Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

Old 11-17-2009, 12:52 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
pajama sam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Mt. Prospect IL
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

I bought a 1984 z28 camaro for a parts car that i took the rearend out of. Well it came with a crossfire 350 in it and we knew when we bought it that the balancer spun, broke off and borke the timing chain. Well later to discover when i was taking apart the engine for fun. The Cam shaft broke into 3 pieces The rod is bent like an "S" the piston is shattered, and the crank broke into two. I was completly wowed at how all this could have happened. What i learned from this, is to go out and buy that $60 balancer instead of reusing that old one. Here are some pictures.

Name:  1115091159-00.jpg
Views: 1496
Size:  47.4 KB

Name:  1115091159-01.jpg
Views: 1254
Size:  48.3 KB

Name:  1115091159-02.jpg
Views: 1184
Size:  47.7 KB

Name:  1115091159-03.jpg
Views: 1163
Size:  37.6 KB

Name:  1115091159-04.jpg
Views: 1168
Size:  43.2 KB
Old 11-17-2009, 12:54 PM
  #2  
Member
 
kens86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New holland, PA
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1986 Camaro
Engine: 436" SBC
Transmission: TH350, 8" Converter
Axle/Gears: S60 with 4:11 and Locker
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

i agree. i remember blowing up a motor that turned out that way. not many good parts at all. funny now looking back at it.
Old 11-17-2009, 09:14 PM
  #3  
Member
 
84Z28406's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1984 Camaro Z28 T-tops
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

Wow. I never would have thought a balancer could do that kind of damage. *Thinks back to the balancer he scavenged off an old motor for his new 350.*
Old 11-17-2009, 10:34 PM
  #4  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
pajama sam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Mt. Prospect IL
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

Originally Posted by 84Z28406
Wow. I never would have thought a balancer could do that kind of damage. *Thinks back to the balancer he scavenged off an old motor for his new 350.*
Yea i had no idea, im very glad i just changed to a proform blancer for my new 350. This would not make me happy after $2000 engine build lol, good thing this was just a parts car.
Old 11-17-2009, 11:00 PM
  #5  
Supreme Member

 
camaronewbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Cary, North Carolina
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes on 16 Posts
Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

As I understand it - this is the inherent plight of the 454 - I was always told that the balancers go bad in them, and cause such issues with them.
Old 11-17-2009, 11:59 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member

 
8t2 z-chev's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: belle fourche,s.d.
Posts: 2,137
Received 57 Likes on 52 Posts
Car: '82 z28
Engine: L83 5.7
Transmission: 700r4-1985
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

i've never had a loose outer ring on a harmonic balancer
cause any damage other than wearing on the timing
cover,causing a massive oil leak i'd say that engine
was salvaged from a vehicle that had been in a bad
frontal wreck and took a bad hit to the crank pulley,
cracking the crank and the balancer neck,crank then
broke in operation,causing the carnage(the cranks will
break right where the one pictured is broken if they are
cracked from bad impact to crank snout)
Old 11-18-2009, 12:18 AM
  #7  
Banned
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

I had my outer ring slip loose from the center section, work its way back into the KC4 cooler lines & I started loosing coolant that way. I just took the KC4 cooler lines off & have never replaced them.




It actually ate THROUGH the tube & started leaking coolant.

Last edited by Stephen; 11-18-2009 at 12:24 AM.
Old 11-18-2009, 02:23 AM
  #8  
Senior Member

iTrader: (2)
 
berlin305's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Concordia Kansas
Posts: 541
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1987 Iroc Z 1990 RS 1991 RS
Engine: 454 soon 496
Transmission: Soon T56
Axle/Gears: 308 Posi
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

I actually had the same symptom but. mine didn't eat thru the coolant tube. the the time cover itself. OUCHIES. tell ya losing oil with a pin hole in the timing cover bad.
Old 11-18-2009, 03:01 AM
  #9  
Member

iTrader: (5)
 
GOATS2QUICK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GA
Posts: 179
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
Car: 89 trans am / 67 gto
Engine: 350TPI
Transmission: AUTO
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

i feel your pain.
Attached Thumbnails Dont let your harmonic balancer break!-snow-006.jpg  
Old 11-18-2009, 09:59 AM
  #10  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
pajama sam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Mt. Prospect IL
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

Originally Posted by 8t2 z-chev
i've never had a loose outer ring on a harmonic balancer
cause any damage other than wearing on the timing
cover,causing a massive oil leak i'd say that engine
was salvaged from a vehicle that had been in a bad
frontal wreck and took a bad hit to the crank pulley,
cracking the crank and the balancer neck,crank then
broke in operation,causing the carnage(the cranks will
break right where the one pictured is broken if they are
cracked from bad impact to crank snout)
Yea that could be i dont think so because he had it running in his camaro before it blew up and the camaro wasnt crashed just rusty lol
Old 11-18-2009, 03:24 PM
  #11  
Moderator

iTrader: (14)
 
five7kid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Littleton, CO USA
Posts: 43,169
Likes: 0
Received 35 Likes on 34 Posts
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: LS1/LQ4
Transmission: 4L60E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Re: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!

The proper name for this part is "harmonic damper".

What happens when harmonics are not damped? Fatigue.

What does a fatigue fracture look like? This:
Attached Images  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
apie2546
Electronics
3
10-16-2016 02:24 PM
ZekeThorpe
Theoretical and Street Racing
35
10-07-2015 07:30 PM
sjorgens
Suspension and Chassis
7
10-01-2015 07:54 PM
mfp189
Transmissions and Drivetrain
1
09-27-2015 09:25 AM
monte87cortez
Transmissions and Drivetrain
2
09-26-2015 08:10 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Dont let your harmonic balancer break!



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:59 AM.