Harmonic Balancer went bad, possibly bad crank? Please help.
11-15-2006, 11:59 AM
#1
Staging Lane
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Harmonic Balancer went bad, possibly bad crank? Please help. A few nights ago as I was driving around my C5 started saying charging system failure, along with some flactuation in the RPM.
The next night, it happened again when I turned the AC on and it started blowing hot.
This time the message didnt go away, I drove around for about 5 minutes wondering what the problem was.
Next thing you know the DIC starts beeping and i look at the temp gauge. temp was pegged at 260.
Turn the car off and pull over at a gas station.
Upon initial inspection, the belts were spinning, barely... I looked at the crank and the crank bolt was spinning quickly where the crank pulley was not, and the engine was spilling oil everywhere (seems the front timing oil seal let go as well).
I assumed that the center of the crank seperated from the outer part and I took it in to the shop and ordered a powerbond for the replacement.
The guy just called me to tell me the old pulley came off like butter.
He has not been able to press the new pulley on yet (waiting on the new oil seal)
But he said it may be possible that when he puts the new pulley on with the new bolt, it might not be a tight fit (referring to the same scenario as a spun bearing) and said the crank might be bad and that when the crank spins again the pulley may possible not spin along with it.
at this point he was referring to the old gm motors that used to have keys on the cranks...
He's saying this is worst case scenario though and he wont know until he puts it back together.
So heres the question. I find it extremely rare that an LS1 crank would go bad in this fashion. Possibly the old crankpulley/harmonic balancer but not the crank.
Has anyone ever heard of this sort of scenario before?
Other then that.. hes waiting on the new oil seal.. He's gonna put it all back together and fire it up and hopefully everything should be spinning the way it should be.
What do you guys think?
I highly doubt the crank is bad.
The next night, it happened again when I turned the AC on and it started blowing hot.
This time the message didnt go away, I drove around for about 5 minutes wondering what the problem was.
Next thing you know the DIC starts beeping and i look at the temp gauge. temp was pegged at 260.
Turn the car off and pull over at a gas station.
Upon initial inspection, the belts were spinning, barely... I looked at the crank and the crank bolt was spinning quickly where the crank pulley was not, and the engine was spilling oil everywhere (seems the front timing oil seal let go as well).
I assumed that the center of the crank seperated from the outer part and I took it in to the shop and ordered a powerbond for the replacement.
The guy just called me to tell me the old pulley came off like butter.
He has not been able to press the new pulley on yet (waiting on the new oil seal)
But he said it may be possible that when he puts the new pulley on with the new bolt, it might not be a tight fit (referring to the same scenario as a spun bearing) and said the crank might be bad and that when the crank spins again the pulley may possible not spin along with it.
at this point he was referring to the old gm motors that used to have keys on the cranks...
He's saying this is worst case scenario though and he wont know until he puts it back together.
So heres the question. I find it extremely rare that an LS1 crank would go bad in this fashion. Possibly the old crankpulley/harmonic balancer but not the crank.
Has anyone ever heard of this sort of scenario before?
Other then that.. hes waiting on the new oil seal.. He's gonna put it all back together and fire it up and hopefully everything should be spinning the way it should be.
What do you guys think?
I highly doubt the crank is bad.
11-15-2006, 12:20 PM
#2
Launching!
It sounds like you suffered from a very common problem, i.e. the stock C5 pulley going bad.
Usually the outer ring separates from the inner, but it also sounds like the pulley came loose (another common issue) and base of the pulley spun free in relation to the crank surface.
So, on to the solution; as long as the crank snout isn't scored, just have the technician put the new pulley on, then pin the crank.
If you aren’t familiar with this term, basically you mount a jig on the front of the crank, drill a hole between the outer crank surface and the inner surface of the pulley, then insert a small pin. This will guarantee you'll never have another spun or loose balancer on the car again.
This pinning process takes less than 20 mins. If the tech isn’t familiar, then take the car somewhere else.
Usually the outer ring separates from the inner, but it also sounds like the pulley came loose (another common issue) and base of the pulley spun free in relation to the crank surface.
So, on to the solution; as long as the crank snout isn't scored, just have the technician put the new pulley on, then pin the crank.
If you aren’t familiar with this term, basically you mount a jig on the front of the crank, drill a hole between the outer crank surface and the inner surface of the pulley, then insert a small pin. This will guarantee you'll never have another spun or loose balancer on the car again.
This pinning process takes less than 20 mins. If the tech isn’t familiar, then take the car somewhere else.
11-15-2006, 12:32 PM
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Staging Lane
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Just read up on the issue.
Sounds like thats what it was.. a spun pulley.
He says the snout looks fine so the powerbond should be good to go on there.
Sounds like thats what it was.. a spun pulley.
He says the snout looks fine so the powerbond should be good to go on there.
11-15-2006, 12:33 PM
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Heh funny.
This mustve been caused by those 4 140+ mph races against a z06 i had recently..
Torque from the engine probably spun that old pulley loose.
that doesnt explain why it took the oil seal out with it though.. weird
This mustve been caused by those 4 140+ mph races against a z06 i had recently..
Torque from the engine probably spun that old pulley loose.
that doesnt explain why it took the oil seal out with it though.. weird
