WARNING - - Harmonic Balancer Pully Wobble
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 972
Likes: 11
From: Dawsonville, GA
Just a brief followup to my earlier reply.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I pulled the car out of the garage and popped the hood.
Sure enough... the balancer appears to have a wobble to it. More than I am comfortable with, but not so much as to cause me immediate alarm.
I guess what irks me a bit is... I just bought this car last week. (Used/25k miles)
I have no doubt the dealer would repair it at no cost, as they have been great to deal with... but I really don't want another junk factory balancer put back on the car.
I may just order a good aftermarket SFI balancer and do the job myself for peace of mind.
And while it's apart... maybe I'll slide a new cam into it... and... maybe throw on another intake... and a set of headers.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I pulled the car out of the garage and popped the hood.
Sure enough... the balancer appears to have a wobble to it. More than I am comfortable with, but not so much as to cause me immediate alarm.
I guess what irks me a bit is... I just bought this car last week. (Used/25k miles)
I have no doubt the dealer would repair it at no cost, as they have been great to deal with... but I really don't want another junk factory balancer put back on the car.
I may just order a good aftermarket SFI balancer and do the job myself for peace of mind.
And while it's apart... maybe I'll slide a new cam into it... and... maybe throw on another intake... and a set of headers.
Last edited by Dragracer_Art; Dec 18, 2011 at 04:24 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
I just went out and checked mine again. I can hear a slight knocking on and off down in the front of the engine. It sounds plasticy. It does it for about five seconds and then quits for ten seconds. Then it does it for another five seconds and then quits for ten seconds. It does that all of the time. And has since I bought it two months ago. It sounds like it is coming from one of the pulleys on the front of the engine, but I can't see any wobble at all. And I can't move it with my hand. Mine has 25,000+ miles, too.
Last edited by Jimmy W1; Dec 18, 2011 at 04:24 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
I just went out and started mine up again. And like I wondered, the clicking on and off was probably the air conditioner.........
......Now the noise is completely gone and I can't hear it at all. So I think that is what is was. I don't see any wobble at all in the harmonic balancer. So, I am probably OK for now......
.......
......Now the noise is completely gone and I can't hear it at all. So I think that is what is was. I don't see any wobble at all in the harmonic balancer. So, I am probably OK for now.............
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
Just a brief followup to my earlier reply.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I pulled the car out of the garage and popped the hood.
Sure enough... the balancer appears to have a wobble to it. More than I am comfortable with, but not so much as to cause me immediate alarm.
I guess what irks me a bit is... I just bought this car last week. (Used/25k miles)
I have no doubt the dealer would repair it at no cost, as they have been great to deal with... but I really don't want another junk factory balancer put back on the car.
I may just order a good aftermarket SFI balancer and do the job myself for peace of mind.
And while it's apart... maybe I'll slide a new cam into it... and... maybe throw on another intake... and a set of headers.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I pulled the car out of the garage and popped the hood.
Sure enough... the balancer appears to have a wobble to it. More than I am comfortable with, but not so much as to cause me immediate alarm.
I guess what irks me a bit is... I just bought this car last week. (Used/25k miles)
I have no doubt the dealer would repair it at no cost, as they have been great to deal with... but I really don't want another junk factory balancer put back on the car.
I may just order a good aftermarket SFI balancer and do the job myself for peace of mind.
And while it's apart... maybe I'll slide a new cam into it... and... maybe throw on another intake... and a set of headers.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 2
Took a little video today What do you think ? am I just in time. This is the vette video. My 2005 jimmy is doing the chirping belt when cold an wobbling at idle. anyone got some deals on balancers an removal / install tools this months LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 409
Likes: 91
Took a little video today What do you think ? am I just in time. This is the vette video. My 2005 jimmy is doing the chirping belt when cold an wobbling at idle. anyone got some deals on balancers an removal / install tools this months LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 2
front picture of balancer rubber separation from hub an pulley ?
