Is this too much balancer wobble?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,226
Likes: 33
From: Morton illinois
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: Mohegan Lake New York
Know what to worry about,the one bullet in the chamber,what not to, the five empty chambers.know what to worry about, major damage to engine,physical damage to front of car or worse somebody getting hurt when that balancer lets go spins out from under the car and hits somebody,what not to worry about, it hasn't broke yet so its ok.If it is wobbling,its failing, period. PS while at Maple Grove Pa. dragstrip about ten years ago a SS/E 69 Camaro revedhis engine to about 85 hundred RPM the damper let go hit the guy working the water box then proceeded into yhe stands and hit another guy theres a reason that most NHRA drag race classes need a approved damper they can and do fail. Sounds like your car is just waiting for the right time to let go
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
Yeah! And you all better install an SFI bellhousing, cuz the clutch might explode and cut your supermodel girlfriend's legs off!
And don't turn off traction control because you might lose control and...
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
And don't turn off traction control because you might lose control and...
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
Hard to tell from your vid
When you guys are saying that you see wobble, are you actually verifying there's an in-out movement on the pulley? I ask because I thought mine was wobbling, but it turned it was just kind of a optical illusion being caused by discoloration on the pulley (slight stains and surface oxidation on the rim). I created a makeshift caliper with a scribe on the end of a pipe, and with the engine idling I touched it very lighting to the outer surface of the balancer. It drug evenly around the entire circumference of the balancer.
When you guys are saying that you see wobble, are you actually verifying there's an in-out movement on the pulley? I ask because I thought mine was wobbling, but it turned it was just kind of a optical illusion being caused by discoloration on the pulley (slight stains and surface oxidation on the rim). I created a makeshift caliper with a scribe on the end of a pipe, and with the engine idling I touched it very lighting to the outer surface of the balancer. It drug evenly around the entire circumference of the balancer.
You will experience belt squeaking and possible engine damage or complete engine failure.
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
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
How would you know if you had engine damage? I've had belts squealing for about 2 weeks. Dealer said it was a bad belt. I replaced belts only to have the A/C belt discinigrate 2 days later. Pulley was about to fall off; the rack was keeping it in place so to speak. Dealer said we need a new balancer and seal. How do I know if anything worse has happened? I'm still in shock that the car was at the dealership 2 times within 4 days of all this coming to a head; shouldn't they have noticed this? ESPECIALLY when I had gone back the 2nd time and they commented that the new belt was looking worn already??? That was all of 1 day after replacing the belts.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
How would you know if you had engine damage? I've had belts squealing for about 2 weeks. Dealer said it was a bad belt. I replaced belts only to have the A/C belt discinigrate 2 days later. Pulley was about to fall off; the rack was keeping it in place so to speak. Dealer said we need a new balancer and seal. How do I know if anything worse has happened? I'm still in shock that the car was at the dealership 2 times within 4 days of all this coming to a head; shouldn't they have noticed this? ESPECIALLY when I had gone back the 2nd time and they commented that the new belt was looking worn already??? That was all of 1 day after replacing the belts.
It all depends on how long the damper was walked off the crank snout and causing weird vibrations its self. All you can do is get it fixed and see if there are any weird engine issues that werent there before like:
-Low oil pressure
-Strange Engine vibrations
-Bad engine noises
-More damper issues after a short length of time.
I would be checking the condition of the RACK! MAke sure that its not gouged too deep and its not leaking.
BC
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
From: Landisville PA
Just searched and found this. We just started experiencing a pretty loud squeek and notice the balancer appeared to wobble.
Noticed the belt isn't as tight as it should be and the tensioner is at is max (againest stop gate - so to speak).
Haven't taken the belt off completely yet - but I would assume this is when you can 'feel' the wobble by hand? You can't feel it with the belt on. What actually goes bad?
Does the balancer mounting surface/hole whollow out?
(I honestly don't know how it's attached and why I'm here searching)
The squeek eventually goes away, so I'm assuming I have some bad bearings on one of the pulleys. Could use a new belt also.
Noticed the belt isn't as tight as it should be and the tensioner is at is max (againest stop gate - so to speak).
Haven't taken the belt off completely yet - but I would assume this is when you can 'feel' the wobble by hand? You can't feel it with the belt on. What actually goes bad?
Does the balancer mounting surface/hole whollow out?
(I honestly don't know how it's attached and why I'm here searching)
The squeek eventually goes away, so I'm assuming I have some bad bearings on one of the pulleys. Could use a new belt also.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Richwood NJ
Just happened upon this thread while browsing. I actually noticed my balancer "wobbling" exactly like the OP's video. My belts have been squealing off and on but only when it rains - so I assumed I just needed new belts. I popped the hood to check them out and noticed the wobble immediately.
I've been doing a slew of repairs to my '99 lately, trying to bring her up to snuff! Just curious what's involved in this repair - time and money?
Thanks!
I've been doing a slew of repairs to my '99 lately, trying to bring her up to snuff! Just curious what's involved in this repair - time and money?
Thanks!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 20
From: Santa Fe TX
Harmonic balancer,whats it do? it's primary job is to cancel harmonics or vibration(also known as vibration dampener) in the recipricating assembly(pistons crank rods and everything else that moves inside the engine) and without it the internal parts would self destruct,rod and main bearings would fail ,crankshafts would crack.In a nutshell the balan cer does a little more than just provide a place for the accessory drive belt.It's a simple piece, justa piece of metal for the center core a piece of vulcanized rubber to attach an outer ring of metal but its important and with all the miles on your ride and the wobble you see it's probablly failing and could actually fly apart.
Your balancer does not look that bad. Many Chevrolet vehicles with a V8 have the same setup and my mechanic told me that mine was fine (wobble worse than yours).
I replaced it a year later when I went with Cam and underdrive pulley. Wobble stayed the same during the iterim.
Now if it throws or shreds belts, then it's time for a new one. Squeeling belts can be fixed by switching to a goodyear gatorback belt.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
YES YOU DO! You dont need to pull it out all the way but you do have to disconnect the lines, wiring and pull it out of its mounts.
BC
