Harmonic balancer removal

[tay97gst]

I've already read several threads but to the people who have already removed their harmonic balancer, was it easy enough that I would be able to do it without screwing up my timing? That's the only thing I'm scared about because I've read that people have accidentally done that. I see that its just the 4 outer bolts holding it on and I do have an impact wrench and will rent the puller so in theory I think I could do it but is there a way to ensure I won't rotate it counter clockwise while removing it? Thanks for your help guys.

 

[AwD4g63TsI]

Don't know how you could screw up your timing. The timing belt is not attached to the damper. You simply take off the accessory belts from the damper, remove the 4 bolts that attach the damper to the crank...then slide the damper off. Timing belt is not affected by this. There is a roll pin that helps you put the damper back in the right position, so your timing MARK is in the right spot. But this still has nothing to do with putting your engine out of time. If your roll pin happens to be missing, simply look at where it WOULD have been and put the damper back on in the correct position. Even if the damper was put back on in the incorrect orientation, it would not mess up your timing. That mark on the damper is for use with a timing light

 

[pauleyman]

The only people that screw up timing are the ones that remove the center bolt which you do not need to do for harmonic balancer removal.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

^ what if you wanna replace that bolt with an arp one.

 

[T is for TURBO]

Just try to not turn the motor backwards during the process. It is possible to jump timing this way.

^ what if you wanna replace that bolt with an arp one.

Not sure why you would want to? All it does is hold the crank sprocket on, and the stock one is WAY more than enough to do that.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Oh yeah? Even for running 9s?

 

[T is for TURBO]

Oh yeah? Even for running 9s?

Yep. You'd be paying for tensile strength that your not using. The bolt just holds the crank pulley (cog) snug to the crank shaft. All the torque **going to the timing side of the engine** from a stock engine to a 1500 hp drag beast is being transmitted to the $3 key on the crank shaft.

EDIT: **Clarification**

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Interesting..

 

[T is for TURBO]

Interesting..

Plus, if you where transmitting enough torque to shear the stock bolt, you would

A) Have some serious binding in your valve train.
B) You'd shear the teeth off the T-belt waaay before shearing that bolt.

 

[synthetek]

I do have an impact wrench and will rent the puller so in theory I think I could do it but is there a way to ensure I won't rotate it counter clockwise while removing it? Thanks for your help guys.

You wont need a puller or an impact, the bolts are only 12mm bolts and the torque spec for them is only 18lbs. The pulley will come off easily after the bolts are removed.

 

[tay97gst]

You wont need a puller or an impact, the bolts are only 12mm bolts and the torque spec for them is only 18lbs. The pulley will come off easily after the bolts are removed.

Yeah well I'm from NH so anything that's been on the car for 16 years is bound to be held on by 100lbs of rust Thanks for the confidence guys, I think I'lljust do it myself afterall.

 

[estoyaqui30]

If it's so tight that you would need an impact tool, you will shear them off. They are small enough to snap them off with a 3/8" drive ratchet and 12mm socket. Just a word of caution.

 

[tay97gst]

Hey guys, I just finally got around to doing the replacement, and i cant take off the 4 bolts because the whole thing spins when i try and loosen them. What should I do?

 

[AwD4g63TsI]

Breaker bar along with an impact or ratchet. Attach an excessively long extension to the breaker bar and either you or someone else hold it to keep the crank stationary....then use the impact or ratchet to knock the small bolts loose. Walaa, No turning of your crank

 

[tay97gst]

Breaker bar along with an impact or ratchet. Attach an excessively long extension to the breaker bar and either you or someone else hold it to keep the crank stationary....then use the impact or ratchet to knock the small bolts loose. Walaa, No turning of your crank

Alright that worked, now im struggling with actually removing it off from the sprocket. Should I just hit it with a rubber mallet unil it breaks loose?

 

[V12 Killa]

Have you removed the drive belts? If you have and it's still stuck, just give it a couple taps to break it free.

 

[synthetek]

Spray it with PB Blaster, let it sit a min then tap with a rubber mallet.

 

[casperfast]

yea, that can work, shouldnt take much to knock it off. just maybe a smack on opposite sides and she should pop off. if not than you might have to pry a little from behind to pop her out.

 

[tay97gst]

Well I finally got that one off and the new one on and I think I may see the problem That's my AC belt FYI

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[casperfast]

, awesome. that might just have been the issue