Trying to remove the harmonic balancer off of my 94 gt.

[gnx547]

I'm trying to remove the harmonic balancer from my 94 gt and I'm not sure if I'm doing this right. The rental tool kit I got from auto zone did not come with instructions.

Here is a pic of my set up, everything is threaded in. When I turn the middle nut it gets really tight and I'm sure if I should continue to tighen it because I don't want the bolt to snap. How do I get this balancer off? What am I doing wrong?

Another question there is a small point that fits at the end of the long middle bolt, do I use this? Or do I thread in the stock crank bolt and use the point at the end to remove the balancer? I don't know what is the correct procedure to remove the balancer.

 

[liljoe07]

You can use the point or the flat end of the puller. But put the balancer bolt in the balancer about half of the threads deep. Then Crank away

 

[50sleeper]

tip

You DID remove the big washer when you removed the crank bolt right?

If you did not, there is your problem.

 

[gnx547]

Yes I did remove the washer..I the old balancer off..Now I'm getting ready to install it. I got the installation tool set up and once again there are no instructions. From my pic do I have the tool set up the right way? Do I thread in the crank bolt? Or just the shaft tool? Once I thread in the end part to install the balancer which nut do I turn? The fat silver one? Or the one at the the end of the shaft?

 

[BK_CAULEY]

your doing it right.

 

[gnx547]

I still can't seem to get it. As I hold the the nut, it goes in the hole of balancer. I don't understand how the bearing will press against the balancer if the nut goes into the hole. The bearing, should it be over the hole and not inside it? Maybe I don't have the right installation tool.


In the first pic you see the nut, the second pic the nut you can't see because it is in the hole..I don't get how this installation tool works.

 

[jrichker]

I never needed anything other than some Never-Seize to lube up the crank and a rubber hammer to tap it on. Are you sure you have the key in the crank lined up with the keyway in the balancer?

 

[50sleeper]

I never needed anything other than some Never-Seize to lube up the crank and a rubber hammer to tap it on. Are you sure you have the key in the crank lined up with the keyway in the balancer?

+1 I've never needed a special tool to put a new balancer on.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

When I reinstalled my balancer, I elected to use the retaining bolt, since I had no way of turning the not on the installer tool once it went inside the balancer. It's risky to do so because of the possibility of breaking the bolt, but I didn't have much choice.

 

[BK_CAULEY]

When I reinstalled my balancer, I elected to use the retaining bolt, since I had no way of turning the not on the installer tool once it went inside the balancer. It's risky to do so because of the possibility of breaking the bolt, but I didn't have much choice.

thats the way ive always done it. i think i used one of those tools once in my life. put some engine oile on the crank snout first.

 

[liljoe07]

It really takes some large spacers between the nut and washer to make that tool work better.

 

[lincoln+ford]

It really takes some large spacers between the nut and washer to make that tool work better.

I always used my cv axle socket just cuz im into rwd and fwd cars.

 

[liljoe07]

That will work also. I would have mention sockets, but some guys dont ahve large enough sockets to fit over shaft of the installer.

 

[gnx547]

I never needed anything other than some Never-Seize to lube up the crank and a rubber hammer to tap it on. Are you sure you have the key in the crank lined up with the keyway in the balancer?

yes the key way is lined up with the balancer, I will try using the stock bolt to get the new balancer on, I pefer to use the installation tool but it does not work. I just don't want to mess anything up when installing the new balancer.

 

[rd]

Having done it for years with the crank bolt, and then bought the installer tool, I recommend using the tool!

However, make sure that you thread enough of the installer bolt into the crank so that you do not pull the threads out of the crank.

That is the advantage of the installer tool, it threads into the crank, but does not turn on the crank threads while installing, so there is less risk of damage to the crank internal threads. The roller bearing thrust washer helps serve the same purpose. I put some anti seize on the crank also.

At least that is the theory of it.

I have never used a bfh, but was surprise to learn just last fall, that small block Chevys from 55 to sometime in the mid 60's did not have threads in the crank nose, or bolts. The damper was originally press fit and the recommended service installation tool was exactly that, a bfh.