http://s1238.photobucket.com/albums/...3.jpg&newest=1
bottom corner opposite side not as much
http://s1238.photobucket.com/albums/...4.jpg&newest=1
http://s1238.photobucket.com/albums/...3.jpg&newest=1
bottom corner opposite side not as much
http://s1238.photobucket.com/albums/...4.jpg&newest=1
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Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 409
Likes: 91
Not sure how much is considered normal, but I wouldn't be concerned about what I saw in your video. If you're going to go to the trouble to drill and pin, you amy as well go ahead and install a good aftermarket damper while you're at it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
Took a little video today What do you think ? am I just in time. This is the vette video. My 2005 jimmy is doing the chirping belt when cold an wobbling at idle. anyone got some deals on balancers an removal / install tools this months LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo7...ature=youtu.be
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
I'm just wondering, if you take your car into a dealer, can't they check that? If the balancer didn't have the right torque from the factory and your car has 20 or 30,000 miles on it, couldn't they just take a torque wrench and make sure the pulley is torqued to the right specs? Your (guy's) pulleys look really worn out, too. Mine looks brand new and it doesn't have any corrosion or rust on it at all.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,792
Likes: 98
From: Marlborough Ma
Looking at the video, the edge of the pulley with the frame as a guide, is not moving at all. Looking at the grooves in the pulley, there is a little movement,could be the machining of the pulley. I would not do anything with it until you get a lot of movement at the edge of the pulley.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,464
Likes: 326
From: Houston TX
I actually had mine replaced 2 weeks ago. I heard some slight chirping while in Louisiana visiting family. Popped the hood and saw some crazy wobble but it didn't look as if it was in any real danger. I figured it had been like that for a little while so I brought it to the dealer when I got back to Houston. They had it and stock and fixed it in a few hours.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 2
After doing lots investigation into this I went and drilled an pinned it just the way it was. Have read post where even the best balancers have come apart or cracked. So on that note If it ant broke don't fix it . I have drove the car for 3 years no noises an no ripped belts. Lets the boost begin !!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
Ok. Now here's my next question: How much does it cost (ball park figure) to have it changed, at a dealer, it if hasn't fallen off of the car and done any other damage? If you just took the car to a dealer and the pulley was wobbling, about how much does it cost to have it replaced?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 2
Ok. Now here's my next question: How much does it cost (ball park figure) to have it changed, at a dealer, it if hasn't fallen off of the car and done any other damage? If you just took the car to a dealer and the pulley was wobbling, about how much does it cost to have it replaced?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 79
Likes: 4
From: Longboat Key Fl
I didn't drive my 07 very much during 1st two weeks of Sept due to our visit from Gustave. Drove it last week and noticed "chirping" sound from engine - looked and saw pully on harmonic balancer wobbling..
Checked past threads, and learned this problem occurred on some early production 05's. Chevrolet issued a TSB, but no TSB on later cars. Took car to dealer last Friday - they confimed diagnosis, didn't have part in stock, ordered it so it would be ready Monday. Ordered wrong part, placed correct part on backorder, now supposed to be ready this coming Friday.
Bottom line - if you hear a chirping that sounds like the belt - check out the crankshaft pully - if it fails and moves forward on the shaft it could damage the p/s rack, or worse, if it drifts backward - the front main bearing seal - you don't want either!
If this becomes a common problem, we should make sure other OT'rs know to be on the lookout.
Checked past threads, and learned this problem occurred on some early production 05's. Chevrolet issued a TSB, but no TSB on later cars. Took car to dealer last Friday - they confimed diagnosis, didn't have part in stock, ordered it so it would be ready Monday. Ordered wrong part, placed correct part on backorder, now supposed to be ready this coming Friday.
Bottom line - if you hear a chirping that sounds like the belt - check out the crankshaft pully - if it fails and moves forward on the shaft it could damage the p/s rack, or worse, if it drifts backward - the front main bearing seal - you don't want either!
If this becomes a common problem, we should make sure other OT'rs know to be on the lookout.
