When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This past month I installed the IW 10% OD balancer as a preventative maintenance for the stock HB.
Since then, I have developed a oil leak - which I believe is the front main seal? About to tear it apart to see but wanted thoughts here first.
I did not buy the IW crank pin kit, as I had a magnuson supercharger crank pin kit. Seemed to work just fine (?) for install but now I have the leak. I did not replace the front main seal as I have had the balancer off in the past and did not replace.
Could it be that the magnuson crank pin kit pin is to long and scratched the front main seal with the IW balancer?
My guess is that you did not get the front timing chain cover aligned perfectly before tightening the cover bolts (so the alignment between the crank snout and the seal is not correct)
This past month I installed the IW 10% OD balancer as a preventative maintenance for the stock HB.
Since then, I have developed a oil leak - which I believe is the front main seal? About to tear it apart to see but wanted thoughts here first.
I did not buy the IW crank pin kit, as I had a magnuson supercharger crank pin kit. Seemed to work just fine (?) for install but now I have the leak. I did not replace the front main seal as I have had the balancer off in the past and did not replace.
Could it be that the magnuson crank pin kit pin is to long and scratched the front main seal with the IW balancer?
I don’t think it’s the seal leaking. At least not from the drill hitting it. The Magnuson pin holes don’t go anywhere near the seal (see picture below).
Did you check to see if the oil is coming from the front, or rear of the balancer? Did you fill the key slot in the IW balancer with RTV silicone before you installed it? Because without that, that sucker will leak. Even though the crank bolt washer blocks the keyway, oil will still seep out, especially since the IW bolt doesn’t have any sealant on the washer like on the stock GM bolt. If the oil is coming out the front of the balancer, then that’s your problem, I’ll bet.
Look at the bright side, at least you didn’t do something really stupid like I did when I installed a brand new OD hub crank seal backwards and ripped it when I installed the balancer. BTW: How did you get the drill fixture perfectly aligned with the existing half-holes on the crank? That was why I decided to go with the IW fixture, because I didn’t want to redrill the holes in the new harmonic balancer and in the process ream out the half holes on the crank snout, because the fixture wasn’t perfectly aligned. The IW crank pin kit is a very neat setup. If you had bought it, you wouldn’t have regretted it.
When ever you change a hb the front seal should be replaced but you saved $10. by not replacing it.
I’m with him you took the HB off which is a pita and you didn’t put in a new seal and now you want to argue it’s not the seal. Sorry the other guy said he didn’t think it was the seal, still can’t believe you didn’t change it
I did not replace the front main seal as I have had the balancer off in the past and did not replace.
This would be the problem, since each HB snout section is a little different, and you want to install a new seal so it can conform/seal off to the new HB snout.
Here is a grooved worn snout, and you can bank that it work the hell out of the seal as well.
So new HB, you have to install a new seal as well.
As for timing cover, if you pulled it, you need the tool to realign it before you install the new seal.
Also, when you pin, do not drill all the way to the back through the back of the snout to allow oil to come through at the pin, and make sure to use some RTV as you are installing the pin to prevent small amounts of oil making it way past the pin as well.
So to update everyone. The front main seal came out in three pieces. How in the fudge did this happen? Got new seal, did not remove timing cover and will reinstall today. If this IW balancer causes a leak again - I’m throwing the piece in the lake.
Everyone says to upgrade as the stock will fail - well I did and have received nothing but problems since. If your supposed to redo the seal, why do NONE of the balancer instructions say to do so! It’s a $10 seal!
So to update everyone. The front main seal came out in three pieces. How in the fudge did this happen? Got new seal, did not remove timing cover and will reinstall today. If this IW balancer causes a leak again - I’m throwing the piece in the lake.
Everyone says to upgrade as the stock will fail - well I did and have received nothing but problems since. If your supposed to redo the seal, why do NONE of the balancer instructions say to do so! It’s a $10 seal!
Sorry rant over...
