Harmonic balancer????
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: NY
Harmonic balancer????
Well after a 3 month sleep, today was the day to take the vette out.while driving i turned the AC on and noticed a belt burning smell.turned around and when i got home,popped the hood and noticed a slight wobble from the crank pulley.i know this is a common problem with the c-5.so here is my??can i just tighen up the bolt or replace the whole pulley?if i must replace how much would the dealer charge??
THANKS IN ADVANCE
THANKS IN ADVANCE
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay FL
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
Time to replace. Not a fun job. The demon (steering) rack has to come out. When I had mine done I upgraded with a better balancer and also pinned the crank, just in case I ever want to install a blower that part is already done.
I would stay away from the stealer ship and find a good Corvette shop. Englandgreen did mine.
Good luck with the repair.
I would stay away from the stealer ship and find a good Corvette shop. Englandgreen did mine.
Good luck with the repair.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,581
Likes: 252
From: SE TEX
Time to replace. Not a fun job. The demon (steering) rack has to come out. When I had mine done I upgraded with a better balancer and also pinned the crank, just in case I ever want to install a blower that part is already done.
I would stay away from the stealer ship and find a good Corvette shop. Englandgreen did mine.
Good luck with the repair.
I would stay away from the stealer ship and find a good Corvette shop. Englandgreen did mine.
Good luck with the repair.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The harmonic balancer is a problem on all of the LSx engine cars, and they fail...simple as that.
I'm fortunate to not having a failure - yet. But when (notice I said when not if...) it does fail - I will have an aftermarket unit installed like the one from ATI - http://www.atiracing.com/products/da...ts/damserp.htm
As mentioned, it is a pretty complex job to tackle at home, but it certainly can be done. I can't tell you off the top of my head at home what Xtreme would charge without looking it up - but it's about 6 to 7 hours of labor (maybe a little less for an experienced tech with a lift and the right tools) I think.
I'm fortunate to not having a failure - yet. But when (notice I said when not if...) it does fail - I will have an aftermarket unit installed like the one from ATI - http://www.atiracing.com/products/da...ts/damserp.htm
As mentioned, it is a pretty complex job to tackle at home, but it certainly can be done. I can't tell you off the top of my head at home what Xtreme would charge without looking it up - but it's about 6 to 7 hours of labor (maybe a little less for an experienced tech with a lift and the right tools) I think.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 3
From: East Tn.
You should see NO wobble, it will get worse over time and could leave you on the side of the road
Get AAA and they can tear your car up when they load it up on the flat bed
New one in the parts and I think he wants 80.00 for it.
Just check with shops that works on vettes and get it fixed before it goes bad and mess something else up
Get AAA and they can tear your car up when they load it up on the flat bed
New one in the parts and I think he wants 80.00 for it.
Just check with shops that works on vettes and get it fixed before it goes bad and mess something else up
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay FL
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
If you open the hood of most C5s, I think you will see some wobble, so normal, Yeah. but once they start to wobble they have gone bad. These have been known to come apart and fly through the hood. That takes a small job to a huge job. I would look into getting it replaced ASAP.
Smelling smoke come off the belts was not a good sign. See is talking to ya.
Smelling smoke come off the belts was not a good sign. See is talking to ya.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: NY
couple of vette gurus from other forums say that a little wobble is normal, in fact if dealer replaces it with a GM pulley they also wobble a bit.i just looked at the pulley on my 09 jetta while running and its so straight it looks like its not moving.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.........
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.........
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio TX
Hmmm 20lb of metal spinning at 5000rpm and it is wobbling (just a little), when its failure mode includes coming thru the hood or bouncing around inside taking out 1/2 of the engine bay.
do yourself a favor and just buck up for a good replacment (not OEM) and call it insurance.
do yourself a favor and just buck up for a good replacment (not OEM) and call it insurance.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,050
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles CA
I had mine replaced at a vette shop in town. They had a used balancer pulley that was just fine laying around the shop. They basically gave it to me and did the install for pretty cheap. I forgot the price but it was I think it was about 250 bucks or something.
I was still pretty new to owning the vette at the time it happened. I used to use a Firestone shop near my work at the time before the vette so I figured since it was on the way to work I would get it there. I was able to drive it there but that was about it on driving it. Firestone looked at it and said they couldnt work on this caliber of car although they had a Porsche on the lift at that moment. I said fine and had a tow truck bring it to my vette shop and they had it done by the end of the day. If Firestone didn't want to work on it I wasn't going to force a mechanic to work on something they didnt want to and better even didnt know how to. So I would say if you have a vette shop in the area they will have the most experience with this sort of thing so bring it there.
good luck
I was still pretty new to owning the vette at the time it happened. I used to use a Firestone shop near my work at the time before the vette so I figured since it was on the way to work I would get it there. I was able to drive it there but that was about it on driving it. Firestone looked at it and said they couldnt work on this caliber of car although they had a Porsche on the lift at that moment. I said fine and had a tow truck bring it to my vette shop and they had it done by the end of the day. If Firestone didn't want to work on it I wasn't going to force a mechanic to work on something they didnt want to and better even didnt know how to. So I would say if you have a vette shop in the area they will have the most experience with this sort of thing so bring it there.
good luck
Drifting
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 0
From: Central Texas
Danmit, Iv'e noticed what looks like a wobble on mine @ 4900 miles. My belt squeeks a little at startup but goes away after the car warms up. I was hoping that it was just the belt or maybe an idler pully.
The wobble looked like it may be addd weight on one side but I can't tell. Will the belt move back and foth or can you tell?
The wobble looked like it may be addd weight on one side but I can't tell. Will the belt move back and foth or can you tell?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: NY
Danmit, Iv'e noticed what looks like a wobble on mine @ 4900 miles. My belt squeeks a little at startup but goes away after the car warms up. I was hoping that it was just the belt or maybe an idler pully.
The wobble looked like it may be addd weight on one side but I can't tell. Will the belt move back and foth or can you tell?
The wobble looked like it may be addd weight on one side but I can't tell. Will the belt move back and foth or can you tell?
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
I have been doing a lot of research on this subject from this and other forums, and from what i read a LOT of c5 vettes since new have a wobbling pulley.the ?? is whats normal and whats not.i have read that installing a new GM pulley will also wobble.so i think im gonna play it safe and take it in.i also have come to the conclusion that these cars are really built lousy between this,pistonslap, columlock,rocking seats, its all starting to take the fun out of corvette ownership.
