AJRace

Well after our first significant rain yesterday, when I started my car after work, I hear the birds chirping under the hood. It quit by the time I got home,but I opened the hood and could see HB wobble, so I have to drop it off at the chevy dealer after work tomorrow.

They gave me a guestimate over the phone of around $850+, it really chaps me that I'm replacing a balancer at 53,000 miles on a $50k car. I've owned a lot cars since 1973 and I've never had to replace a harmonic balancer GM should be ashamed, I've been a Ford man all my life, so this leaves a sour taste in my mouth though I love my Vette.

I know all makes have their problems at times, but this is ridiculous......as much as this has happened on these LS2/3 engines there should be a class action lawsuit. Oh well, I pray it holds up for a bit.

humvet

Had the same problem on my C5 LS1 as well.

Gering

OP: I had the wobbles on my 07 LS2 so I had it replaced with these two items and never looked back.

http://store.katechengines.com/bille...sioner-p2.aspx

http://store.katechengines.com/ati-s...ts-v-p230.aspx

Good Luck!

AJRace

I just crazy that on an 05 C6 that they hadn't come up with a better balancer design....it's darn near laughable.

AJRace

Thanks!

DSOMC6

Here's what I replaced the stock harmonic dampner on my LS2 with: http://www.byunspeed.com/product_inf...oducts_id=4545

It's a great pulley for the money. Byun speed also has a Powerbond available in stock size (7.4) if you call them.


If you (or dealer tech) press-on another POS GM supplied pulley, you risk the issue arrising again:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...000-miles.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...ned-crank.html

C-INRED

Forgive me if this is a stupid question.

As I understand the stock pulleys are balanced to the engine/crank and when replaced the stock weights must be re-installed in the exact same locations to maintain proper balance.

How is the balancing handled with the aftermarket pulleys?

REVAK

I think it's ironic that my 98 LS1 and my 01 LS1 balancers are fine. My 06 LS2 balancer appears to be approaching the "wobble zone" @32k miles.

Goatdad

Replaced mine 1000miles ago with an slp 25% underdrive. Had it done ar Corvette Masters in Mainland Fl. $375 for labor!
I've had no issues with the ac or charging my ORIGINAL battery. The pully spins as true as can be.

Wayne O

Is the crank-pulley bolt loose? Are the belts fraying? A small amount of wobble may be within acceptable parameters. If they need to replace the harmonic balancer (and I hope not) I think the $850 estimate is a bit optimistic. I'm guessing the replacement cost would be around $1,100.00. I hope its not as bad as you think. Good luck and let us know what happens.

I agree and the problem isn't limited to 2005 models....the problem affects cars from all model years. Why GM ever abandoned the keyway I'll never know but all of the Gen III and Gen IV V8 engines use a press-fit damper with no keyway. This has been the case since the LS1 was introduced in 1997. As a 'fix' there was a diamond-embedded friction washer introduced as a production part in the 2006 LS2 and LS7 motors (and I suspect in the late model 2005's as well).

The problem may only affect a small minority of cars but it's a problem that doesn't need to happen at all. The only real fix is to pin the crank. Pinning the crank is essential with forced induction applications and I think GM would be well-advised to pin the crank on their high power, naturally aspirated engines as well...on the Corvette. Prior to the press-fit damper GM probably built 100 million engines without this problem. I'd love to know why they changed.

DSOMC6

You do not need to install weights to ballance the pulley. If you do a search, there's a thread/post with someone explaining the reasoning behind this.

It's foolish not to spend 5 min and pin the crank once you have the dampner pulled off. If someone really has thier heart set on installing another oem harmonic dampner Lingenfelter can cut a keyway into a stock harmonic dampner as well via mail service.

mike925

You're right. I just had the balancer replaced on my 2011. Car only had 1000 miles on it. It was replaced under warranty, per a TSB I was told.

cclive

How exactly is pinning the crank done?

Goatdad

[QUOTE]I think the $850 estimate is a bit optimistic. I'm guessing the replacement cost would be around $1,100.00.
See my post right above yours.

2005 had a problem with the bolt backing out that would not be an issue if it was pinned, but the majority of the problems are do to the stock balancer coming apart or delaminating and causing it to wobble.

Just my 2 cents.

Goatdad

In basic terms you need to remove the balancer and grind a key way into the crank.

TCW

ALL stock LS2 balancers wobble. I'll bet dollars to do-nuts that you have a bearing going bad in a belt tensioner or a worn belt.

Tom

cstapp99

I'm having a hard time believing the amount of wobble I see in mine is acceptable. If so, it's a ****-poor design. It's worth it to me for peace of mind to install an ATI.

AJRace

I hope it is a tensioner or pulley bearing, but there sure is quite a bit of wobble there.....more than I'm comfy with lol. Engine feels good and smooth while accelerating and cruising, but I don't like that wobble and then when it was raining hearing the birds under the hood. I should find out tomorrow. Thanks y'all for your responses.

C-INRED

I'm not finding this thread. Can anyone point me to it?

BoosterClub

I would like to see this thread, the engines are externally balanced at the factory with the flywheel and crank pulley. While it may not be "necessary" not swapping over weights and indexing the parts will certainly lose some of the balance performed.