Harmonic Balancer

[Emoney8924]

Im trying to remove the balancer and it is completely rusted/stuck on. Ive tried to remove it with the puller and it ended up breaking the puller itself so I returned it and got a new one. Im gonna try again in a little while..

Are there any helpful hints or anything to get this thing off?


Thanks
Eric

 

[The Green GT]

LOTS of penetrating oil.

If you can find soem Kroil get that, it works wonders, but its like $30 for a 12 oz spray can.
But well worth it IMO.

 

[RyClef331]

Not trying to be a dick or question your intelligence....but did you take the bolt out of the center? don't laugh...I've done it.

 

[Bosko5.0]

try tapping it with a persuader if that doesn,t work get a bigger persuader.

 

[urban96]

Not trying to be a dick or question your intelligence....but did you take the bolt out of the center? don't laugh...I've done it.

also DONT FORGET THE WASHER. a few people on here have removed the bolt but forgot to remove it and done the same thing you have (break the tool)

 

[Synned]

also DONT FORGET THE WASHER. a few people on here have removed the bolt but forgot to remove it and done the same thing you have (break the tool)

MEEE!!!!!!!

 

[Emoney8924]

i used a really big persuader haha

yes i did take the bolt out ..

nothing worked yet,

thanks though

 

[Emoney8924]

ok, so i think ive quit for the night... its still not out.. I've been beating on this thing mercilously. the big weight that actually sits on the hub itself slid right off, so now im just beating on the hub.. This thing will not give in, and now it is basically to the point where nothing will hold the crank from staying still, i will go to rotate the puller, and the thing will move, ive used vice grips and leaned them up against the water pump housing, to the point where the vice grips feel a little weak.. Im about ready to say screw it and just spend like a half hour beating it with a hammer... oh yea also, i have used possibly a whole can of pb blaster on it, all around it.. any ideas guys??? thanks a bunch!!!

Eric

 

[HISSIN50]

Right-on about the washer tip.

EDIT due to most-recent post above:

Dont use a hammer please.

The car is in gear with the e-brake applied?

The hub and crank are keyed - so the balancer hub doesnt spin without the crank turning, right?

Good luck.

 

[Emoney8924]

yep to all, washer is out.. and everything.. dont know what to do from here. haynes makes it sound so simple... "remove bolt, use harmonic puller to pull vibration damper off"

 

[Bosko5.0]

try using an impact wrench, too stop crank from turning remove the inspection plate on your tranny put a wrench on one of the flexplate bolts to hold it then try using the pulley.

Good Luck

 

[HISSIN50]

Sorry - I missed the auto trans part. See Bosko's post.

There's another horrid method but we won't go there.

Good luck.

 

[MLC Stang]

Eric,

The only thing I haven't seen suggested here is HEAT!

Many times with stuck bolts, stuck anything that's metal, I have gotten them off after heating the stuck part up with a propane torch.

Warning! Be careful not to set any kind of solvent or other fluid you might now have on the part on fire! Make sure it's clean and dry before heating with a torch.

Good luck with it.

PS) Day-um! I see I've been promoted to a "Founding Member", even though I'm not. Guess I better run out quick and get a Lotto ticket!

 

[WHITE94COBRA]

The heat will work, however are you going to reuse this balancer? Is it a stock piece? If it's stock chances are your going to burn the rubber in the middle of the hub, if it's aftermarket like a fluidyne, it will heat the fluid in the hub, which will change the characteristics of how it works, so in short your going to need a new one if you heat it up.

 

[Emoney8924]

no i have a new one sitting there, swapping because there is a horrible shaking in the car.. I have heard of heating it with a torch, crappy part is i dont have a torch.. Im gonna try messing with it today, and if not then, i think ill go out and buy a torch

 

[HISSIN50]

Heating a hub with the balancer on the car might not play nice with the crank seal.

MLC, congrats. I think you get it after being here retroactively 4 years from the present.

 

[Emoney8924]

good thinking.. didnt think of that!! ok so when does the woodruff key come out.. when eveything else comes off??

 

[HISSIN50]

The key is in the crank and the balancer has a keyway.

During a normal R/R, the key should not come out of the crank (though they can come out).

With luck you wont have issues with yours........

 

[mo_dingo]

Is there a way to cool the crank and heat the balancer somehow. b/c idk of any other way to get it off if the puller is indeed usless.

Maybe get one of those cans of compressed air, which blows pretty cold. Once the balancer is hot, take the torch away, and spray the compressed air inside the crank. Maybe that will loosen it up??

Just a random thought. But you should note that the compressed air is likely flammable (propane propellant maybe?) and it shouldn't be sprayed near the torch.
Scott

 

[Blackened302]

good bit of info. my hb busted on the way home from the track tonight so i'll be doing this tomorrow.