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Please excuse me I know questions about the balancer have been asked to death and old timers here are probably sick of discussing it, but Im a new guy..........I've used the search mode and have learned a lot, but still want to ask a general question. My new to me 05 with 20k miles has a belt chirp that stops after the car is warm and the balancer does wobble a little, but runs great. My question is how bad does it have to get before you replace it? Another words can it stay like this for another 5 years, or 20k miles before its really needs changed?........Should I go change it ASAP, or keep an eye on it for the next 2-3 months? I know its a vague question but thanks in advance for the replies. I knew the balancer was questionable when I bought the car, but its like new and got a good deal, so its not a new unwelcome surprise to me.........Thanks, Steve
It's a question with a lot of very nuanced answers. My OCD drove me to get mine fixed within 2 days of first hearing it. I'm no expert but I believe you could drive it for some time before a "catastrophic " failure occurred. I put catastrophic in quotes because it will be catastrophic to the balancer but I'm not sure if it's failure would cause significant damage to other systems or parts. Someone with more experience and expertise will be along soon enough to fine tune my response. Good luck.
If it were my car I'd be getting it changed out asap! If it's already chirping the belts it's a ticking time bomb. Think of it this way, you know you Will have to have it replaced, not everyone has to but in your case its wobbling and chirping so it's gotta go...It's going to go wether it's on your terms or the cars terms. You really want it to be on your schedule, if it grenades itself the cost will be so much more! Why wait? The cost isn't going to get lower by waiting, this way get it done then you can safely, confidently drive the car. I'd be worried everytime I drove in its current state. That's my two cents worth...
LOL....you're gonna get as many opinions on this as you would asking whats the best oil to use. I've had my 2006 now for 8 years. It's wobbled from the day I brought it home. But i only put an average of 2500 - 3000-K a year on it. Now has 27-K. It wobbles more than I'd like, but don't plan on replacing it anytime soon, unless of course it starts getting worse....(or it comes through the hood...LOL). When is too much wobble is a matter of opinion. And as with a lot of things, you have to take the knowledge of the person thats giving the opinion consideration. Do they know what they are talking about ?....or are they simply your typical forum dweller that isn't that experienced but will still tell you what you should do. Unfortunately thats a fact of forum life......Good Luck
From: Out Where the Buses Don't Run, Eglin AFB/ Niceville FL
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My 2006 had a slight wobble at 37K. I kept a close watch on it. By 39K it had gotten worse so I changed it. No belt chirp but I am supercharged so I didn't want to take any unnecessary risk. I only put about 3500 miles per year on the car.
Thanks for all the replies.........Keep them coming. Has anyone has a "catastrophic" failure and what does that involve? Im going to get it replaced, but I want to know all that I can about this beforehand,
Thanks again, Steve
Thanks for all the replies.........Keep them coming. Has anyone has a "catastrophic" failure and what does that involve? Im going to get it replaced, but I want to know all that I can about this beforehand,
Thanks again, Steve
You can do a search for pics but it can be either the front timing cover that gets damaged or worse if it goes the other way the steering rack gets it. Way to expensive to risk. I just changed mine in the garage. There are several step by step threads on how and will save you money. It was time consuming but not hard if you are mechanically inclined.
Did my 06 this winter in my garage. A real PIA but definitely doable if you have mechanical skills.
When I bought the car it had a wobble but no chirp, Once the belt started chirping that was it. Not worth a breakdown on a road trip, and that's what we do a lot of with ours..
My belt blew and took out the electrical connector on the ac condenser...sheared it right off. dealer indicated I needed a new condenser but instead found a clutch assembly with connector from gm parts site. Would have only been 1800 if I had acted sooner. Add another 700 to fix my ac. Don’t wait.
Mine wobbled (small wobble) when I first got the car almost 4 years ago, had 25K on it, now it has 30K and when I checked 6 months ago the wobble had worsened, no chirp thou. So I had it replaced with the PowerBond PB1117S because it worried me that anything spinning at those RPMs should NOT have a wobble. Was it necessary But I do not worry about the "what if" any more, so yeah it was worth it to me. All told the cost for new balancer, belts, seal, bolt and labor was right at $900
Good Luck
NSF
Had the dealership do mine last week after hearing the belt chirp for a week or so. Actually didn't know that was the issue at first. $1200 out the door. Didn't see a reason to wait until it got worse or broke something. Extended warranty covered mine so that was nice. Not sure if it would have covered any other damage if it would have came apart/off.
I replaced mine within a month of hearing the chirp. I had a tech friend look at it for a second opinion, and he thought the wobble was pretty bad. He even called later to see if I made it home okay.
The repair shop guy said a friend of his -- same year Corvette as mine -- had catastrophic failure and a piece punched a hole in the hood. I'm told it's like a bomb going off.
I replaced mine within a month of hearing the chirp. I had a tech friend look at it for a second opinion, and he thought the wobble was pretty bad. He even called later to see if I made it home okay.
The repair shop guy said a friend of his -- same year Corvette as mine -- had catastrophic failure and a piece punched a hole in the hood. I'm told it's like a bomb going off.
That's exaggerated. The balancer itself can't blow up or fly off the engine. The outer ring can either slide forward and bump against the steering rack or slide back and chew up the timing cover. I suppose if the belt broke it could whip into the hood and cause damage.
You can do a search for pics but it can be either the front timing cover that gets damaged or worse if it goes the other way the steering rack gets it. Way to expensive to risk. I just changed mine in the garage. There are several step by step threads on how and will save you money. It was time consuming but not hard if you are mechanically inclined.
Any links to the step by step instructions? There are a lot of instructions on here, but require a membership to photobucket-you can't see any of the pictures.
I remember someone posting the steps over in the Tech section. I didn't bookmark it because I wasn't planning to do the work myself. I think I found them by searching "harmonic ATI" or something similar.
Any links to the step by step instructions? There are a lot of instructions on here, but require a membership to photobucket-you can't see any of the pictures.
Regards,
JF
A friend of mine told me his is going out. I google it and you can see a step by step video on how to replace it. He has a C6 and I think now I have more than a squealing belt on my C5. I can see a wobble there too.
Any links to the step by step instructions? There are a lot of instructions on here, but require a membership to photobucket-you can't see any of the pictures.
Just did mine a few months ago over the winter. One thing I know, no wobble is acceptable and there is no time frame when it will go, the wobble is the start of failure and every time you take that car out, you will have this on your mind because when it goes, it will be twice as bad.
Harmonic Balancer Question......
But I do not worry about the "what if" any more, so yeah it was worth it to me. All told the cost for new balancer, belts, seal, bolt and labor was right at $900
