Harmonic Damper rubber sticking out *pics*
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Kalamazoo Michigan
Harmonic Damper rubber sticking out *pics*
Fired up the 'vette for a drive this morning and had a squealing noise anything above about 1200 RPM or so. I immediately shut it down and popped the hood expecting a damper failure.
I pulled the belt to check the pulleys and the main tensioner spun free, and the main idler seemed OK. I replaced both just to be safe and fired it up and there was a bit of intermittant chirping much quieter than before, but went away after about 30 sec or so.
Crank pulley is not wobbling at all, both the inner and outer metals are even and not rubbing on the timing cover or steering rack. I put a chalk line across both metals & the rubber and took it out for a good hard drive and the squealing never came back and the damper never spun. But what worries me is that there is a bit of rubber sticking out on one of the sides.
Searched for awhile and found a few people saying they had new dampers that had the same thing, but all the pics were dead. For all I know it's been like this since I bought it, but now I'm paranoid of failure.
Anyone else have a similar looking factory damper?
I pulled the belt to check the pulleys and the main tensioner spun free, and the main idler seemed OK. I replaced both just to be safe and fired it up and there was a bit of intermittant chirping much quieter than before, but went away after about 30 sec or so.
Crank pulley is not wobbling at all, both the inner and outer metals are even and not rubbing on the timing cover or steering rack. I put a chalk line across both metals & the rubber and took it out for a good hard drive and the squealing never came back and the damper never spun. But what worries me is that there is a bit of rubber sticking out on one of the sides.
Searched for awhile and found a few people saying they had new dampers that had the same thing, but all the pics were dead. For all I know it's been like this since I bought it, but now I'm paranoid of failure.
Anyone else have a similar looking factory damper?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
I don't believe you'll get many replies from members with that much of it's guts hanging out.
I've never heard of new dampers having that problem .
Your profile mentions your car's mods & color.
No mention of what year it is it & how many miles?
I've never heard of new dampers having that problem .
Your profile mentions your car's mods & color.
No mention of what year it is it & how many miles?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,051
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
That harmonic balancer could send some nasty harmonics through your cam chain. A new balancer is a lot cheaper than 16 new valses, gaskets, head skim and installation after your chain lets go.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Have you owned the car since new, & would know if it's the original
pulley ?
I'd keep an eye on it, as far as front & rearward movement.
Use some thing to measure from the outer metal part of pulley straight across to the round rack cylinder.
It may be wise to mark the outer part of the pulley in 4 equal spots, (12, 3 6 & 9 o'clock) & periodically re check the measurements to see that they stay the same.
pulley ?
I'd keep an eye on it, as far as front & rearward movement.
Use some thing to measure from the outer metal part of pulley straight across to the round rack cylinder.
It may be wise to mark the outer part of the pulley in 4 equal spots, (12, 3 6 & 9 o'clock) & periodically re check the measurements to see that they stay the same.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Kalamazoo Michigan
I'm not the original owner, so unfortunately I have no clue if it is original or not.
I'm visiting my parents place for the weekend and don't want to drive it all the way home now, but is this a job my normal trusted shop here can handle?
I'm visiting my parents place for the weekend and don't want to drive it all the way home now, but is this a job my normal trusted shop here can handle?
Last edited by matthewlfd; Jun 9, 2012 at 09:34 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
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
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Here is the deal, your HB is a three piece part made up of the inner hub, and the outer rib,( two metal components ) these 2 pieces are held together by an elastomer ( rubber )that dampens the interaction. Your elastomer is drying out, and soon could start breaking off in pieces throwing the balancer out of balance... this could very easily cause catastrophic engine failure... their are two failures in this area, One is the HB bolt becoming loose. ( this is not your case ) the second failure is from the elastomer coming apart and causing the outer and inner hub to separate. This condition that you have at this moment could change dramatically in just an hour... if this happens do not attempt to run the motor. have it towed and the HB replaced... its going to happen shortly...but could take a month.. some people start to smell burning rubber, and other people find pieces of rubber in their garage. This is a 4 to 5 hour job 400 to 500 dollars for labor, and depending on the balancer, another 100 to 300 dollars... also replace the crank seal..
Hope this helps
Bill
Hope this helps
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
If you have AAA Gold, they will flat bed up to 100 miles.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Kalamazoo Michigan
Don't want to mess with towing it back to my place, plus I'm travelling all week and won't have time to tear into it. My only trusted shop is a few miles down the road from where I am now, so I'll just drop it off and have them do it this week.
Not worth the risk of driving it anymore, so I want it done now before it gets worse. I'll be sure to have them do the front seal as well. Thanks for the advise.
I'll have them order a new OEM damper and bolt...don't want an underdrive pulley, and I figure if the stocker lasted 100k+, I should be OK for another 100k.
Not worth the risk of driving it anymore, so I want it done now before it gets worse. I'll be sure to have them do the front seal as well. Thanks for the advise.
I'll have them order a new OEM damper and bolt...don't want an underdrive pulley, and I figure if the stocker lasted 100k+, I should be OK for another 100k.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Don't want to mess with towing it back to my place, plus I'm travelling all week and won't have time to tear into it. My only trusted shop is a few miles down the road from where I am now, so I'll just drop it off and have them do it this week.
Not worth the risk of driving it anymore, so I want it done now before it gets worse. I'll be sure to have them do the front seal as well. Thanks for the advise.
I'll have them order a new OEM damper and bolt...don't want an underdrive pulley, and I figure if the stocker lasted 100k+, I should be OK for another 100k.
Not worth the risk of driving it anymore, so I want it done now before it gets worse. I'll be sure to have them do the front seal as well. Thanks for the advise.
I'll have them order a new OEM damper and bolt...don't want an underdrive pulley, and I figure if the stocker lasted 100k+, I should be OK for another 100k.
Bill aka ET
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Kalamazoo Michigan
Happy to report that with a new balancer, bolt, and crank seal from GM, it's got a solid 2 weeks of run time and is working perfect.
I checked out the old one and it hadn't slid forward or backwards and the rubber bont on the back side of the balancer looked OK, but I'm still glad I got it taken care of before it left me stranded somewhere far away from home.
I checked out the old one and it hadn't slid forward or backwards and the rubber bont on the back side of the balancer looked OK, but I'm still glad I got it taken care of before it left me stranded somewhere far away from home.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Happy to report that with a new balancer, bolt, and crank seal from GM, it's got a solid 2 weeks of run time and is working perfect.
I checked out the old one and it hadn't slid forward or backwards and the rubber bont on the back side of the balancer looked OK, but I'm still glad I got it taken care of before it left me stranded somewhere far away from home.
I checked out the old one and it hadn't slid forward or backwards and the rubber bont on the back side of the balancer looked OK, but I'm still glad I got it taken care of before it left me stranded somewhere far away from home.
Good job
