Is this too much balancer wobble?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Creek, CA California
Is this too much balancer wobble?
I've been seeing a lot of horror stories on wobbling harmonic balancers throwing belts and ruining seals and bearings and was wondering if this is happening to me? My belt will start squeaking every other weak or so, then I clean it and it goes away for another weak or so. My car does have over 160,000 and I'm not sure if this is the original or not. Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
Every stock damper I've seen has some visible wobble. How much is too much is the question. Hard to tell in the video but that doesn't look like much.
I replaced mine with a new stock unit and it appeared to me to wobble just as much...
I replaced mine with a new stock unit and it appeared to me to wobble just as much...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 2
From: Cedarburg, WI
My stocker has no visible wobble...so it is possible! I will be replacing it soon though when doing my head/cam. Only 10,000 miles on it though!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 643
Likes: 2
From: Alexandria Northern Virginia
I'd swap it, but thats just me. Probably fine for a while but why risk it? Its your vette man.
Got my replacement Powerbond one on that auction site for 78 bucks. My stock one wobbled about as much as yours (44K miles) and I am going to be on the track this season.
FWIW, I used a new stock bolt. I have heard stories about the aftermarket one backing out. If you torque the stock one CORRECTLY (its like 38 ft pounds then 140 degrees of rotation) you shouldn't have a problem. My .25 on the deal. I have put a few of these in/on and I don't see the appeal of the reuseable bolt. The new OEM one is 5 bucks.
Hope that helps, might want to pin it while you are down there....sure can't hurt.
Cassidy
Got my replacement Powerbond one on that auction site for 78 bucks. My stock one wobbled about as much as yours (44K miles) and I am going to be on the track this season.
FWIW, I used a new stock bolt. I have heard stories about the aftermarket one backing out. If you torque the stock one CORRECTLY (its like 38 ft pounds then 140 degrees of rotation) you shouldn't have a problem. My .25 on the deal. I have put a few of these in/on and I don't see the appeal of the reuseable bolt. The new OEM one is 5 bucks.
Hope that helps, might want to pin it while you are down there....sure can't hurt.
Cassidy
Last edited by C4B4the04; Mar 12, 2009 at 08:02 AM. Reason: add details
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: Mohegan Lake New York
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.If this were my car I would not drive it until I replaced it as the potential for disaster is real.It can be replaced w/a stock one for modest $$$ if funds are low or go for the gusto and get a SFI approved one.Almost all classes in NHRA require an approved balancer as the stock ones when pushed have a tendancy to blow apart, but then again we don't push our vettes ,do we?? PS locktite the bolt on and make sure it's torqued to specs and install w/a harmonic balancer installer DO NOT HAMMER IT ON OR USE THE BOLT TO PULL IT ON
Last edited by K RIPPER; Mar 12, 2009 at 01:46 PM. Reason: left out installation tip
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 4
From: Slidell La
Mine had 83K on it and has less wobble. However it is stock and I was wondering if it were going to throw the damper. Then I just decided to watch it and drive on. That was at 60K and now at 83K the wobble doesn't appear any worse. Guess this weekend on the track will tell. Last time on the track I took a quick look at the tach out of a turn and saw 5900 on the tach. So tomorrow....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,226
Likes: 33
From: Morton illinois
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Mine had 83K on it and has less wobble. However it is stock and I was wondering if it were going to throw the damper. Then I just decided to watch it and drive on. That was at 60K and now at 83K the wobble doesn't appear any worse. Guess this weekend on the track will tell. Last time on the track I took a quick look at the tach out of a turn and saw 5900 on the tach. So tomorrow....
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
On a NA motor, it's very rare to see the damper bolt back out, unless you reinstall the old bolt after a cam install.
If you are the paranoid type, mark the bolt head. If it moves, then you have a problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
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.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Sometimes if you are looking at the pulley at an angle, the polished ribs of the pulley make it appear to wobble, but if you focus just on the edge of the pulley, it will be running true.
From this video, I would not say you have a problem.
From this video, I would not say you have a problem.
It is pretty hard to get a good read on the wobble assessment.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 643
Likes: 2
From: Alexandria Northern Virginia
Would you explain "pin it" to me?
Thanks,
Don
Thanks,
Don
Pretty straight forward...back in the old days, the cranks had a keyway for a drift key. This would allow the balancer to be "locked" from rotation around the crank. The brilliant minds at GM stopped this practice on these motors, so under EXTREME load these balancers can literally spin on the crankshafts. So....you can buy or borrow the pinning fixture from a forum site (like this one) and mount a metal bracket 1/2 on the balancer and 1/2 on the crank. It screws into the front of the balancer and you simply drill a 1/4 inch hole about 3/4 of an inch into the two of them. Pull out the drill and hammer in a round metal dowel. New bolt into the crank (with RED loctite), arm breaking amount of torque and you are good to go.
If you EVER plan, think about, consider, etc. doing a supercharger this is a MUST. My 04 and my 00 both have it, just in case
(the 04 is a retired garage queen so thats unlikely). The 00 will see track days for the rest of its life, so that one was a no-brainer.HTH, you can also do a search on here about how-to tutorials. I borrowed the tool from someone on the forums, if that helps.
Cassidy