had engine rebuilt about a month ago. the cars been running fine but had to go back in to retune and do timing after the new parts got seated into the new block. my mechanic went to do the timing and said my balancer was 80 degrees off and the timing can't be done due to this. he said it has slipped out of place and that's why it's off 80. he said it would be fine to drive it on the interstate it might just vibrate a little. said it needs replacing so we bought a new one and it will be put on next week. will this hurt to drive the car like this for a little while and not go too far?

 

Sounds like it's the wrong damper, not slipped.

If it has slipped, you shouldn't be driving it.

 

thanks. i know my mechanic said it would be fine just some vibration, but something inside told me I shouldn't. I don't really feel anything shaking and it runs smooth but with all the problems we've had I don't want to chance it. as it is we will have to pay more now for him to put the new one on. i wish i had known this and just gotten a new one when it was rebuilt. I looked under and can see a part of the rubber starting to come out of the center. it's not out but is starting. thanks

 

It's not okay to drive with a bad harmonic balancer. The bouncing crankshaft will wear on the main bearings. It can also tear up drive belts and possibly come apart posing a danger to people and property.

Was it the same mechanic who installed the rebuilt motor and who diagnosed the slipped balancer? If so, I would tend to trust his opinion as he would have timed it after installing the motor but couldn't time it later. Of course, that or any mechanic could have hooked the timing light to the wrong plug wire.

Seeing some elastomer beginning to pooch out is very common. You'd probably have a hard time finding a used balancer that wasn't this way.

 

yes, he got another block and put the engine together himself and installed it. he does a lot of high performance engines and racing. he timed it at the beginning and said the balancer looked fine then but now it's not.