Dont let your harmonic balancer break!
#1
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
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.
#2
Member
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.
#3
Member
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.*
#4
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
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!
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.
#5
Supreme Member
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.
#6
Supreme Member
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)
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)
#7
Banned
iTrader: (12)
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.
It actually ate THROUGH the tube & started leaking coolant.
Last edited by Stephen; 11-18-2009 at 12:24 AM.
Trending Topics
#10
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
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!
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)
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)
#11
Moderator
iTrader: (14)
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:
What happens when harmonics are not damped? Fatigue.
What does a fatigue fracture look like? This:
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sjorgens
Suspension and Chassis
7
10-01-2015 07:54 PM
monte87cortez
Transmissions and Drivetrain
2
09-26-2015 08:10 PM