New C5 purchase and Harmonic Balancer question
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4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 4
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New C5 purchase and Harmonic Balancer question
Hello All,
I have just purchased a 2003 Corvette C5 with 3.15 differentian ratio. It has only 34200km (21250miles) on it. It has been kept indoors and I inspected the car, all electronics are working fine, engine runs smooth. There is no rust underneath (some surface rusting on diffential) and even the air ducts has not scratch on it...the owner is a 75 year young man and the last 10 years he drove it couple of thousands km..good thing he changed the oil every year. I drove it under heavy Dutch rain, and also there is no leakage at all. However, I noticed the harmonic balancer is wobbling, not much but it is visible, the belt looks alright but still wobbling is there. Also the tyres look new, however they are manufactured in 2016!.
Tomorrow I will pick up the car and drive appxomately 250 km (I live in the Netherlands) to my home. Do you think it is safe to drive 250km with a slight wobbling balancer?
I already got in touch with Corvette shop in here this is what they told me about my Harmonic Balancer change request:
"We generally recommend an ATI Super Damper or Summit Racing SFI balancer only for vehicles that are used on the track or for other high-performance applications. For normal road use, we typically install an original harmonic balancer, as it provides excellent performance and reliability for the intended use of the vehicle. As you would also like to have the car serviced, we can combine the maintenance and harmonic balancer replacement in a single appointment. The current lead time for parts is approximately 4 to 5 weeks, so we could schedule an appointment in about 5 to 6 weeks' time."... Well I am a normal user and not a car abuser..
Every youtube video I watched or AI recommend me not to change with the OEM part, rather they say go with Summit ot ATI..should I insist?
I will immediately change the tyres to Michelin Pilot Sport 5, any feedback on this?
Apart from all these any recommendation to a person who never owned a Corvette before?
PS: this is going to be my daily drive and the car will rest outside unfortunately. I will be driving max 500-800km a month.
Cheers!
I have just purchased a 2003 Corvette C5 with 3.15 differentian ratio. It has only 34200km (21250miles) on it. It has been kept indoors and I inspected the car, all electronics are working fine, engine runs smooth. There is no rust underneath (some surface rusting on diffential) and even the air ducts has not scratch on it...the owner is a 75 year young man and the last 10 years he drove it couple of thousands km..good thing he changed the oil every year. I drove it under heavy Dutch rain, and also there is no leakage at all. However, I noticed the harmonic balancer is wobbling, not much but it is visible, the belt looks alright but still wobbling is there. Also the tyres look new, however they are manufactured in 2016!.
Tomorrow I will pick up the car and drive appxomately 250 km (I live in the Netherlands) to my home. Do you think it is safe to drive 250km with a slight wobbling balancer?
I already got in touch with Corvette shop in here this is what they told me about my Harmonic Balancer change request:
"We generally recommend an ATI Super Damper or Summit Racing SFI balancer only for vehicles that are used on the track or for other high-performance applications. For normal road use, we typically install an original harmonic balancer, as it provides excellent performance and reliability for the intended use of the vehicle. As you would also like to have the car serviced, we can combine the maintenance and harmonic balancer replacement in a single appointment. The current lead time for parts is approximately 4 to 5 weeks, so we could schedule an appointment in about 5 to 6 weeks' time."... Well I am a normal user and not a car abuser..
Every youtube video I watched or AI recommend me not to change with the OEM part, rather they say go with Summit ot ATI..should I insist?
I will immediately change the tyres to Michelin Pilot Sport 5, any feedback on this?
Apart from all these any recommendation to a person who never owned a Corvette before?
PS: this is going to be my daily drive and the car will rest outside unfortunately. I will be driving max 500-800km a month.
Cheers!
Last edited by Felixarnhem; Today at 06:07 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,454
Likes: 1,160
From: Dyer, IN
Hello All,
I have just purchased a 2003 Corvette C5 with 3.15 differentian ratio. It has only 34200km (21250miles) on it. It has been kept indoors and I inspected the car, all electronics are working fine, engine runs smooth. There is no rust underneath (some surface rusting on diffential) and even the air ducts has not scratch on it...the owner is a 75 year young man and the last 10 years he drove it couple of thousands km..good thing he changed the oil every year. I drove it under heavy Dutch rain, and also there is no leakage at all. However, I noticed the harmonic balancer is wobbling, not much but it is visible, the belt looks alright but still wobbling is there. Also the tyres look new, however they are manufactured in 2016!.
