I am kneecap deep into my 96 LT1 Water Pump/Opti/Cooling system/timing cover seals/whatever the &%$* else I find that needs replacing since I am already there and I have hit a snag: I need advice on how to remove the freakin Harmonic Balancer. I have tried using a bolt on puller that uses a center bolt to push against the crank. I actually got it to move about 1/4 inch and then it froze again. The center bolt on the puller is passing through the HB and contacting the front of the crank. Here are my questions:

- What do the 3 bolts on the HB hold in place? The pulley?
- If so does the pulley need to be removed from the HB?
- With the pulley attached to the HB is there enough room for removal without lifting the engine?
- How to I keep the engine from turning when cranking on the puller?
- I welcome any tips on how to get the HB loose!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to switch to a puller that has a center bolt that uses a floating mushroom shaped head. I think the current puller may be causing a bind because it is just a straight bolt (no floating end).

Anyways, too tired tonight so I figured sleep and a clearer mind will prevail!

 

3 Bolts go to the hub that holds the HB they have to come out. You need a factory service manual it show a blow up of the assembly. after the bolts are out get underneath with a 2X4 and tap it off all around. Make sure you PB/Liquid wrench it to death overnight.

 

Sounds like you failed to purchase the most important part - the shop manual.

The three bolts hold the balancer to the hub.

The hub only needs to come off if you are removing the timing cover.

A small two-armed puller is what worked for me for the balancer.




Your puller is turning the engine over? That's not right.

 

Okay, I just did the same thing. Now if your removing the timing cover then this might not help that much. The LT has a two part setup. The pully/balancer can be removed after removing the three bolts. The crank hub can also be removed as a whole, you would have to do that in order to remove the timing cover.

If all you need to remove is the balancer (all you need for Opti replacement). Then a puller is probably much harder to do. I know I wouldn't have been able to fit one in without driving myself nuts.

First of all soak that pulley with a ton of PB Blaster. Next you want to get under the car, and use a pipe or 2x4, something with some lenght and hit the edge of the pulley with it and a deadblow hammer or mini-sledgehammer. I used a 4lb hammer.
I would beat on what was exposed until my arm was tired from the awkard position then rotate the engine about 120* and repeat. Took about 4 times of that and it finally just kinda plopped off.

As far as clearance getting it out, shouldn't be a problem. But I also had my A/C out so less lines in the way.

Good luck.

 

Here is a little light reading for you:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=231&TopicID=2

Knowledge and the right tools make the job easy.

 

Here's what the 2 parts look like separated,
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/phot...d-damper01.JPG

 

remove the three bolts place a old towl arond/in front of the balancer and get under the car with a long board and give a good smack. what ever you do use wood not a pipe as you can dammage the balancer, I have sen it done they are fairly soft. Hit the balancer then turn the motor a bit and hit it again and repeat till it comes off. It will come off trust me.

 

Bluewasp, Ruffneckxxx and I used a special tool to remove the harmonic. It's called a 2x4.
Can't even begin to describe how we did it.
Ruffneck has pics.

 

Some will cringe, but I just soaked the HB with liquid wrench, loosend the 3 bolts about 1 turn, then started the car for about 3 seconds. The HB slid right off. No hammering with 2x4s, hammers or pullers.

 

Yours had probably been removed before. I tried that on mine and it might as well have been welded. That thing wouldn't budge.

I used the handle of my floor jack and a BFH from behind, underneath the car, to get it off. I made sure to strike it on the spokes, near the hub. Turning over the engine after every couple of hammer blows was a PIA.

If the balancer has never been off, you can't be gentle. Hit that thing like you mean it!

