Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Harmonic balancer

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 07:54 PM
  #1  
RS2SSxLS2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Default Harmonic balancer

After installing the balancer (LS1 Fbody balancer new from gm) onto my lq4 crankshaft I still see about an 1/8 inch of shaft behind the balancer. I can't get the original LQ4 bolt to fit it's not long enuff. After torquing the hell out of it with home made installer it won't go any further. Is this normal? What do I do now?
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 08:13 PM
  #2  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Pic?

Andrew
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 08:18 PM
  #3  
RS2SSxLS2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Default

Ill get pictures tomorrow it's too dark now. Sorry
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 08:39 PM
  #4  
Blue89Bird's Avatar
Launching!
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: 08003
Default

There's suposed to be a bit of a gap. I'm unsure why a 1/8 gap is causing your bolt not to be long enough. Are the belts in alignment? Did you grease your install tool?
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 08:49 PM
  #5  
1981TA's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 5
From: Saint John, IN
Default

What I did was take the original bolt and cut a couple grooves into the thread with an angle grinder, making a cheap thread cleaner. Then, without the balancer in place, I packed shop towels packed around the crank snout to keep stuff from falling into the front cover hole. My handy thread cleaner would then be torqued in with a regular ratchet until I felt it get a bit tight, removed, and the crank bolt hole sprayed out with brake cleaner. I repeated this several times, to make sure there was no crap in the bolt hole.

Why?

Because I ran into the same exact issue you did, twice, putting in new ARP crank pulley bolts, and ended up binding the bolts up in the holes before the pulley completely seated. Then, while attempting to remove the bolts to figure out WTF, I sheared the end 1/2 inch or so of threads off the bolt, in the hole.

My process now always includes cleaning first, and then using another bolt, lubed and with completely good threads to torque the pulley into place. You can get a 100mmx12mm grade 10.9 bolt from Menards that will do this job quite well. It happens to fit perfectly with the 1/4" thick hardened washer that comes with ARP bolts. 5 bucks.

Take out the bolt after getting pulley seated, follow up with a brake cleaner rinse, air hose dry-out, and installing your new crank pulley bolt to spec.

FWIW, if you see a gap behind the pulley, where the crank is visible, I'm guessing you'll have a nasty oil leak there.
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 10:26 PM
  #6  
ls1nova71's Avatar
TECH Veteran
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,406
Likes: 211
From: Liberty, MO
Default

Pretty sure that's normal. This is a 2002 LS1 from a camaro and it has never been apart. It has that 1/8" sticking out.
Attached Thumbnails Harmonic balancer-20160302_221814.jpg  
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2016 | 10:51 PM
  #7  
1981TA's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 5
From: Saint John, IN
Default

I've had several varieties of LS-based engines and they've all had the front cover seal on the balancer neck, not the crank shaft.

Looking at this pic, I think the gap depicted above is actually showing part of the balancer, not the crank.

Reply
Old Mar 3, 2016 | 12:16 AM
  #8  
ls1nova71's Avatar
TECH Veteran
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,406
Likes: 211
From: Liberty, MO
Default

Yes, my pic is showing part of the machined portion of the balancer which is what I thought the OP was talking about. If the actual crank was showing the balancer wouldn't be on hardly any at all and would fall off.

To the OP, is the crank even with the front of the balancer where the bolt goes? If it it, then thats as far as it's going to go on.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Mar 3, 2016 | 04:20 AM
  #9  
RS2SSxLS2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Default

Ill get some pictures this evening. It look identical to the gap in that picture though
Reply
Old Mar 3, 2016 | 04:31 AM
  #10  
gofastwclass's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,949
Likes: 28
From: KCMO
Default

If your balancer looks like the picture ls1nova71 posted, it's on all the way.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:45 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE