No washer on balancer bolt = bad news

[TheUser]

I think I may be the biggest moron alive. So I've shredded two belts on the GT in the past 9 months or so, but the car has only had about 500 miles put on it in that time because it was put up for winter. Anyway, after the engine rebuild last summer, I put the balancer back on, but somehow unknowingly lost/misplaced my washer that goes w/ the balancer bolt, so the balancer has actually not been held on by anything. After shredding the first one, I pulled the balancer and put it back on, but apparently I didn't realize the problem was a missing washer. Luckily, this time I realized there was nothing holding the balancer on, which is why it was not in line with the other pulley's, which was shredding the belts.

I'm lucky the balancer didn't fly off at 5000 rpm and kill someone or at least tear a bunch of stuff up.

No one has them in stock, so I'll have to order one from Autozone or O'Reilly and wait, I guess.

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

get an arp

 

[TheUser]

you really think an arp is THAT much better than the Mr. Gasket at Autozone? Honestly, what I've thought about doing is going to lowes and getting a large diameter washer, drilling the hole to the proper size, grab a lock washer and use my current bolt. That would cost maybe $1-2 as opposed to $24 for Mr. Gasket or nearly $30 for ARP after shipping.

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

do that then, just make sure it isnt knarled up, and missing threads and the like. my honest opinion would be to stay away from mr. gasket bolts, I have used some in the past and they never were made right, Ive always either used arp or went the stock route, neither have ever did me wrong, The stock balancers dont use a lock washer, so you shouldnt have to use one.