HELP!! Replaced Harmonic Dampener, now car wont start

[dsmnenz]

I Searched and searched and i cant seem to find anything...i have a 91 gst and i replaced the harmonic balancer because the old one was going out...after i replaced it my car wont started it cranks but just wont start.. i dont know what i could have done wrong.. it was only 4 bolts and removed and replace and put it back together now it wont start... any feed back greatly appriciated in advanced thanks..

confused dsmR
fredo

 

[4g63Powered]

Have you done the usual "check for spark and fuel" yet?

 

[crimsondragon]

I hope when you were changing it you didn't rotate the crank counter clockwise.

 

[KDub]

you may be 180 out

 

[dsmnenz]

you may be 180 out

what do u mean 180 out?.. yea i checked for fuel and spark.. and they were both present.. i also checked to see if i unplugged anything today on accident but eveything was plugged in... i think i did move it when i was loosing the bolts but i checked the timing with both cam's dowel pins at 12 and the tick marks lined up also.. but i couldn't check the bottom marks behind the wheel... is it possible for the cams to be lined up and the crankshaft sprocket be off? thanks for the help guyz..

fellow dsmR

fredo

 

[jm1080]

wow im changing my harmonic balancer today hopefully that doesnt happen...Ill be checking this thread just incase

 

[ROOKIE1]

I Searched and searched and i cant seem to find anything...i have a 91 gst and i replaced the harmonic balancer because the old one was going out...after i replaced it my car wont started it cranks but just wont start.. i dont know what i could have done wrong.. it was only 4 bolts and removed and replace and put it back together now it wont start... any feed back greatly appriciated in advanced thanks..

confused dsmR
fredo

So the only thing you removed was ?
4 bolts that hold on the balancer ?
Balancer itself ?
How did you get to all 4 bolts ?
Nothing should have changed if that is all you did .
Need to retrace your steps .
What is it doing while you are cranking ?
Did you do any other work at same time ?

 

[Tim Melton]

You can not be 180 out from changing the harmonic balancer.Did you unplug your altronator
or your negative battery terminal.

 

[Timechg]

Yeah I was going to say on the issue that you can't be 180 out unless you completely missed the dowel pin that is supposed to position the harmonic balancer.

 

[dsmnenz]

rookie.. yea thats all i did thats y i think its wierd...and i didn't unplug anything ill double check tho... it cranks and acts like it wants 2 start but just doesn't... i dont think the HB goes on a certain way like with the timming or anything...IDK if i cant figure it out by this weekend im just gonna end up taking it to my mechanic to check over the timming belt and other timming related issues... ### me and timming dont go 2gether..

 

[jm1080]

rookie.. yea thats all i did thats y i think its wierd...and i didn't unplug anything ill double check tho... it cranks and acts like it wants 2 start but just doesn't... i dont think the HB goes on a certain way like with the timming or anything...IDK if i cant figure it out by this weekend im just gonna end up taking it to my mechanic to check over the timming belt and other timming related issues... ### me and timming dont go 2gether..

I actually put my harmonic balancer on this past weekend, I have a thread about it. But I just took out the old one, which was split, and put in the new one, just make sure you have the pin to know how to put it on and torque it to 18lbs and your good. Then just tensioned the belts and the car runs fine for me now. I dont think it can be the harmonic balancer, unless you put it on completely wrong or something.

 

[99gst_racer]

For what it's worth; I charged my harmonic dampener last night, and my car started hard afterwards too. It cranked and cranked and cranked, and finally fired. I don't know why, but all it well with the new dampener.

 

[dsmnenz]

I actually put my harmonic balancer on this past weekend, I have a thread about it. But I just took out the old one, which was split, and put in the new one, just make sure you have the pin to know how to put it on and torque it to 18lbs and your good. Then just tensioned the belts and the car runs fine for me now. I dont think it can be the harmonic balancer, unless you put it on completely wrong or something.

What pin i dont remeber seeing any pin if u can show with a pic or something...i checked out ## tread thats kinda wut happen 2 me but no stuff comming out the exhaust..

still confused
DsmR

 

[99gst_racer]

What pin i dont remeber seeing any pin if u can show with a pic or something...i checked out ## tread thats kinda wut happen 2 me but no stuff comming out the exhaust..

still confused
DsmR

There's a dowel pin on the crank sprocket. When bolting the dampener to the sproket, the dowel pin must align with the hole in the dampener.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

See the small hole at the 12 o'clock position? That's the dowel pin hole.

 

[jm1080]

What pin i dont remeber seeing any pin if u can show with a pic or something...i checked out ## tread thats kinda wut happen 2 me but no stuff comming out the exhaust..

still confused
DsmR

Yea the stuff coming out of exhaust was a different problem (running rich) and like 99gst_racer said, thats where the pin should be in that small hole. When you took off your old one, there should of been a small pin sticking out, hopefully that was still there.

 

[dsmnenz]

i chcecked it the old out and id din't seem to have the pin....maybe its on the cranksprocket it self...well ill check it out agian...ggrrrr

DSmR
fredo

 

[eclipse4life]

Even if you put it on wrong and didnt align it with the pin it would still start. so if your 180 out or not doesnt affect your timing thats what your timing belt is for. Im not sure why some of these replys say that. The harmonic balancer if put on correctly and using a timing light lets you see what your engine timing is on the timing cover (assuming the timing belt and related components are correctly installed. when the harmonic balancer splits (the rubber in between) and spins and the marks dont line up no more then everyone with this problem would have a no start again it has nothing to do with starting it keeps the crank happy and lets you see engine timing. I just replaced mine because it split and no problems something else happened.