Harmonic Balance replacement
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 8
From: Jupiter Florida
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 29
From: McKinney TX
IF you are still under 5/100,000 warranty that is
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 118
Likes: 12
From: Cypress Texas
I have never heard of a harmonic balancer fail in a car motor. Not one. Yamaha outboards, yes. Car motor, no. Now 200 just on the C6 forum. GM took what is easy to build like a brick **** house and turned it into a point of failure. Like it or not, it is an issue. I have had to put an ATI in mine at about 50k miles.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,909
Likes: 2,701
From: Phila Suburbs 2023 C8 & 2013 650ix
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 192
From: El Cajon Ca.
I bought my 05 in Feb 2014 with 59K miles. My first Corvette and the only thing I knew about them was the C6 was my favorite and I wanted one with manual trans. I became acquainted with the Corvette tech at the dealer I use so I have been able discuss issues with him and not just the advisor. The first thing I knew about a harmonic balancer problem was talking to the tech. He brought it to my attention and showed me the slight wobble. He said to keep an eye on it and bring it in if I hear chirping sound. Before that he said it's not a serious concern. Does that sound right to you all?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
I have never heard of a harmonic balancer fail in a car motor. Not one. Yamaha outboards, yes. Car motor, no. Now 200 just on the C6 forum. GM took what is easy to build like a brick **** house and turned it into a point of failure. Like it or not, it is an issue. I have had to put an ATI in mine at about 50k miles.
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: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,025
Likes: 2,716
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
I've never seen any post with a scan of the service manual that gave a "serviceable limit" or how to measure it and my experience has been that a "serious wobble" will make the belts chirp. Again, my experience is that unless the belts are chirping, GM will not replace the balancer.
Problem is, doing the check is a bit of a PITA. If yours passes, a dealer might charge you for doing the check even if you are still under warranty.
My procedure has been to look at several new or fairly new cars, viewing the balancer from both the front and the side (as much as you can), and get a feel for what is "normal". If yours gets to be more than "normal", it's time to go further. As mentioned in post #30, we haven't had to replace any of ours yet.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 8
From: Jupiter Florida
I have never heard of a harmonic balancer fail in a car motor. Not one. Yamaha outboards, yes. Car motor, no. Now 200 just on the C6 forum. GM took what is easy to build like a brick **** house and turned it into a point of failure. Like it or not, it is an issue. I have had to put an ATI in mine at about 50k miles.
My ATI went in at 45k miles.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 192
From: El Cajon Ca.
Since many of you on the forum don't have much love for dealers, I decided to call a local independent Corvette shop with a very good reputation to compare his advice with the dealers. He said look at it periodically but don't worry about it until it starts chirping.
Same as the dealer and Walt White Coupe's reply to me earlier.
Same as the dealer and Walt White Coupe's reply to me earlier.
Last edited by Batman75; Jun 16, 2015 at 01:24 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 5,463
Likes: 1,138
From: Chino CA
My ATI went in at 25,000 miles and does not wobble at all. I would not be comfortable with an "acceptable amount of wobble". When I stand on it, I want to be fairly confident that I do not have any marginal parts on my car that need me to keep an eye on them
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 29
From: McKinney TX
Did he say what he would charge to replace it? Just the labor, and you supplying the HB.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 192
From: El Cajon Ca.
I didn't ask. I have a real good extended maintenance policy that I have a little less than 3 years coverage left.
I will have the dealer replace it because many independent shops don't like the hassle of working with an extended warranty company.
I will definitely have it replaced before the policy expires even if it isn't chirping. When that time comes I'll see if they will agree to an ATI HB. If not I'll settle for a GM brand. My 05 has just under 65K miles and at my age either should last until I can no longer get in and out of it
Last edited by Batman75; Jun 16, 2015 at 10:37 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 21,631
Likes: 1,144
From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
When I read Charlie's post I was thinking about what we had already written about it elsewhere.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,025
Likes: 2,716
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
The HB front and rear surfaces, and inside the front face, are not machined to any precise tolerances. On our 2009, it has a noticable wobble when you look from the front. When you look from the side, some wobble but not much. GM has a spec for wobble, but it can only be measured in the belt groove because that's where it matters, and doing the measurement is a PITA.
Our experience:
2001, traded at 66k miles.
2006, traded at 44k miles.
2009, now at 85k miles.
All three had a noticeable wobble when viewed from the front, only a little when viewed from the side, and did not change noticeably over our life of the car. None were replaced.
Any Corvette HB will eventually need to be replaced, which is a bummer. But many of the cars go to Corvette Heaven while still wearing the original balancer. It's just another poor quality part on the car, but not the daily disaster that some folks think.
Our experience:
2001, traded at 66k miles.
2006, traded at 44k miles.
2009, now at 85k miles.
All three had a noticeable wobble when viewed from the front, only a little when viewed from the side, and did not change noticeably over our life of the car. None were replaced.
Any Corvette HB will eventually need to be replaced, which is a bummer. But many of the cars go to Corvette Heaven while still wearing the original balancer. It's just another poor quality part on the car, but not the daily disaster that some folks think.
Now at 90k miles, the "slight" wobble in ours has become a "moderate" wobble. Today I let the dealer look at it, new balancer should go in this week. Paid for by GMPP, so I'll go with the stock version.
A couple of years ago the balancer got a new part number, no one knows if there was any improvement in the quality. I haven't heard of newer ones needing re-replacement yet, but they are mostly low miles.
Car is also getting the oil pan gasket replaced (oil leak) at the same time, also GMPP.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 8,674
Likes: 2,728
From: Atlanta GA
Took it to the dealer today and the first words out of his mouth were ...........
"THATS NOT GOOD"
Had him check with Parts Dept, they have the new part number in stock and my name on it
Traveling this week for work so made an appointment for Tuesday
Covered under warranty ...... just praying they don't give me crap about the headers
Dave
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 113
From: Brick NJ
Jim , after installing the headers this week I saw mine wobbling
Took it to the dealer today and the first words out of his mouth were ...........
"THATS NOT GOOD"
Had him check with Parts Dept, they have the new part number in stock and my name on it
Traveling this week for work so made an appointment for Tuesday
Covered under warranty ...... just praying they don't give me crap about the headers
Dave
Took it to the dealer today and the first words out of his mouth were ...........
"THATS NOT GOOD"
Had him check with Parts Dept, they have the new part number in stock and my name on it
Traveling this week for work so made an appointment for Tuesday
Covered under warranty ...... just praying they don't give me crap about the headers
Dave
Can't imagine why the headers would be any issue, one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. no one would ever have had to touch the balancer to install headers
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 8,674
Likes: 2,728
From: Atlanta GA
U bet if they give me any crap I will be asking the same question ..." what does headers have to do with a bad balancer "
Dave