ZBRA

I am assuming that it needs to be "pulled" in the same fashion as a conventional small block.

There is no way to get a harmonic balancer puller in between it (balancer), and the frame cross rail that runs 1.5"s in front of the motor.

Can you get it off without lifting the engine? :chevy

AquaMetallic94LT1

The balancer itself is on a hub on the crankshaft. The hub is pressed on the crank. The balancer frequently gets stuck to the hub because water gets between it and the hub and causes corrosion in that area. You'll have to use a piece of wood and a hammer and hammer the back of the balancer. Be sure to have near the center of the balancer away from the elastic and outer ring.

FIBERGLASMD

On the LT1 the balancer is two piece. You take out the three cap screws in the inside of the balancer. The hub will stay on the crank. Usually the pulley part is stuck on the hub. You can go underneath and drive it off with a block of wood. I took mine off with a crowbar as I pryed against the opti spark. I was going to replace the opti anyway. It can be a bear but you don't remove the whole thing like on the conventional small block.
Good luck

92corvette

There are 3 bolts that hold the balancer to the hub. You don't need to remove the center bolt to get the balancer off.
After removing the 3 bolts, some people say they have to knock the thing loose from the hub with a hammer. I didn't, it came off pretty easy.
Are you just doing a opti or something, or do you also need to get the hub part off to remove the timing chain cover?

ZBRA

Cool. I am just going to replace the opti, but I may do a cam swap eventually.

Do I have to lift the motor to pull the hub, or will removing the outer ring provide me with enough clearance to fit the puller in there?


[Modified by ZBRA, 7:12 PM 12/5/2001]

vetteman9368

if you have to remove the hub there is a special tool part # J39046 its about $180 dollars. So i suggest getting to be friends with a GM service tech and borrowing it like i did

92corvette

I removed the hub without raising the engine. It wasn't easy, but the drip loop in the power steerng tube is in just the right place for the shaft of the puller to stick through. I did have to use an assortment of different length bolts as it was coming off. And I didn't use a $180.00 puller. Mine was $9.95 from Harbor Freight. Looks like this:



[Modified by 92corvette, 7:38 PM 12/5/2001]


[Modified by 92corvette, 7:39 PM 12/5/2001]

ZBRA

You guys are the bomb.... Thanks. :seeya

Nathan Plemons

That's the exact same puller set I used!

The same thing my dad bought, the $10 flea market special. Hey, whatever works. When we did the cam we raised the engine, when I fixed my oil leak I noticed the loop in the power stearing line and went right through it, works like a charm.


[Modified by Nathan Plemons, 8:50 AM 12/6/2001]

RED92LT1

Just as an F.Y.I. if you are near an Auto Zone store they loan you the tools you need. The way they do it is, you leave a deposit for the tool and when you bring it back you get a full refund ... or keep the tool, and it's yours.
The deposit is usually inexpensive and depends on the tool you borrow/keep.

I have used them especially when I replaced the power steering pulley on my '92 ... I highly recommend this option if you're near an Auto Zone.

Brian

Greg Johnson

Go to Tech Tips, then c4, there is a paper by Lars Grimsrud that gives great instruction on timing chain and water pump removal and harmonic balancer removal. :seeya

FrankLT4CE

After mostly removing the 3 bolts to the hub (leave them installed a few threads each to prevent the damper from falling off) after much suffering I found a 7/8 inch diameter steel rod (from a jack tool) that was 21 inches long. I also had to get a very heavy hammer. By placing the rod on the inner ring of the damper, from underneath the car, next to the oil pan on the driver's side, I was able to hit the steel rod and get the damper loose with only a few swings of the heavy hammer. Rotate the crankshaft 120 degrees between each couple of swings. This method won't damage the optispark. Hope this helps. FrankLT4CE

GlockLT4

Yep.. not hard.. just 3 bolts. Stick a crow bar inbetween the spokes of the balancer to hold it steady (leveraged against the block/frame).. and start undoing them.

