I pulled my old harmonic balancer because it was leaking oil again. I had a repair sleeve on it but found that the new seal got chewed up. So I decided to replace the balancer with a new 3.4 one. Problem is it won't go on. Im putting upwardos to 90 to 100 ft lbs of torque on the center hub bolt and its barely moving. There's a lot of clinking and popping. Threads on the bolt are looking pretty chewed up. I oiled everything up good its lined up fine. Needs to go a little ways still. Any suggestions. I'm worried about stripping the threads on the crankshaft.
Since the factory bolt is too short to initially pull on the balancer, what are you using?
As long as the keyway is lined up and the balancer isn't on the crankshaft crooked, it should pull on relatively easy. It might be best to pull it off again and double-check.
I started it with the pulley off and a thinner washer and I had plenty of thread to start with. It was going easy for a little bit. I took it off once to double check. You could see the wear marks on the new balancer. Any chance maybe it's a bad balancer. The tolerances are too tight?
Take the washer off and make sure it will thread in fine before you go further. Clean out the threads on the bolt and in the crank hole. Also did you clean out the old rtv in the key way and add new? Check the key way slot make sure there isn't a problem there.
I started it with the pulley off and a thinner washer and I had plenty of thread to start with.
That's odd as I've had the harmonic balancer off my '86 GT and the bolt off my '88 Formula (to change the pulley) and the bolt is way too short to begin pulling the balancer on. I had to find a longer metric bolt at the hardware store to start to pull the balancer back on. Makes me wonder why your situation is different than mine, and whether that 3.4 balancer you have is actually the correct one to use.
We need someone else who's had their balancer off to chip in with their experience.
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Originally posted by sardonyx247:
Take the washer off and make sure it will thread in fine before you go further.
Have you found the factory crank bolt to be long enough to pull the balancer back on right from the start?
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 10-31-2015).]
Mabey with a thinner washer like he has said, it might work, I know it is real close. I usually just tap it on with a dead blow until I get enough threads to keep going.
If I remember, in a day or two I could tell you.
[This message has been edited by sardonyx247 (edited 10-31-2015).]
Mabey with a thinner washer like he has said, it might work, I know it is real close.
With mine it wasn't close at all. I had to get a longer bolt to get the re-installation process started. Besides, even if the factory crank bolt just barely reached, I wouldn't want to rely on two or three threads to start pulling with.
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Originally posted by sardonyx247:
I usually just tap it on with a dead blow until I get enough threads to keep going.
I didn't want to go that route in case the balancer was c0cked off a bit and started to mess up either the end of he crank or the inside of the balancer.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 10-31-2015).]
Tomorrow I will pull it back off and make sure there is no binding or anything catching. I think I will get another bolt so I don't ruin the threads on my stock bolt and so I can use the thick washer and get a more even push on it. At this point I think the threads on the crank are fine but that is my biggest worry. I would think the bolt would fail first. Wanted to add the balancer is for 3.4 camaro application and I have the 3.4 in my car so there shouldn't be an issue there.
[This message has been edited by fierofinder (edited 10-31-2015).]
I'm using more force to cinch it in than what the torque specification is. I have done it a couple times before but never been this difficult. Is true though, I worry about everything.
I'm worried about stripping the threads on the crankshaft.
Rent a harmonic balancer install kit from Auto Zone or the like (usually Free). You can then use it to PUSH the balancer into place - less risk to damaging the crank.
Originally posted by fierosound: Rent a harmonic balancer install kit from Auto Zone or the like (usually Free). You can then use it to PUSH the balancer into place - less risk to damaging the crank.
Yup, the only way to install w/o damaging the crank. Even if you have right balancer.
Tool parts fully engage the crank threads before you tighten the big pusher/press nut.
They need that much force to behave as single piece w/ the crank for balancer to work.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Originally posted by fierofinder: Thanks guys, I will rent the tool. Suppose it's so much harder being new since it hasn't been removed and installed several times.
Make sure you remove paint etc inside the hole... "wash" w/ carb cleaner, lacquer thinner to remove rust preventives, paint over spray, etc or will be hard or impossible to install.
