Well, today when I started my car, I heard a chirping sound. So I looked under the hood and I saw my HB wobbling. I swear it looked like it wobbled half an inch. After it warmed up, I took a video of it, it was still wobbling but was very slight and the chirping sound was gone.

My questions are:

1. Should I drive the car?

2. Should I take it to the dealer? Its not under warranty.

3. Does any one know a good shop I can take it to here in Austin/Kyle?

Thanks.

I'm going to post in c6 section, its a 2006.

 

If it is actually loose/wobbling, you probably shouldnt be driving the car. Im sure the dealer can do the repair but you'll probably pay for it. A few guys in the area have had good luck at RPT in RR. My only experience with Brian is I had my car on his dyno a year ago. If it helps, he's a forum sponsor.

 

Give Brian a call. Great guy to deal with and not to far from Kyle.

 

The STEALERSHIP will charge you WAYYYYY too much for that repair! Take the recommendation for the local shop and run with it.

Consider an aftermarket damper. I use powerbond and have been happy with it. Also recommend having the damper pinned to the crank and using an ARP Damper bolt to secure the damper to the crank. MAKE SURE that the shop installed a new damper seal.



Bill

 

Call Leonard or Robert at AutoTek on Gillis just south of Ben White.
512-326-3881.
They've been doing my Vette work for years and are VERY good.

Disclaimer - I have no financial interest in AutoTek

 

Had mine replaced last year for about $250 parts and labor, and no, do not drive, that thing could let loose like a grenade under your hood.

Are you native to Austin?

 

Damn, that mechanic must have owed you a favor. The labor alone on a R&R for harmonic balancer is in the $700-800 range.

 

"Correct a mundo", its $1000. - $1200. down here in South Florida by most good Vette shops. He must of had a photo of that mechanic doing something really embarrassing.

 

Just finished off my wife's 2002 C5's balancer while I am off for the holidays. I had a complete circumferential timing cover leak - cover has never been off, so go figure. I had to replace the water pump at the same time since that also started leaking recently as well. I took the opportunity to replace belts, belt tensioners, hoses, hose clamps, the timing chain, the harmonic balancer with an ARP bolt, and oil, oil filter and coolant. Car has ~34K miles on it.

While I was at it, I pinned the pulley to the crank in two spots, 180 degrees apart. I had a new timing cover with a new gasket and seal already pressed in it waiting in a storage cabinet as a spare. I was tempted to throw another heads cam in it since I was already pulling it apart but resisted since it's already a beotch getting the car to pass emissions here in the land of the hot rod. I don't enjoy repair jobs like this as much as I do mods/upgrades so it was definitely a struggle to just fix it and get it back together without adding in any "options".

Hey, at least she's good to go for quite a while and I did a lot of cleaning while I had all that crap out of the way in the engine bay.

 

Wow, You guys in the C5 Section really responded a lot more than the guys in C6.

Yes, I'm a native Austinite.

I'm taking it to Brian at Reckart Performance Tuning in Cedar park.

Thanks Guys!!! I really appreciate the recommendations.

Click on the picture to see the video.

 

Yours isn't that bad but,, it is deteriorated.. You can either install a new GM replacement dampener or an aftermarket damper with a new seal

While you have the front of the engine off and with a few more bolts,, its highly recommended to at a MINIMUM replace the timing chain.. If it were me, I would also throw on a new Melling high volume oil pump.

Bill

 

Thanks Bill for the input.

 

You're in good hands with Brian at RPT... I won't let anyone else touch my car, he does an excellent job.

 

Thanks! My old mechanic passed away a few years back, and I cringe whenever I have to take a car in.