** Need help asap** Harmonic balancer bolt install
** Need help asap** Harmonic balancer bolt install My friend and I are doing a cam swap on his 97 c5. I have done various cam swaps on ls1 based trucks and cars. Just recently I did a cam swap in my 98 vette. In my past experiences I have never encountered the harmonic balancer bolt to be so tight goin on. It was kind of tough to break the bolt free intially. But, now when we started to install the balancer we got it to within 1/8 inch from where it needs to be. When trying to seat the balancer further in moves the car with it, also the 1/2 in breaker bar bends. Everything went normal until the last part of seating the balancer back in. What could of went wrong, or what can I do?
I had something similiar happen to me:
I went to install an ARP balancer bolt on my ('99 vette) LS1. It threaded about 6 threads in and stopped. I too bent tools trying to get it to turn further. It took 4 of us to get it back out (fortunately, my engine was on a stand) but when it came out the threads on the ARP bolt were toast. (We thought we'd just break the bolt head off and have to have a machine shop fix the crank)
The bolt went in straight, too so I have no idea why this happened. The bolt length was identical to the factory GM bolt, too.
I ordered a metric tap and chased my threads out which, fortunately, the threads on the crank were fine. Just the ARP bolt went bad.
Then I installed a new bolt with no hassle whatsoever. Now its fine. Still don't know why it happened...
My leasson learned was to chase the threads. It's possible GM used some sealant or something on the threads (sometimes GM threads come with a blue colored threadloc, too) and this gummed up??
I hope this is helpful.
I went to install an ARP balancer bolt on my ('99 vette) LS1. It threaded about 6 threads in and stopped. I too bent tools trying to get it to turn further. It took 4 of us to get it back out (fortunately, my engine was on a stand) but when it came out the threads on the ARP bolt were toast. (We thought we'd just break the bolt head off and have to have a machine shop fix the crank)
The bolt went in straight, too so I have no idea why this happened. The bolt length was identical to the factory GM bolt, too.
I ordered a metric tap and chased my threads out which, fortunately, the threads on the crank were fine. Just the ARP bolt went bad.
Then I installed a new bolt with no hassle whatsoever. Now its fine. Still don't know why it happened...
My leasson learned was to chase the threads. It's possible GM used some sealant or something on the threads (sometimes GM threads come with a blue colored threadloc, too) and this gummed up??
I hope this is helpful.
Make sure the threads are completely cleaned. Tighten the OLD bolt up some to bring the pulley on, then reverse it to make sure its not stripping it. You need to tighten the old bolt to 240 ft/lbs, then take it out, put the new one in, tighten to 37 ft/lbs, then turn another 180 deg, and its done.
I am using the old bolt right now. The balancer is about one cog off on the serpitine belt. The bolt is tight in both directions. It will loosen up when I reverse directions and then tighten again. What are my options right now?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
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From: Bergen County, NJ
You are in trouble I'm afraid. Your threads are damaged and you run the risk of breaking the bolt. Only thing I can think of is to heat the bolt really hot to cause it to expand and then cool it down to try to create some room against the crank threads, then try to back it out. It's been repeated many times here, use a threaded rod, the trouble you avoid makes it well worth the extra time.
Got the old bolt out now. Fresh day; Fresh start. Out of the 1 inch thread contact inside the crank, 1/2 in is stripped on the bolt. I am planning on using another old bolt I have and grind down two sides flat and use wd-40 and chase the threads in the crank. Does anyone have any ideas or other suggestions in order to make the reinstallation a success?
I fixed the stripped crank bolt. Apparently the crank was fine and the crank bolt suffered the most. I cleaned and tapped the crank with an old bolt that i had. When threading the old bolt in I made sure that i could hand tighten the bolt all the way to the balancer hub. So all I had to do is put the new bolt in and torque
it to the 250ftlb. Now the car is running and no problems. Thanks guys for all your input. If not I don't know how bad off I would be.
it to the 250ftlb. Now the car is running and no problems. Thanks guys for all your input. If not I don't know how bad off I would be.
Originally Posted by Red12secZ28
I fixed the stripped crank bolt. Apparently the crank was fine and the crank bolt suffered the most. I cleaned and tapped the crank with an old bolt that i had. When threading the old bolt in I made sure that i could hand tighten the bolt all the way to the balancer hub. So all I had to do is put the new bolt in and torque
it to the 250ftlb. Now the car is running and no problems. Thanks guys for all your input. If not I don't know how bad off I would be.
it to the 250ftlb. Now the car is running and no problems. Thanks guys for all your input. If not I don't know how bad off I would be.
sweet man, so you tightened the old bolt to 240, backed it out, and put the new one to 37, then turn 180 deg. right? Thats the way the new bolt should be in there. I don't know if it makes that much difference, but it may. Good luck either way, and glad you got it going
I did that once 
torqued the old bolt down to 250 - got a phone call, forgot about it, packed up my stuff, threw the belt on and took it for a spin. About 20 miles later the car spit the belt - THANK GOD - I opened the hood, no belt, no bolt and the ASP was about 1/4" from falling off 
I'll never make that mistake again.
Opened up my tool box and saw my new bolt...
torqued the old bolt down to 250 - got a phone call, forgot about it, packed up my stuff, threw the belt on and took it for a spin. About 20 miles later the car spit the belt - THANK GOD - I opened the hood, no belt, no bolt and the ASP was about 1/4" from falling off I'll never make that mistake again.Opened up my tool box and saw my new bolt...
Originally Posted by Griswold
use threaded rod and you won't run into these problems
What I do, is use an old bolt and cut groves in it on opposite sides and make my own chaser to clean the threads with then reinstall the new bolt to tighten down.