crank balancer shaking!!!
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: new orleans to houston
crank balancer shaking!!! Today when I started my car I heard some clicking noise from the engine and upon popping the hood I saw the balancer itself was shaking and wobbling as the serpetine belt moved along with it. Do I have to tighten the bolts on the hub or do I have to replace it? I promise yall I'm at my last with this car, first the tranny mount dry-rotted and fell out a few weeks ago making the exhaust bang the floor-pan, then oil leaks, then the drivers window came off the track thus making the window fall in the door, and now this! This **** is ridiculous!!!
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Bahrain
dude the car is more than 10 years old, the problems ur getting are just aging signes that u would get with any other car. my wifes 2007 Mitsubishi Galant rear window fell in the door couple of days ago while driving for no reason, when i opned the door panel i found the cable bracket broken :/
anyway, for the balancer i would say remove the bolts and hammer it in with a mallet and then tighten the bolts, run the engine and see if it wobbles while rotating
anyway, for the balancer i would say remove the bolts and hammer it in with a mallet and then tighten the bolts, run the engine and see if it wobbles while rotating
Hey:
^ Only ill advised, you're sure being nice. Even a plastic dead blow hammer is not a good idea. You can by hammering on the Balancer separate the outer and inner rings by tearing the isolation material on a 13 year old+, multi thousand mile, and already wobbling, cast critical component. If it comes apart, it can do significant damage to the engine and accessories, especially if the car has had dry rot problems in the past, it may need further inspection.
? Has the motor been apart or the timing cover been off recently?
Has the opti been changed recently? If so and an install tool was not used on the hub, the crank threads could be stripped, as the bolt is not long enough to engage the threads properly to tighten back on if used alone.
If no to above
1. Inspect the balancer, check for dry rot and make sure its not coming apart with the two pieces uneven. If so replace the part.
2. Inspect check hub flange and see if it has appeared to have moved forward, check center bolt for tightness, while preventing crank from spinning, crank bolt should be torqued 75 FT LBS.
3. check the 3 bolts holding it to the hub for tightness 60 FT LBS.
Only use an install tool or like means of reinstalling it...Some Autozones have one you can use for free, just leave a returnable deposit, and bring it back in working order the way it left.
With your other problems, that can happen to any vehicle after awhile.
Unless you're the original owner, you have no idea how the car has been maintained, used or abused, and subjected to what type of conditions.
It could have been left out in extreme weather, flooded and used as a Dukes Of Hazzards chase car, for all you know, and they don't show up on a Carfax if not reported.
Good luck
Dub
When In Doubt Do Without
^ Only ill advised, you're sure being nice. Even a plastic dead blow hammer is not a good idea. You can by hammering on the Balancer separate the outer and inner rings by tearing the isolation material on a 13 year old+, multi thousand mile, and already wobbling, cast critical component. If it comes apart, it can do significant damage to the engine and accessories, especially if the car has had dry rot problems in the past, it may need further inspection.
? Has the motor been apart or the timing cover been off recently?
Has the opti been changed recently? If so and an install tool was not used on the hub, the crank threads could be stripped, as the bolt is not long enough to engage the threads properly to tighten back on if used alone.
If no to above
1. Inspect the balancer, check for dry rot and make sure its not coming apart with the two pieces uneven. If so replace the part.
2. Inspect check hub flange and see if it has appeared to have moved forward, check center bolt for tightness, while preventing crank from spinning, crank bolt should be torqued 75 FT LBS.
3. check the 3 bolts holding it to the hub for tightness 60 FT LBS.
Only use an install tool or like means of reinstalling it...Some Autozones have one you can use for free, just leave a returnable deposit, and bring it back in working order the way it left.
With your other problems, that can happen to any vehicle after awhile.
Unless you're the original owner, you have no idea how the car has been maintained, used or abused, and subjected to what type of conditions.
It could have been left out in extreme weather, flooded and used as a Dukes Of Hazzards chase car, for all you know, and they don't show up on a Carfax if not reported.