Tomorrow I will pick up the car and drive appxomately 250 km (I live in the Netherlands) to my home. Do you think it is safe to drive 250km with a slight wobbling balancer?
I already got in touch with Corvette shop in here this is what they told me about my Harmonic Balancer change request:
"We generally recommend an ATI Super Damper or Summit Racing SFI balancer only for vehicles that are used on the track or for other high-performance applications. For normal road use, we typically install an original harmonic balancer, as it provides excellent performance and reliability for the intended use of the vehicle. As you would also like to have the car serviced, we can combine the maintenance and harmonic balancer replacement in a single appointment. The current lead time for parts is approximately 4 to 5 weeks, so we could schedule an appointment in about 5 to 6 weeks' time."... Well I am a normal user and not a car abuser..
Every youtube video I watched or AI recommend me not to change with the OEM part, rather they say go with Summit ot ATI..should I insist?
I will immediately change the tyres to Michelin Pilot Sport 5, any feedback on this?
Apart from all these any recommendation to a person who never owned a Corvette before?
PS: this is going to be my daily drive and the car will rest outside unfortunately. I will be driving max 500-800km a month.
Cheers!
I have just purchased a 2003 Corvette C5 with 3.15 differentian ratio. It has only 34200km (21250miles) on it. It has been kept indoors and I inspected the car, all electronics are working fine, engine runs smooth. There is no rust underneath (some surface rusting on diffential) and even the air ducts has not scratch on it...the owner is a 75 year young man and the last 10 years he drove it couple of thousands km..good thing he changed the oil every year. I drove it under heavy Dutch rain, and also there is no leakage at all. However, I noticed the harmonic balancer is wobbling, not much but it is visible, the belt looks alright but still wobbling is there. Also the tyres look new, however they are manufactured in 2016!.
Tomorrow I will pick up the car and drive appxomately 250 km (I live in the Netherlands) to my home. Do you think it is safe to drive 250km with a slight wobbling balancer?
I already got in touch with Corvette shop in here this is what they told me about my Harmonic Balancer change request:
"We generally recommend an ATI Super Damper or Summit Racing SFI balancer only for vehicles that are used on the track or for other high-performance applications. For normal road use, we typically install an original harmonic balancer, as it provides excellent performance and reliability for the intended use of the vehicle. As you would also like to have the car serviced, we can combine the maintenance and harmonic balancer replacement in a single appointment. The current lead time for parts is approximately 4 to 5 weeks, so we could schedule an appointment in about 5 to 6 weeks' time."... Well I am a normal user and not a car abuser..
Every youtube video I watched or AI recommend me not to change with the OEM part, rather they say go with Summit ot ATI..should I insist?
I will immediately change the tyres to Michelin Pilot Sport 5, any feedback on this?
Apart from all these any recommendation to a person who never owned a Corvette before?
PS: this is going to be my daily drive and the car will rest outside unfortunately. I will be driving max 500-800km a month.
Cheers!
Just get a factory replacement from Dayco/Powerbond # PB1117N. This is all you need for a non-race street driven car.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 114
Likes: 60
How bad is the wobble? Are you sure it isn’t just the engine jiggling? I bought my car last year and of course was worried about the balancer after reading all about our cars… built in fears…. research is good, but it makes us nervous. Mine wobbles slightly, but the rubber looks good so I just keep an eye on it. The pulleys are lined up and my wobble is just the engine shaking. I took a white paint pen and drew a line from the hub to the rim. If it truly dies, the line across the two halves will shift clearly indicating I have a problem.
But it’s your money and your decision. When you do replace it, go with an aftermarket unit so you never have to worry about it again.
Good pick with the Michelins, if you have the cash for them, you can’t go wrong. Congrats on the C5, you’ll love it. It will consume your thoughts. A Corvette makes all owners crazed enthusiasts. 😉
But it’s your money and your decision. When you do replace it, go with an aftermarket unit so you never have to worry about it again.
Good pick with the Michelins, if you have the cash for them, you can’t go wrong. Congrats on the C5, you’ll love it. It will consume your thoughts. A Corvette makes all owners crazed enthusiasts. 😉
Last edited by Gorn Captain; Today at 07:49 AM.
