This metal piece was just laying in the box with my new harmonic balancer. The balancer was sealed in a bag. Is this supposed to slide into the alignment grove? It does fit the grove. The old one did not have anything like this either?

 

Yes that goes into the groove. It holds the balancer in place, rotationally.

When you see people complain about "my timing marks don't line up", there's always the possibility that it's because that is missing and the damper is just jammed on randomly instead of in its correct orientation on the crank.

Its official name is "woodruff key".

 

That is a woodruff key more commonly referred to as a key way,it pushes in to the slot on the crank then you line up the key way on the crank with the one balancer i put a block of wood on the balancer and hit the wood to press the balancer on they do make a tool to do it but you may not have it

 

So this would go onto the crank slot before sliding the balancer on?

 

Yep, is there not one there already? Even if there is, tap it out and replace with the new one.

 

Any advice on how to get the old key out? Tried pliers and vice grips and they just slip off because there isn't much to grab. The thing is getting chewed. There is no edge to pry with a screwdriver. Now it'll prob not be good to reuse.

 

Chisel; from the front

Comes RIGHT out

 

Tried after my last post. Didn't budge, but pieces started coming off. Giving up for today, I'll beat the **** out of it another day.

 

That's cool; just don't damage the crank. The new key needs to fit in it tight.

 

Thanks, I do know to be careful of the crankshaft. Who would of thought the key would be so much more trouble than the balancer.