Couple of questions: 1977 L48, Auto

My harmonic balancer came apart, lost the rubber seal, caught it in time and just a few shiny parts on timing cover, just took off paint.

Before I read on here that you should pull the radiator to get the shroud out, I managed to get the shroud out with a little turning and twisting and pulling.. but she ain't going back in that way for sure.

Now, pulling the fan and pulleys out of the way was not problem. Pulling the balancer was a breeze once I gave up looking for my puller and just bought a new one.

Now: I've read that the best way to put/press the new balancer back on is with an installation tool. How difficult is it to do so and does it have special hardening bolts. I've read just take your time, so I'm just looking for reassurance. I tapped it with a rubber mallet just for some gentle persuasion and it's not going to slip on like the parts guy said and I'm don't want to sledge hammer it either. Maybe a tapping with a block of wood but don't like that idea either.

I've oiled everything up (installed a new seal in timing cover also) and it slides on and begins to engage the wooddruff key maybe 3/16 of an inch so I have a ways to go. Initially the wooddruff key was at the 5 o'clock position so I put the crank bolt back in an with a few washers added I moved it to about 11 o'clock so I can get a pretty good straight on look at it. It looks straight. The new balancer did come with 2 one small and one larger.. the larger looks like the one on the crank.
Should I try to put the new one in, I know theoretically they are supposed to be the same thickness and if it's thinner to fit the balancer it's bound to be thinning in the slot on the crank and that bothers me.

Would you that have done this advise leaving the old wooddruff key in and use the installation tool?

Next question. How am I supposed to remove the radiator when I have the air conditioner condenser/coil thing in front of the radiator with out disconnecting it and losing all my freon. Is there a way I can unbolt the top bolts on the radiator and the bottom ones wherever they are and tilt the radiator enought to get the shroud back in, it doesn't seem to need that much room to go back in?

I know I will have to disconnect any transmission cooling lines which I don't know for sure but expect are on it also.

Any and all suggestions appreciated. I need to do this myself as I just had to drop about 1200 for my part of insurance on replacing the LS2 in my 05 GTO that sucked water during some flooding here into the airbox and air intake plenium and thus didn't compress so well so a rod went thru the bottom and cracked that block.

 

Go your local parts store, Autozone etc and rent the balancer installation tool, yes it is grade 8 material or should be. As far as the key, just install the same size that you take out.

The radiator comes out with the condensor still installed.

 

You can make the installation much easier if you immerse the damper in boiling water for 15min,or by placing it in a preheated oven at 250*F or
120*C for 15min.
This will not do any damage to the balancer.

 

all you need is a longer harmonic balancer bolt, or as someone mentioned, tool loaner from any of the automotive stores.

Regarding the radiator and shroud, easiest way to install them....install them together, as a pair.

 

Vaseline works good.I just use the bolt worked every time for Me

 

On my 81, I only have to disconnect the radiator hoses, transmission lines, and the top radiator support bolts. There are two tabs on the bottom of the radiator that fit into two slots in the bottom radiator support, no bolts. The radiator should just lift out. I had to remove the radiator before I could remove the shroud.

 

I Had to do the same on my 77. Dude...get the loaner tool from Autozone. I just put mine on....a little vasoline and it goes on easy. Only a couple of minutes.

 

I've always used a balancer install/removal tool that I bought from Summit.. Takes only a few minutes to swap balancers!!

 

YOU can NOT use the balancer bolt to push the balancer on for a SBC, it has a very high chance of stripping out the crank threads....some engines you can do that, SBC is not one of them...you have to fully thread the install tool into the crank, then use the tool to push the balancer on....

I dunno why SBC is an interfearance fit with so many other engines are not....like olde tyme Pontiacs, Mopar, etc...Ford even....go figger...WTF is so special about SBC it need an interfearance fit on that harmonica balancer, I dunno, just is....

 

that's not a problem with BBC...course the bbc's balancer bolt is long and will threat in without ripping the threads. another solution, if the press fit is tight, a machine shop can hone the balancer .001 - .003 for easier installation...that was the case with mine....I had the shop hone the balancer.

 

BTW boys...you do not need to remove the radiator or shroud. Just the fan, pulleys and belts.

