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

[Defiant]

Today as I was driving down the road suddenly just about every light on the dashboard comes on and I don't have powersteering anymore. It turns out every accessory belt has been thrown off my car, and one of them broken.

Yours has told you it is. If you can crank out 80 horsepower with your hands, you can confirm it.

It's also possible the broken one got into the path of the others just right, and levered them off. Someone hits the lottery almost every day. However, with the noise complaint, the odds are hugely in favor of the dampener's rubber being bad.

 

[BoBbOrAzE]

yeap i am going through the exact same problem, just much worse. mine came loose and it took off my alternator belt. i replaced the alternator belt and 1 week later the ac belt shreds and off comes the alternator belt. now i truly notice that it is coming loose. once i finally get it off i realize that it started eating a hole into my crankcase! it came like a centimeter from my timing belt

basically go under your car and push on the bottom pulley if it moves back and forth its coming loose.

btw is there a quick place to get a crank pulley without ordering one?? and or can i use a 1g pulley??

 

[Bunyfofu69]

I've been kicking off my accessory belts.....I go underneath the car and see that my crank pulley is wobbly and I can move it back and forth. I've done the research about the Harmonic Balancer, and i'm setting off to my local Autozone. My question is, how hard is replacing it? I know that the Balancer and pulley are two different parts......so does the Balancer just slide off? Or do I need to yank the whole pulley out?

Thanks

Any tips or tricks could help....as i'm going to do this once it stops rainning =)

 

[babell2]

I don't know what you are driving but my 6 bolt 4G63 uses 4 bolts to retain the harmonic balancer to the crank coged (sp?) sproket. You should be able to remove all the drive belts and replace the harmonic balancer through the wheel well without pulling the timing belt or side cover off the engine.

 

[Bunyfofu69]

I have a 7-Bolt but after doing alittle research, both 1G and 2G Crank Pulleys are interchangeable. Hopefully it's as easy as it sounds.

 

[Danny_305]

is the harmonic balancer the same as a under drive pulley?


sorry for the noob question

 

[oldman]

is the harmonic balancer the same as a under drive pulley?


sorry for the noob question

They are different types of crank pulleys.

 

[wret]

Underdrive pulleys (including crank pulleys) are available as performance replacements for stock pulleys.

 

[jesepes]

Well, if you take off the crank pulley, the harmonic balancer in integral, so it comes off too. It is merely a rubber ring between the outer accessory belt and the main pulley.
I hope this helps.
-Jesse

 

[Defiant]

The harmonic balancer is an assmbly comprising a steel ring, a weight, bonded to an inner hub by a thin layer of rubber. Its job is to absorb and re-distribute crankshaft windup as the pistons and rods try to twist it against the load of the transmission, driveline, and road load. It greatly reduces loadings on the main bearings. An underdrive pulley often doesn't have enough engineering and fabrication expense built into it to have the harmonic balancer feature included, and some builders think this can be catastrophic to the lower end, although more so to V-8s than fours.

 

[iggster]

Ok all here it goes. I have a 94 talno tsi awd auto. This thing is costing me a fortune to fix all the little stuff and now I am about to fix the Squealing I have read alot about in the forums. It is reassuring to know that mine is not the only one with this issue. I am replacing all the belts and am going to check the harmonic balancer (crank pulley) using Defiants recommended chalk test. My questions is this. IF I do find the crank pulley to be bad. How hard is it to replace and get to?And about how much time and money can I expect to spend if I try to tackle this myself?

 

[spades_gsx]

crank pulley about $150 from satan, or $50-$60 from junkyard. If you know how to change your own belts it should take you 20-30 min. on the crank there are four bolts lossen and remove these. use a 1/2in socket wrench ( just the wrench) to stop the crank from spinning(if the crank spins). if the crank doesn't fall off when you remove the four bolts around the big center bolt just tap the back of the pulley with a hammer. reverse the steps to put the crank back on, put the belts on, tighten, and your done. If anyone has any other info please share i would like to know if there is an easier way.

 

[TSiAWD666]

I don't know what the 1g crank pulley costs, but the 2g one is only like $90 new from a dealer... at least one of the "discounting" dealers.

