Hey everyone just picked up a 90 4runner the other day and am new to the toyota truck world. I'll keep it short and sweet. Went to go get smog checked everything passed except timing. Guy said i need a new harmonic balancer because it was slipping. Wanted some opinions because i do not trust this dude.

Thanks for any help and look forward to the knowledge and maybe helping some one down the line.

 

The keyword is "timing"
Before you get into fancy stuff from what someone who you do not trust told you... Did you check basic "timing"? Did you search the forum for the simple word "timing"?
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post52374389

 

i did not and i appreciate you linking that to me. Will be checking that as soon as my friend is free with his gun

 

Cool. BTW, it would help if you put your model-year-ENGINE-TRANSMISSION on your signature. A problem well-stated is a problem almost-solved. Best of luck.

 

Just so you know, the harmonic balancer has an annular rubber ring that separates the inside part (on the crankshaft) and the outside part (where the belts ride, and the timing mark is). While it's not a common failure, at the vintage of our trucks that ring can tear causing the outer part of the balancer to rotate. When that happens, your truck could be in time, but the timing mark won't line up.

As RAD4Runner says, first things first. Get your own timing light (a good one is only $30 https://www.harborfreight.com/timing...nce-40963.html ) you'll need it in the future. Fill the timing mark with something light colored (I use a yellow paint pen, but a white-out pen or just some chalk will do the trick). If the truck runs but the timing mark is WAY off (or you can't find it at all), suspect that the harmonic balancer slipped. But wait: you can check that directly. Turn the crank (with a wrench) to TDC. Remove the distributor cap. Does the rotor point at #1 (or directly away; the crank turns twice for each turn of the distributor)? If not, you should look closely at the balancer.

 

i get a "404 not found" error when clicking that link?

 

You can find TDC (top dead center) for the number one cylinder by turning the engine over by hand with a wrench/ratchet on the crank. Like Scope103 said, mark the "Notch". Remove the distributor cap, look at the rotor, should be pointing at the #1 wire terminal in the cap. The mark on the harmonic balancer should be close to the "0" on the timing mark plate. Remove the #1 spark plug and insert a small wire, like a piece of a coat hangar and touch the piston top. With a wrench, not a ratchet, rock the harmonic notch back and forth across the "0" on the timing plate. You can feel the piston top out for about 5* either side of the "0". If you feel slowly and carefully you can find center of the range. Does the "0" and the notch match up to the peak? If so, your harmonic is ok.
If you can't swing the dist. enough to get it in time....someone may have put it in 1 tooth off. If that's the case when the notch is on "0" the rotor won't point right at the wire on the cap.

 

The closing parentheses got stuck onto the link. Try it now (I editted the post).

 

I have seen the rubber on harmonic balancer broken two times and you will not get timing correct at all when that happens. A good timing light is needed for a tune up and you can also use it for trouble shooting. Well worth the money to have one.

 

I just did a new balance on my 22RE (the seal surface had a groove worn on it - THREE of them - under the speedy seal and two on the speedy seal)
I did not notice a "rubber" section.
Is there a rubber damper on the 22RE version of the balancer?

 

Yes. All dampeners on Toyota have a rubber cushion ring between the inner drive and outer drive belt ring.

 

Thanks - I never noticed it!