Timing belt change woes
 

Tonight I started the infamous timing belt-water pump replacement job on my '03 Odyssey and everything was going smoothly up to the crankshaft pulley bolt. I did a search and found another thread which recommends the use of a 50mm hex hub holder tool so I will try to rent one at a parts store for that task.

I am presuming that the pulley bolt is a right hand thread, correct?

On this engine, will the valves crash into the pistons if the timing belt was to break during engine operation? If there is no danger of engine damage, I'm tempted to abort the job and save the parts for later in life.

Does the engine need to drop down so the pulley will clear the frame member before it comes off the crankshaft?

Well, I'm beat and feeling defeated. I'll check back in the am and see if there are any replies.

Thanks in advance to all who offer advice:)

If you can't find the crank holding tool at the auto parts stores for rental, you can buy one. I bought the Sir Tools one (about $110??) with both attachments for both style cranks (a few Hondas in the family). 5 minutes after I got the tool, the nut was off. Regular thread-lefty loosey. Just tighten that sucker back up when you're done!

Or you could take the van to a local mechanic and have them loosen it with an impact gun.

I have used the large screw driver in the flywheel method on my Civic before I had the tool.

Another method is to have an assistant stand on the brakes while you try to loosen the nut.
I'm not sure what motor you have, but it's probably an interference motor, so do the belt ASAP.

Thanks for the advice, m735is. I ended up ordering a tool from the net but it's the one for the 50mm hex only...found one for $40 (probably a quality import model). I don't make a living working on cars so I couldn't justify a more expensive tool, so hopefully this one will work.

u dont need to use the crank holder on these just use the starter to break the bolt loose engine turns clockwise so just stick a deep 19 on the end of a breaker bar put the bar against the ground towards the front of the vehicle and bump the starter there just saved you 40 bucks

Or you can get a torch and heat up that bolt and then use drill with a socket to remove it. ( Ran into the same problem when i had my accord and thats what I used )
btw,..the starter method didnt work on the accord either.

That trick (if it would work at all, never done it) would only work on the late model Hondas that have the engine mounted on the passenger/right side of the car.(I'm assuming those all turn clockwise, be surprised if one didn't and of course it's an easy check).
If the flywheel turns counterclockwise like any older Honda with the engine on the driver's side of the vehicle, you'd just be tightening the bolt by trying the starter trick.

edit: on the '02 you had (I'm assuming that's what you're referencing), the I4 (which I think you had, can't remember for sure) turned counter-clockwise, I believe only the V6 was mounted on the pass. side.