Harmonic Balancer gone bad...happen to anyone else? [MERGE]

[HyperGSX]

What about a Helms? It might not be online, but you can easily check it out from your local library (i'd recommend buying one) and will you complete instructions on how to do it.

 

[BigLGST]

bro i JUST changed mine 2 days ago, its gonna be a bi*** if you dont got some tools, id find a friend who has an impact gun like i did makes it like 10000000000000x easier, their is only 4 screws to take off and then the belts but its a bi*** if you dont have the tools, if you need help just hit me up and ill try to help, but to be brief...take the wheel off.... take the 4 screws out somehow easy if oyu have the impact gun, if not you need to put this big ass like socket you put in the center you know what im talkin about, well you just need to hold that still while you unscrew the 4 bolts...once you do that the pulley needs to come off, mine didnt slide off so i hit it wit a mallet a couple of times then it fell right off...after that its cake...just put the new pulley on and bolt it up just like you unbolted, and then put on the belts, good luck

 

[boostle]

Just a tip, loosen the 4 little bolts before you remove/loosen the belts Also, the big center bolt does NOT need to come off, just pull outwards on the bottom of the pulley with a hammer and it'll pop off.

 

[garysever]

Ive gone thru about 5 alt. belts since i bought my car 9 months ago. I was reading thru the forums and the only thing i can come up with is the crank pulley/harmonic balancer. Do i just go pick one up from the dealership? or should i go somewhere else for it?
Thanks
-Gary

 

[Plague]

You can grab one from the dealership for about $100 or a Buschur unit with belt for $350. Im not entirely too sure if this is what would be causing you problems though.

 

[NOSNUSE]

Check all the bolts that hold down the alt. bracket for tightness, over time these darned things can sometimes lossen.

 

[midnght]

I just replaced mine. $80 at dealership for part and installed cheap. I would do as nosnuse said and check the tension. Either way will not be good. Too tight and it ill eat up shit, too loose and it will rollover and get eatin up.

Good Luck

 

[garysever]

I appreciate the help. Im hoping that it is just the tension of everything thats chewing up my belts. But does anyone know what torque i should get everything to? so far ive just been doing what seems right.
thanks
-Gary

 

[NOSNUSE]

....oh, yeah one other thing to look at is if the water pump pulley might be on backwards, check the alignment of the pulleys.

 

[Morphius]

Alright, I was home for the holidays and was finishing up a few things with the 95 TSI I have back home and noticed the dampner failed. My question is: (and I ask this because I forgot to bring it back with me) Are the 1g and 2g dampners interchangable? Bolt pattern is the same? How about offset of the pulley surfaces? (ie the belts all run in the exact same planes as the 1g cars?)

I need to know this, so I can make a judgment on what to put back on it. 1g or 2g. New or Used.

 

[92awdgsx]

they are the same. mine came apart too. i went through two of them. so i went with an underdrive pulley. the stock dampners come apart all the time, if you put a used one on it will just happen again. i put an underdrive pulley on because it was cheaper then another dampner and it isn't going to come apart. i've had no problems since.

 

[tinner929]

Harmonic balancer went bad. Balance shaft belt trashed, timing belt cover destroyed, and timing belt nicked up. I had just had belts replaced 8,000 miles ago and balance shaft belt was broke on that tear down.
Here's the problem!!
All back together and now I have a chattering coming from around the oil pump.
Sombody PLEASE give me some clues as where to go from here!!

 

[99GSTszeikus]

you shoudn't use other under drive pullys cauase it's not good for your crank. stock dampners are there to take the most of the impack off of the crank i have had 2 friends that have gotten crack problems cause they went with a pully kit and they are 1g guys not 2g. and oh ya they are the same 1g and 2g

 

[ivanr4g63]

To be safe, either you should get a new one from satan (the dealer), or try this one...

http://www.machv.com/busracunpul.html

Underdrive pulley with no harmonic dampener are only recomended for rebuilt fully balanced motors... not necesarily race motors. this is so they can math it with the crank weight and avoid vibration, and future damage, even Crankwalk.

 

[Morphius]

Can someone with a 2g speak to whether the dampners on the 2g are the same or different than the 1g?

 

[GRNDSM]

What makes you think that someone with a 2G would know that?

For what it s worth, they carry different part numbers and they look different. I never tried fitting 1G on a 2G or visa versa.

Leon
RR

 

[98TsiAWD]

Originally posted by Morphius
Can someone with a 2g speak to whether the dampners on the 2g are the same or different than the 1g?

I have both sitting in my garage, they are very similar. They look slightly different. The outside diamater are the same, teh bolt pattern is the same. The belt grooves are the same.
I would say they are interchangeable.

 

[GRNDSM]

Is the "clocking" between the roll pin and TDC mark the same?

Leon
RR

 

[98TsiAWD]

Originally posted by GRNDSM
Is the "clocking" between the roll pin and TDC mark the same?

Leon
RR

By roll pin Im assuming you are talking about where the "pin" on the crankshaft comes through the pully? However I dont see any timing mark or notch on either pully

 

[GRNDSM]

Originally posted by 98TsiAWD
By roll pin Im assuming you are talking about where the "pin" on the crankshaft comes through the pully? However I dont see any timing mark or notch on either pully

Yep, that is the pin, it defines orientation of the pulley. 1G's have a timing mark on that pulley so that you can set ignition timing with a timing light. Since 2Gs do not have adjustable timing, I am not even sure if they even have the same the same mark (or if it is clocked the same way).

Another importants thing is the distance from the pulley mounting surface to each belt. Is that the same?

Leon
RR

 

[Morphius]

Originally posted by GRNDSM
Another importants thing is the distance from the pulley mounting surface to each belt.

That is exaclty what I am curious about. When I was home I did compare the two. As 98TSiAWD stated, they appeared to have the same diameters, and bolt pattern. Unfortunatly, mine had failed and was in terrible shape so I could not tell where the outer vs inner part should have been in relation to each other.

 

[Chuckt]

i need to replace the crank pulley on my 97 420a and was wondering exactly how i would go about this, any special tools needed. Also where, if possable, would i get a new pulley and belt besides the dealership?

 

[mitsugsx95]

Its easy (it should be roughly the same for the 420a). All u do is unbolt 4 bolts, and take it off. Nothing too complicated.

 

[dsm4life]

i need to replace the crank pulley on my 97 420a and was wondering exactly how i would go about this, any special tools needed. Also where, if possable, would i get a new pulley and belt besides the dealership?

in the same boat , looking forward for responces

 

[awd4g63]

You may have to pry a bit on it, so try to get a good thin prybar. Don't pry in a fragile area (ie:along the edge of the pulley, on the oilpan, etc.) of course, but a few seconds of prying and it should come right off.