 

last bbc build - needed tool with aftermarket crank and balancer; ended up doing a little honing (used brake hone) on the balancer to get proper interference, 0.001 worked last time . . . so it all just depends. tool is cheap, just get it and add it to your tool box

 

Thanks for everyones input, help and advice... and I think big_G is right, I think I could have changed it without removing the shroud and radiator but... the shroud is out so I have to move/remove the radiator now. It's off to parts house after work to rent the tool before someone beats me to it for their weekend project. I'm ready to drive the vette again.. My 05 Goat might be faster but the vette is way cooler (as in cooler looking not in temperature cause the ac doesn't work lol)

 

Well my balancer install took a turn for the worse this weekend. I just couldn't seem to get it started and i noticed how the new wooddruff key seemed to fit so nicely in the new balancer. So i removed the old key and while trying to put the new one in I dropped it. I can't seem to find it on the garage floor, though I haven't given up. I think it's inside the timing cover case at the bottom but can feel it or see it. Picked up new timing cover gasket and getting syched up to pull the water pump and assorted braces. I understand to remove the timing chain cover from the guys at advanced auto parts (these are pretty sharp mechanic guys unlike some of the other places) that will have to lower (not remove the old pan at the front (suggested 2 big front bolts and about 4 back down the pan, which should allow me to drop the pan by pryng with screw driver just enough for the bottom of time cover to clear and be removed.. then put sealant back on pan gasket.. and heavy up where it goes in front of timing cover to prevent leaks they said seem to be prone there. Hopefully, 1. I'll find the wooddruff key and if not I will find the key in bottom of timing cover... else I pray it fell alway to oil pain. Was suggested that if not in time cover or stuck there it probably went all the way to the pan and put a magnetic plug down there to perhaps eventually catch it.

Okay guys.. what's the opinions of the experts on this.

Seems I've learned there is a relationship between working on C3's and consuming beer afterwards. Afterwards as there is no telling what I'd do if I drank beer while mechanicing.

 

that's what i do. smells like burnt pot roast

 

If you have a problem locating a balancer install tool, you can make one by welding two grade 8 bolts together. I've used this one for years.
Barry

 

Just got finished doing mine on my 78SA. Had to replace the oil seal on the timing chain cover. From experience, go to AutoZone and get their loaner harmonic balancer puller and installer tools. I borrowed a puller from a buddy, and it didn't have the protector piece on the end of the threaded rod. Luckily, I was able to recover from the damage it caused to the 1st. few threads in my crank. I used the installer and heated the balancer in the oven at 250 for 15min. It went on smoothly without that much effort. And yes, beer and breaker bars can be a dangerous combination!

 

Make sure you use a new hardened bolt! Mine had a used one (or incorrect one) put back on before I bought the car.

About a year and a loud bang later (like a rock smacking the bottom of the car) I thought my engine had blown. No loss of power, no oil loss when I pulled over, normal oil pressure, but as soon as you touch the gas I got a knocking noise like the main bearing had gone.

After crawling home slowly, it turned out that the head of the balance bolt sheared off. It took 3 days to get that sucker out after my mechanic broke half of his tools! Thankfully all is well now

Just make sure you use a new hardened bolt

 

Okay... got side tracked and had to do a few other things... but now I boiled the balance... i have it on but how close to the timing cover should it be... looks like I'm about a quarter inch from the cover, balance seems to be 1/2 or more of width on the shaft.. past the wooddruff key.. it seems to have bottomed out.. but I'm not sure... I'm trying to see if all the pulleys will line up. Ideas what the distance between balance and cover should be, I put on a new timing chain and chrome cover as the chain had rubbed inside the left of original cover from slack... I still had to drive it on with 3lb sledge even after boiling and putting oil on the shaft. Okay... I re read the thread to read the thousandths measurements and I notice some used a brake hone.. I was thinking about that earlier.. so.. instead of going to machine shop..I'll try brake hone.. but... it's 9:25pm and that will wait until tomorrow....

 

When I bought my '75 the mechanic said I needed to replace the balancer and seal, which is on the to do list for this winter. The car is already up on blocks as many other issues need to also be addressed.

I don't know much about balancers as this is my first Corvette, the first car I've worked on and I've been focused on rebuilding the rear end which was shot.

Is there a seal associated with just the balancer and if so, why can't I find a new one at any of the major vendors? Do they come with the balancer? Or is that the seal for the timing cover or something else and I can't find it because I'm looking for the wrong thing?