Thumper33

so I've been driving my LS1 Wrangler for a month now and have been trying to find the source of a vibration and finally found it. The main crank pulley is bent. I don't know if it's the pulley or the shaft...

God I hope it's just the pulley, but I assume it happened when the engine was being shipped or moved. But what do you think are the chances that the shaft is bent and not just a pulley. It isn't off by that much, but just enough so that I notice it at about 3,000 rpm if I'm there constantly like on the highway cruising.

Can I just remove the main nut and pull that pulley off pretty easily? or is it a bitch to get off of there?

thunder550

iTrader: (70)

The crank pulley is a press fit. You need a 3 jaw gear puller to get it off there, or a specialty tool for the LSx engines. AutoZone rents a 3 jaw gear puller that has worked fine for me.

Rodder

iTrader: (2)

The pulley is also the balancer. My first guess would be that the outer ring has slipped. The LS1 balancer is press fit onto crank (no woodruff key). They are a royal bitch to remove/install. There's probably a bunch of other threads in various forums here describing heating the balancer up in an oven to make it easier to install.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Rent the correct puller/installer for GM engines, I will make life a lot easier... get a new Balancer/pully and if it is OEM one... make sure you get a new bolt.

'JustDreamin'

You'd better hope that it's the pulley, because the shaft in question is the Crankshaft. Meaning you'll be pulling the engine to replace it. Make sure you get the correct balancer when you replace it. Needs to match the accessory drive system you're using (ie, f-body, C5/C6, truck, whatever).

The good news is that the crankshaft is damn stout and tough to bend without it being real obvious that its bent (like the rest of the front of the block would be smashed because it got bent when it was hit by a freight train).

'JustDreamin'