1986 Changing Harmonic Balancer
Pro
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 613
Likes: 3
Use clean motor oil on the inside and outside before you drive it in.
Or motor oil on the inside of the new seal and RTV very thin layer on the outside if you are worried about it possibly leaking. DO NOT start the car for 24 hours if you use RTV it needs to cure first.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496
Likes: 4
From: Cordova TN
So if I get adventurous and try to replace the timing cover gasket I have to drop the pan? Did these come with the reusable rubber pan gasket from factory? How much does it need to drop? The amount of oil around the front worries me.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 613
Likes: 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JyG5-NPwDk
You'll probably need a bar for leverage and rachet but the video explains the importance of doing it slowly to line up the balancer pulley with the other pulley's.
You'll probably need a bar for leverage and rachet but the video explains the importance of doing it slowly to line up the balancer pulley with the other pulley's.
Last edited by GQ-ROD; Nov 15, 2012 at 09:25 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
I used a balancer install tool it threads into the crank snout and then it has a bearing that goes between the tool and your new balancer it makes the job pretty easy also I had to disconnect the power steering line on the rack and lost some of my redline steering fluid
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,322
Likes: 248
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
If you have access to some nuts and bolts, you could do what I did.
Find a long bolt and thread a nut on and 2 greased washers. Install the bolt until it's fully seated and then turn the nut to drive on the balancer.
If you already have an actual installer, try again.
Find a long bolt and thread a nut on and 2 greased washers. Install the bolt until it's fully seated and then turn the nut to drive on the balancer.
If you already have an actual installer, try again.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
I got mine on the same way Agent 86 suggested: a long bolt from Lowe's.
The bolt wasn't threaded all the way to the head, so I had to use various combinations of nuts and washers until the balancer was on far enough to get a good amount of threads for the regular bolt to pull it on the rest of the way.
Also I'd like to suggest an ARP harmonic balancer bolt ($$$). It has a much larger head on it that makes it a lot easier to turn over the engine by hand. My socket kept slipping off the stock bolt head.
The bolt wasn't threaded all the way to the head, so I had to use various combinations of nuts and washers until the balancer was on far enough to get a good amount of threads for the regular bolt to pull it on the rest of the way.
Also I'd like to suggest an ARP harmonic balancer bolt ($$$). It has a much larger head on it that makes it a lot easier to turn over the engine by hand. My socket kept slipping off the stock bolt head.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496
Likes: 4
From: Cordova TN
For those of you coming later wanting to find out how you do it you have to pull up on the power steering line that's toward the fan to able to get the installer set right. I got it figured out tonight and this is what happened. With the balancer nearly finished and the timing tag 3/4s up the balancer I heard a pop. The piece that goes into the crank broke. Imagine me crying from relief as I was able to unscrew the threaded broken piece from out of the crank. Not sure if I want to return the installer and go again with a new one to make sure it's on far enough or not. Here's a pic of broken installer.
I
I
Last edited by megtom2; Nov 17, 2012 at 10:06 PM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 613
Likes: 3
For those of you coming later wanting to find out how you do it you have to pull up on the power steering line that's toward the fan to able to get the installer set right. I got it figured out tonight and this is what happened. With the balancer nearly finished and the timing tag 3/4s up the balancer I heard a pop. The piece that goes into the crank broke. Imagine me crying from relief as I was able to unscrew the threaded broken piece from out of the crank. Not sure if I want to return the installer and go again with a new one to make sure it's on far enough or not. Here's a pic of broken installer.
I
I
You need to play the lottery cause you are the luckiest man on earth right now to have gotten the broken piece out!
What brand of installer was it?
Last edited by GQ-ROD; Nov 17, 2012 at 10:15 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
I took my crank bolt to Lowes, found the same sized bolt, but a bit longer, picked up some large washers..balancer went on with no problems..I just tighted it up enough so the real bolt would work.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496
Likes: 4
From: Cordova TN
Yep, that's why I was so relieved when I could get it to turn with my finger tip.
Here's something else I found interesting. Finished up tonight and was hoping the new balancer would allow me to get it timed in right. Balancer went on the key correctly. I put white out on the timing mark. I still don't see it with my timing light. I'm going toned but that has me scratching my head. Double checked to make sure I had the 1 wire clipped. Car runs fairly well. It shouldn't be running if its that far out of time should it? I unhooked the wire and checked along with the wire hooked up. Weird.
Here's something else I found interesting. Finished up tonight and was hoping the new balancer would allow me to get it timed in right. Balancer went on the key correctly. I put white out on the timing mark. I still don't see it with my timing light. I'm going toned but that has me scratching my head. Double checked to make sure I had the 1 wire clipped. Car runs fairly well. It shouldn't be running if its that far out of time should it? I unhooked the wire and checked along with the wire hooked up. Weird.