That’s one of those small things that make a difference now, eh Mark?
Don't look at me, since a reduce pulley HB is going to end up with less amperage out of the alternator at idle to start with, so I don't sugest them to start with if you still running the oem Valeo alternator.
As for HB units, Powerbond PB1117SS for N/A cars, and the ATI standard pulley size for S/I cars where you going to have more belt torque on the balancer instead.
To update again (and also it’s a 10% OD not under driven)
replaces the front main. Still leaking.
**** this car and this balancer. Maybe time to sell. 3x this pulley has come off in a month. Either IW doesn’t know how to machine a pulley or I should have the stock one one.
This sounds weird. I can understand your frustration with having to pull that damn rack and all the other **** off just to get the balancer off several times. I’ve never heard of an IW balancer that had a machining issue, but there’s always a first time.
I’m just guessing at this stage, but are you sure that by chance they didn’t mistakenly ship you the “Blower Hub” version with the oversized seal and that is what is destroying the seal when you install the balancer? The oversized blower hub balancer ships with its own OD seal, which is considerably larger than the stock one. Im not sure that you can even get the oversized hub through the seal, but if you did, for sure it would destroy the seal.
Here’s a picture of my IW balancer with the oversized blower hub, sitting next to the stock balancer:
Yea I did order the blower hub version as I wanted to mimic the one you have. Are you saying that you should not be using a front main seal with a blower hub?
im not following.....?
after some quick searching. There is a different front main seal used on the blower hubs that is supposed to come with the blower hub version!?
MINE DID NOT COME WITHA NEW SEAL!!
Even when when I called IW last week they never mentioned this seal. The idiots at customer service said I must have cracked the hub.
Yea I did order the blower hub version as I wanted to mimic the one you have. Are you saying that you should not be using a front main seal with a blower hub?
im not following.....?
after some quick searching. There is a different front main seal used on the blower hubs that is supposed to come with the blower hub version!?
MINE DID NOT COME WITHA NEW SEAL!!
Even when when I called IW last week they never mentioned this seal. The idiots at customer service said I must have cracked the hub.
****. Man, I wish I had known that from the outset. I could’ve saved you a lot of work and grief. You CANNOT use the stock seal with the Blower Hub. Yes, they are supposed to ship it with the matching oversized seal. Mine certainly came with one. I fucked that up by installing it backwards, though. Then I ordered two more, so that I could have a spare. Good thing too, since I had to use that the other day when my belt came off and went behind the balancer and fubarred the seal, crank sensor, etc. I’m thinking if ordering a couple more, since you neve know when they quit making things like that.
At least you know now what the problem is. Wish you had PMed or emailed me sooner. Sorry to see you go through that grief. Pulling the balancer is a real bitch on these cars.
BTW: I would check to make sure that the timing chain cover isn’t cracked or bent, and if you’re in doubt about that, order a new one (Rockauto has them dirt cheap)
I need your your personal number! You need to be the official Heartbeat supercharger guru!
and this will be the third time pulling this pulley...
I though you had it, lol. Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s on the bottom of an email I sent you. “Guru” isn’t a term I would apply to myself, especially with anything on these cars. I’ve screwed up plenty times and I’m learning something new on here every day.
BTW: I’ve looked for a picture (which I’m sure I took) of the IW seal sitting next to the factory seal, but I must’ve deleted it. The only pic I could find was of the first one I wrecked by installing it in the timing cover backwards (below).
I have to say that IW did me a solid and shipped me two new ones the same day I ordered them. In fact, I’ve had nothing but a good experience with them, from when I ordered the balancer originally. I remember the guy putting down the phone to go and check himself on whether he had a blower hub version in stock. And when I wrecked the seal, they gave me the part number of the seal to check locally to see if I could save the cost of shipping and import duty (which for me quadrupled the cost of the two seals I ordered).
LS3 IW Balancer - Front Main Seal Leaking
. I’ve screwed up plenty times and I’m learning something new on here every day.