 

[iggster]

Sounds like a snap. so ican figure a couple of hours. Never tackled belt replacement before. Out for a drive just now and noticed some vibratioin while at a stop sign. Will eliminating the balnance shaft help out with that? I am going to try the Lucas oil additive and engine cleaner to help with the tapping noise and am trying to find a 14b turbo to swap out with the small one I have on the automatic (13b?). I hope that there will be no modification needed and that it improves performance. Since i got this Talon I have replaced the exhaust from the manifold thru the muffler (stock replacement). Fixed the swaybar linkage ,balanced the tires, full tuneup with plugs and wires. Eliminated the air filter housing,removed the "star cone" from the filter. I am looking to get a high flow cat, still have to replace all the struts and find some talon swirlie rims. The idiot before me had the eclipse rose petal rims on it. So any suggestions advise and input is more than welcome! Oh yeah also looking for a black talon air dam. That same idot must have damged the original and replaced it with a laser one.

 

[ZachM31]

Eliminating the Balance Shaft will actually make it worse for vibration....just something to get used to i guess..i would do it, but i dont have a 2nd car to drive.

 

[spyder97gs]

I had the AC belt slip over one notch on the pulley and was starting to cut into the timing belt cover. I decided I might as well change the harmonic balancer while fixing that. Anyways I just took it off, and it all came off with the pulley in one piece and doesnt seem to be cracked or anything. I ordered one from napa. Should I go ahead and put the new one on for preventative maintenance? The car has 116k and Ive got no idea whatsoever if it was ever changed.

In the process I broke the clip that the oil pressure gauge connects to, I believe it is. I can start the car without that hooked up, right? Wouldn't it only be showing 0 pressure but really have it? Actually I don't even have a oil pressure gauge, so am I safe? Thanks...

 

[Quasimondo]

Well, since you already pulled off the old harmonic balancer, and you already ordered a replacement from NAPA, you might as well install the new one when it arrives.

 

[spyder97gs]

The reason I was debating was I thought maybe it would be best to get my $75 back and put it towards my tranny I need. But I'm gonna be driving 800 miles down to Florida next month and I dont wanna take a chance at the balancer going bad and throwing a belt then.

Do I just beat the old balancer out of the pulley, or is the new one going to come with the pulley also?

 

[spyder97gs]

After closer inspection, I've found many small surface cracks on it, so im gonna go ahead and replace it.

 

[oldman]

Do I just beat the old balancer out of the pulley, or is the new one going to come with the pulley also?

They come in one piece, you can't seperate them well unless they're broken. Keep the old one for emergency.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

And don't drive around, especially 800 miles with no oil pressure guage. That is one of if not the most important guage in your car.
If the little metal clip broke off that the wire clips too it will not effect your pressure but I would still recomend getting a functional guage asap.

 

[spyder97gs]

Well my spyder actually doesn't even have an oil pressure gauge. But I do plan on going to the dealership if I have to to get that little clip, otherwise i'll fab one up. It just screws on so they should be able to give me one cheap.

 

[Defiant]

Should I go ahead and put the new one on for preventative maintenance? The car has 116k and Ive got no idea whatsoever if it was ever changed.

Might as well. You'll not have to worry about it for the rest of the time you drive the car.

In the process I broke the clip that the oil pressure gauge connects to, I believe it is. I can start the car without that hooked up, right? Wouldn't it only be showing 0 pressure but really have it? Actually I don't even have a oil pressure gauge, so am I safe? Thanks...

No gauge, just a light? Yes, you can drive it that way, but fix it this week.

 

[vinh766]

when i turn my a/c on, there is a VERY loud squeal/schreeching sound. the sound is coming from my crank pulley area. i tried kicking just my fans on, there is no sound, but when i actually turn on my ac, the queel starts and its crazy loud. anyone know what it could be? TIA

 

[crankbender]

Your ac/acessory belt is loose or worn. There are 3 pullies the belt goes around. The crank pully, the ac pully, and a tensioner pully.

Above the tensioner pully will be a bolt with a locking nut. Loosen the locker and tighten the pully with the bolt.