, and all the bolts are loose, you can go ahead and slip the belt off of the pulleys.
Although the belt is loose, do not remove it, as you do not want to forget the orientation of the belts.
Step 7
With all the pulleys loose, now remove each one: the crank pulley, water pump pulley, alternator pulley and both idler pulleys.
Note: When removing the crank pulley, do not allow the crank pulley hub to back out of the timing cover. If this occurs, you will need to align the internal keyway with the crankshaft before assembly.
Step 8
Dont forget to keep all of the hardware together, as you DO NOT want to lose any of them.
These chubby pulleys are ready to be stored, and replaced with the lighter aftermarket ones.
The removal of the pulley is a step for other jobs than a pulley install. Be sure to not lose any of the hardware as it will make your vehicle inoperable.