Crank Pulley Failing?

DSMboostin15 · 08-07-2008, 06:52 PM

I'm pretty sure I know what the answer is, but I just want to be sure. Just a few days ago, my car started making a metal clinking sound-similar to someone hitting a metal tube with a screwdriver. So I talked with some of my friends and one says that it could be my crank pulley going out. Then I came across this thread:

I changed my harmonic dampener just in time *Pics & Video*

The sound in the video is exactly like the sound my car is making. Now for the question: Is my crank pulley going out?

When I installed my FMIC last week, I had to put on a shorter alternator belt because the pipe was hitting the alternator. Could this shorter belt have accelerated the process or could it just be the age since it's 18 yrs. old and 167,991 miles?

I'm getting one tomorrow from DSMgraveyard, but since it is used, will the shorter belt accelerate the wear or won't it be a problem? Let me know. Thanks.

fwdmaster · 08-07-2008, 08:06 PM

I think the shorter belt will kill your harmonic crank pulley faster than the longer one due to the less belt it is spinning making the pulley spin faster wearing it out, just save up for the fluidampr pulley

lq1driver · 08-07-2008, 08:09 PM

it is recomended you replace the balancer around 100,000 mine came apart at 107k

DSMboostin15 · 08-07-2008, 10:10 PM

I'd get the Fluidamper, but I have school starting in a few weeks, and I can't really spare the cash. Like I said, I'm getting a stocker tomorrow, so that will get my by for a while.

EagleTSIawd · 08-07-2008, 10:29 PM

a shorter belt will not make anything spin faster, unless if you changed the size of the pulleys then the belt will spin at a different speeds.

The age of your Harmonic balancer combined with of belt tightness might have caused it to wear a little faster, but from what i searched here in this forum, the stock harmic is known to break apart after so many miles or from hard use.

i would get the stock one for now and save up for a fluidampr later

layzie12g · 08-07-2008, 10:35 PM

I had a wicked squeak and i bought a new 100 dollar pulley and it was the damn throw out bearing. All squeaks fixed though.

DSMboostin15 · 08-08-2008, 06:34 AM

I had some pretty bad squeals over the winter from the bad belts. Come to find out they were the original Mitsu belts. Needless to say, I was surprised that they lasted 18 yrs.

I also had a churning noise that I thought was the TOB, but I replaced that with my clutch. Turns out it was the tranny bolts backing out.

DSMboostin15 · 08-08-2008, 06:49 PM

So good thing I replaced the pulley. Sure enough, the inner and outer pieces are almost completely separated. Apparently the pulley was off enough to start wearing into the timing belt cover, so I cleaned out a few larger pieces from inside the timing belt cover. If those were to find their way onto the other side of the timing belt, it could have spelled disaster. So remember kids, CHECK THOSE PULLEYS!

gsxAWDdsm692 · 08-08-2008, 07:31 PM

Yayy!!! I contributed something useful to the site!! My thread rocks!