Run away and NEVER come back!!!
Harmonic Balancer replacement cost - $5,000 dollars - W.T.F
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Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 46
Likes: 32
Harmonic Balancer replacement cost - $5,000 dollars - W.T.F
So I took my '98 in for an oil change, also set up an appointment for a belt change. Anyway, they checked out the engine and pointed out something seemed off about my harmonic balancer and that because it's a ''30 Hour Job'' & they gotta take out the engine, it would cost me around 5,000 dollars to replace it, this completely caught me off guard. Is this really what it normally costs?
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Apr 9, 2021, 01:30 PM
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 502
So I took my '98 in for an oil change, also set up an appointment for a belt change. Anyway, they checked out the engine and pointed out something seemed off about my harmonic balancer and that because it's a ''30 Hour Job'' & they gotta take out the engine, it would cost me around 5,000 dollars to replace it, this completely caught me off guard. Is this really what it normally costs?
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 124
Likes: 93
Run. That is just absurd. Engine does not have to come out. Steering rack has to be dropped, shop just quoted me 300 bux labor and that's with a crank seal change ( I would do that while you're in there)
Last edited by MikeTN77; Apr 9, 2021 at 12:41 PM.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 9,836
Likes: 7,057
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Don't ever go back to that shop again. I think they gave you that price to either rip you off or make you go elsewhere because they didn't want to work on your car.
Plan on anywhere from 700 to 1200 average IMO.
Also you might want to verify it's bad for yourself.
Plan on anywhere from 700 to 1200 average IMO.
Also you might want to verify it's bad for yourself.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 502
So I took my '98 in for an oil change, also set up an appointment for a belt change. Anyway, they checked out the engine and pointed out something seemed off about my harmonic balancer and that because it's a ''30 Hour Job'' & they gotta take out the engine, it would cost me around 5,000 dollars to replace it, this completely caught me off guard. Is this really what it normally costs?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,500
Likes: 51
From: Largo FL
I had mine changed to an ATI and it was just under $1k, the balancer itself was around $440, the ARP bolt was $30, the oil seal behind the balancer was under $20, and I think 3-4 hrs of labor.
I'd run away from that shop and never return, they're trying to rip you off. The engine doesn't have to come out, you just drop the steering rack a little. If they are doing it that way, they don't know what they're doing.
I'd run away from that shop and never return, they're trying to rip you off. The engine doesn't have to come out, you just drop the steering rack a little. If they are doing it that way, they don't know what they're doing.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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So I took my '98 in for an oil change, also set up an appointment for a belt change. Anyway, they checked out the engine and pointed out something seemed off about my harmonic balancer and that because it's a ''30 Hour Job'' & they gotta take out the engine, it would cost me around 5,000 dollars to replace it, this completely caught me off guard. Is this really what it normally costs?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 456
Likes: 322
From: Gulf Coast, FL
Paid about $700. I know I was given a solid on the new balancer cost and looked like 5 hours labor. I only knew my balancer was "going" thanks to the forum and some videos showing normal versus not.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,044
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
Its called free enterprise...under the sleepyjoe plan it will cost $10,000....so $5000 sounds pretty good right now...
Did they give you an estimate on the gas they will use to test drive it at joes $10/gallon?
BTW...going price to change a balancer including parts should be around $1200...
Did they give you an estimate on the gas they will use to test drive it at joes $10/gallon?
BTW...going price to change a balancer including parts should be around $1200...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,944
Likes: 441
From: Puyallup WA
I just had mine done-replaced with an ATI-and I spent just about $2,000 to have them replace the balancer, idler pulley, belts, replace the automatic transmission cable, etc. (I had some squeaks to get rid of and did some preventative maintenance at the same time)
Them telling you the engine needs to be pulled means 1 of 2 things:
#1-They are morons who actually think that.
#2-They wanted to see if you believed them and figured they could make some extra money.
Them telling you the engine needs to be pulled means 1 of 2 things:
#1-They are morons who actually think that.
#2-They wanted to see if you believed them and figured they could make some extra money.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 15,685
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From: Machineguns, because I don’t compromise
The best advice I can offer that may save hours.... once the steering rack is free of both knuckles, etc, is to move it fully towards the passenger side of the car so it’s sticking out the fender by a foot or better..... looking down from top, the driver side tie rod is sitting there about where the balancer is... rotate it upward, then slide the steering rack halfway back to the driver side as that upward rotated arm heads northward out of the engine bay.
Struggled like you wouldn’t believe until that knowledge was found.
Fastest time is 20 minutes from car in the air to rack out of car.
Struggled like you wouldn’t believe until that knowledge was found.
Fastest time is 20 minutes from car in the air to rack out of car.