 

I have removed the hub 2 or 3 times using a Harmonic Balancer Puller. You have to use the 'flat faced' nose piece on the threaded end of the Puller. Then you use the crank bolt to push off of. After removing the balancer/pulley, loosen the crank bolt and back it out about 1/2 inch, attach the Puller using three longer bolts (smaller than the bolt holes in the hub ears) with washers and nuts on the back side of the hub. It is a tight place to work, but it does fit. You may have to jack up the motor a little so the Puller's 'jack screw' can spin freely between the steering rack and steel line loop. I used the Sears Craftsman Harmonic Balancer Puller Set, the 'jack screw' extends beyond the steering rack/front crossmember so you can easily turn it with a wrench. Get the face of the Puller as close the the hub as possible with the three outer bolts (if they hit the timing cover before the Puller touches the hub, the three outer bolts need to be shorter), then start screwing in the 'jack screw', pushing off of the crank bolt. Once you've taken up the 1/2 inch, you have to pull it all apart and back the crank bolt out another 1/2 inch or so. You have to do this 2 or 3 times since the hub needs to move about 1.5-2 inches to release the press fit (you can't just have the crank bolt sticking most of the way out because the Puller won't fit in there right). It sucks, but it works without having to wail on it with a 2x4. Just be careful with the fine threaded crank bolt, and be prepared to clean/chase the threads in the end of the crank. To reinstall the hub, you need to get another crank bolt that is a couple inches longer than the stock bolt, using several large washers/or sleeves, and plenty of anti-seize, screw the hub back on using progressively more washers as it goes on (you need a good 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of thread engagement before it gets tight and begins to push on the hub). A damper installer will not work on an LT1. Now wake up and get crackin' !

 

I've heard of hitting the harmonic balancer with a 2x4 to free it, but after installing a new timing gear kit and harmonic balancer on my 84, I can't see how anyone can free the harmonic balancer from the crankshaft without proper tools.
After struggling I posted and was told there are tools to remove the harmonic balancer, they go by the name of harmonic balancer remover and harmonic balancer installer, imagine that. What took 4 weeks, should have taken a day.
I to had the dubious distinction of stripping the inside of the crankshaft a few times along with the 7/16 20 fine bolt, hence I was introduced to the tap and dye! I would bank on 500hp post, it looks pretty solid.

 

My understanding is you don't have to take the hub off to replace the opti. The hub is a biatch and the puller may be necessary to do that. All that is needed is to knock the pulley/HB off and a 2X4 works just fine. I could be wrong but I have read about the 2X4 method in every forum I belong to.

 

Brimis,
your 84 has a one piece hub/ballancer the LT1 is a diferent situation. The balancer has three bolts that holt it to the hub. The hub is the peice that actualy goes on the crank shaft and in this case does not need to be removed. The LT1 also is a little diferent even when pulling the hub and a standard puller will not work with out geting a little creative ( I run a allen bolt into the crank first then use a std. puller).

 

C4Crazy 787,

Thanks for the photo. Now I understand!

I am going to use a 2 finger puller to pull the HB vs. the "whack it" method first.

I am also going to pull the hub so I can replace the front crank seal, you know "since I am there already"!

Funny thing a water pump leak on an LT1 has so far cost $800.00 or so for:

Water Pump
All 7 hoses or hose assemblies
Opti & Cap/Rotor
Seals
Coolant
Rad Cap
Spark Plugs & Wires

At least I am hoping this is the only weak area on an otherwise remarkable car. It could be worse, the 30K tune-up on a Ferrari 308 runs about 5000.00!

 

Texas,
When you get ready to pull the hub keep in mind a normal ballancer puller will be hit against the hub it's self rather then the crank because of the small hole in the hub. To get around this I stuck a allen head bolt in and threaded it into the crank. Then the puller tip can rest in the allen head and will pull the hub away from the crank instead of against it self.

 

Yeah, I belive we used to custom made bushing to make up the difference in space, Those exploted views definatly help.

Adam

 

It sounds as if the LT1 is different. All Corvettes should be as simply as the 84!

 

Went to Sears and got a 2 jaw puller. After some set-up and using a 7/16 socket as a spacer I got the HB off, now on to the hub which should be pretty easy. I also got the Opti off, it looks like the timing cover seal for the Opti has been leaking quite a bit for some time. Is this a common issue with the LT1? I have a new seal ready to on, I figured to install it with a little non-hardening Permatex arond the outside of the ring.

 

wish I had seen this post sooner, could of saved you some headache. Another member helped me with this and took a good pic of how to remove the pully/HB using a 2-jaw puller:

Note: When re-installing the Pully/HB, you will need 2 socket wrenches. One to hold the center flywheel bolt, and the other to tighten the 3 Pully/HB attaching bolts. You need the socket wrench on the center bolt to keep from spining the flywheel!!!

Maybe this pic will help some other folks!!