So I'm changing the water pump tbelt and idlers. I take off my crank pulley using the starter and breaker bar method.
And this happens




2 pieces... that's bad, right?

 

Oh, I dunno. Do you think you'll ever need to check ignition timing?

That's one of the cleanest breaks I've ever seen. Surprisingly, there have been a number of postings here to the effect "I can't get the timing set," which turned out to be because the outer annulus of the harmonic balancer (which has the timing mark) had twisted on the inner part.

Yeah, a new one is in your future. About $85 at RockAuto. Given what happened to yours, a salvage harmonic balancer would have to be about free before I'd try it.

Last, when you install that new part, you're going to have to put 181 ft-lbs on the bolt to hold it. How are you going to keep the crank from turning? So even though you thought you were clever by using the starter, you STILL need to have crank holding tool to put it back on. Plenty of great shop-built designs on YotaTech; I (of course) am partial to this one: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...h-3vze-137934/

 

I think I can put it back on with this




It wouldn't take it off but it should be ok to put it back on.

And it that doesn't work I can just tighten it down when I have the emergency brake on. That should hold it ok.

 

LOL! I (used to) have one of those impact wrenches. On a good day, I could hit about 75ft-lbs (yes, I had to use a torque wrench on the wheel nuts to get them tightened up the rest of the way). Yours might be better, but I can pretty much guarantee you won't be able to get it to 1/2 the torque you need.

How much torque do you think your emergency brake can hold? If you left it on by accident, would it kill the engine every time? Or would you just drive away until you smelled hot brakes, and then let it off? If you have a manual transmission and set it in 5th gear, and really wail on the parking brake, it might hold it tight enough. Do you have the torque wrench that goes to 181? Or were just hoping against hope "that it should hold ok"? (The handle of my 1/2" "breaker-bar" is 12" from the center of rotation. There isn't any way to get that bar in the engine compartment horizontally, but if I could, I could STAND on the handle and barely hit the required torque.)

But what's the worst that could happen? You'll just pitch your new harmonic balancer through the radiator. On the way off, it will tear up the keyway in the crankshaft, and you can get a new one of those.

Your choice. Good luck!

 

Am I the only one having a hard time imagining how removing the crank bolt(regardless of how) caused this to happen?

I'll take your word for it...I guess. But I can't quite understand what happened. Why does it look like there's damage to the inner part(bottom of the first pic)? Is there something you're not telling us? I've used the starter trick at least a dozen times(never done it any other way). That's never happened to me.

 

For what it's worth, I don't think removing the crank bolt had anything to do with the separation of the pulley. Maybe while he was pulling the balancer off, he managed to separate it, but I'm sure the rubber was toast long before he got to work on it.

 

I imagine you're correct.

But there's a new problem...

I got everything back together and the #2 idler pulley ( the one that the water goes thru on the top) is vibrating very much. Gets HOT when I let it run too long. In my mind I can see the t-belt slapping it. But the car is running great.

So I took it all apart and the belt is fine the tentionsioner spring is ok.

Back together again (I'm getting pretty good at this) and its running great but still that bad vibration.

Cant think what might be causing it.

?Bad pulley from the box?

Thank you for your help!!

 

Bad bearing from new

Bearing pressed in crooked

How did the bearing feel before you installed it??

Just what brand parts are you using ??

 

It turned easy, didn't bind. Couldn't spin it free but as I turned it I couldn't feel it bind.

Don't know the manufacture. It came as part of a rockauto 'gates' kit. Never had a problem with rockauto parts

It is getting HOT

HUM?

 

update...

I replaced the #2 idler pulley and there is no change. Still bad vibration.

Car runs well but pulley vibrates loudly and gets hot

Unless I got 2 bad ones in a row I dont think its the pulley any more.

thanks for your help!

 

Any Help is greatly appreciated!!

 

That's weird. I'm running one of those Gates idlers. It seems to be a good one so far(only been a few months since I installed it). No noise, or vibration. I imagine it gets pretty hot though. But it should with 180°+ coolant running through it.

Oh...if it had the pre-installed black silicone gasket in the RTV/FIPG groove it was probably made by Gates. Mine did.

 

Thanks everyone for your feedback but I think I solved the problem!?!

 

That's one way to do it.

 

Son of a...that's not funny.

At least you're alive and breathing.

Full coverage?