PurpleC4

LT1_LT4 Balancer/Hub Removal
Unlike its SBC predecessor, the LT1/LT4 Balancer is a two piece assembly consisting of an (inner) hub, and (outer) balancer/pulley. Removal of the assembly can be frustrating if approached in the conventional way. By following the procedures below, you can safely and quickly remove the assembly with little or no problem.
1. Drain the radiator by opening the drain valve on the lower right hand (passenger side)
2. Remove the serpentine belt
3. Remove the upper radiator hose
4. Remove the water pump. When removing the water pump, it is important to remember that the LT1/LT4 water pump is attached to the engine with 3 bolts on each side, vs. its predecessor, which only had 2 bolts on each side. The center bolt on the driver side is a challenge, but can be removed without removal of the power steering pump. When removing the water pump, take care to remove the pump drive coupler along with the pump and place it on the pump drive shaft for use when re-installing the pump.
5. Mark the coil wire and all plug wires at the OptiSpark cap for easy reference when re-installing the OptiSpark unit after balancer seal repairs have been completed.
6. NOTE: There is no need to separate the balancer pulley from the hub if you intend to pull the hub off anyway. The only time you need to separate the pulley from the hub is if you are simply changing the OptiSpark. There is a match mark that is cast into the balancer assembly that allows you to mate the two pieces together in the exact orientation that they come apart. If you intend to separate the balancer pulley from the hub, locate the marks and make note for re-assembly.
7. The balancer pulley is attached to the hub with three bolts. The bolts are 7/16” SAE standard, 14 threads per inch, ¾” length (not metric). Fully remove all three bolts, and if you intend to remove the unit as a complete assembly, jump to steps 9 thru 18. If you intend to separate the assembly, continue by rethreading one bolt by a couple of turns. It is now time to separate the pulley from the hub. Most pulleys have been found to be rusted in place and require considerable effort to separate from the hub. Spraying the inside of the pulley with penetrating oil helps. Do not strike the pulley with a hammer in your frustrated attempts to remove. The best method is to position yourself under the engine with a wooden dowel rod and one healthy hammer. Position the dowel on the inside portion of the balancer when striking it with the hammer. Do not hit on the outer diameter of the pulley as damage can and will occur.
8. After successfully separating the pulley from the hub, it is now time to unbolt and remove the OptiSpark module. As with the water pump, a coupler drives the OptiSpark module and care should be taken to remove the drive shaft and place with the OptiSpark module for use when re-installing the unit.
9. Finally, it is now time to remove the hub. The center bolt that holds the hub on the crankshaft snout is 7/16” fine thread (not metric). I have found that I can generally break the center bolt loose by placing a 6 sided socket on the bolt, with a ½” breaker bar attached. By striking the breaker bar with that healthy hammer you just used in step #7, you can break the torque on the bolt.
10. Fully remove the bolt, remove the washer from the bolt, then re-install the bolt by 3 full turns.
11. Re-read step #10. If you skip this step, you are a screwed pooch.
12. The “General” was thinking when he installed the power steering rack hydraulic lines as he has installed a loop in the lines that allow the use of a balancer puller without interference of the puller jack screw. Check it out, you will be glad that he did this.
13. Use a standard balancer puller that requires the use of 3 puller bolts that fit into 3 slots on the crab portion. Make sure that you use a tip on the jack screw end that is a flat rotating plate, not a sharp point, because you will eventually place the jack screw end directly on the head of the center bolt of the hub and you don’t want to damage it.
14. Next, select three new (or used) 7/16” bolts that are of sufficient length to slip thru the puller and fully thread into the hub where you previously removed the 3 bolts in step #7. If you do not have 3 – 7/16” bolts that are the proper length, you can use bolts that are slightly smaller than the tapped holes so you can slip them completely thru the hub. Make sure that the bolts are of sufficient length so that you can insert them completely thru the puller assembly and the hub, with a flat washer on each end, and a nut on the backside.
15. Rotate the entire hub assembly until the (^) mark is at the 12:00 position before removing the hub. When re-installing the hub, make sure that you install it back in the same orientation. This is a balance mark, and although it really won’t make too much difference if you fail to do this, it is there for a purpose, so try to do the right thing here.
16. Position the puller onto the front of the hub, with the jack end of the jackscrew slid thru the power steering line loop, and attach as mentioned above.
17. You are now ready to slowly remove the hub from the crankshaft snout. As you turn the jackscrew in a clockwise rotation, the hub will slide off the crankshaft. Keep doing this until you feel the hub come loose, or until you back it out against the shoulder of the center bolt.
18. You have successfully removed the balancer hub. Now, time to R&R that front seal assembly.
PurpleC4

PurpleC4

ttt :chevy