Good luck
Dub
When In Doubt Do Without
Last edited by 1993 z28 f1; Jun 23, 2010 at 07:18 PM. Reason: spacing, torque specs
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 430
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From: Bahrain
Ahhh u guys didnt get it, i didnt mean to hammer the hub on the crank snout, i was talking about hammering the balancer pully on the hub with a rubber mallet, all it takes is a couple of knocks to have it seated on the hub 
the OPs question was: (Do I have to tighten the bolts on the hub or do I have to replace it?)
so since hes talking bout more than one bolt i guess he was refering to the damper pully not the hub !!!!!! i could be wrong
the OPs question was: (Do I have to tighten the bolts on the hub or do I have to replace it?)
so since hes talking bout more than one bolt i guess he was refering to the damper pully not the hub !!!!!! i could be wrong
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Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 183
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From: new orleans to houston
Yes I meant the pulley thats on the very bottom underneath the waterpump. Thats the one that is shaking when I drive it. I just figured since it was loose maybe I can see if I can tighten it up. I'll give it a shot this weekend and I will keep yall updated...
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What you guys seem to be overlooking, is that there TWO possibilities here, not one, and NEITHER gets attacked with a hammer......
Possibility 1... the outer pulley has come loose from the center hub. Check the 3 bolts that hold the pulley to the hub. (the 3 bolts will easily seat the pulley, a hammer is NOT necessary)
Possibility 2... the bolt that goes through the center of the hub has come loose. This allowed the entire pulley/hub assembly to wobble, and if this happened, the snout of the crank has been chewed, which is serious. However, before assuming the worst, check the bolt that is recessed in the center of the hub. Make sure it is tight.
If not, leave the hammer in the tool box, get a bolt that is about 1/2-3/4" longer, as well as a few flat washers. Use the longer bolt and stack of flat washers to draw the hub back on, then install a new bolt of the original length, along with one flat washer and lock washer.
After looking at this again, there is actually a third possibility, and "mark97ta"s post got me thinking....possibly the elastometric band between the outer and inner rings of the pulley is giving up, and the outer ring is shaking around. If so, time for a replacement....
Possibility 1... the outer pulley has come loose from the center hub. Check the 3 bolts that hold the pulley to the hub. (the 3 bolts will easily seat the pulley, a hammer is NOT necessary)
Possibility 2... the bolt that goes through the center of the hub has come loose. This allowed the entire pulley/hub assembly to wobble, and if this happened, the snout of the crank has been chewed, which is serious. However, before assuming the worst, check the bolt that is recessed in the center of the hub. Make sure it is tight.
If not, leave the hammer in the tool box, get a bolt that is about 1/2-3/4" longer, as well as a few flat washers. Use the longer bolt and stack of flat washers to draw the hub back on, then install a new bolt of the original length, along with one flat washer and lock washer.
After looking at this again, there is actually a third possibility, and "mark97ta"s post got me thinking....possibly the elastometric band between the outer and inner rings of the pulley is giving up, and the outer ring is shaking around. If so, time for a replacement....
Last edited by leadfoot4; Jun 23, 2010 at 06:10 PM.
yeah you should REPLACE it, don't hammer it lol... i would do it soon before it leaves you on the side of the road... the one on my dad's formula almost wore a hole through the optispark where rubber had come un lodged and was kinda slicing it lol... we got one for car locally for like 100.00 bucks
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: new orleans to houston
OK I had a quick look at it and saw that the pulley is trashed and not the hub. And what I mean by trashed, the inner part of the pulley is just worn out probably from wear and tear. So my question is can I just replace the pulley itself or the pulley and hub has to come off???
Try one of the site sponsors that's a GM supplier. Since it's an OE part you'll need, you need to contact a GM parts supplier.
Once you get a new pulley, it's 3 bolts off, old pulley off, slide new pulley on, tighten 3 bolts in place. Re-install serpentine belt, test drive as necessary.
NOTE: the bolt pattern for the 3 bolts is "asymmetrical", in other words the bolt holes are not evenly spaced, on purpose. Line up all 3 bolt holes before installing bolts.
Once you get a new pulley, it's 3 bolts off, old pulley off, slide new pulley on, tighten 3 bolts in place. Re-install serpentine belt, test drive as necessary.
NOTE: the bolt pattern for the 3 bolts is "asymmetrical", in other words the bolt holes are not evenly spaced, on purpose. Line up all 3 bolt holes before installing bolts.
I just had one separate on me a couple months ago.. It was the rubber dampening material that is in the center of the two pieces of the pulley itself. I got a new one at advanced auto for like 70$. go on there website and look it up there not to expensive really.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 183
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From: new orleans to houston
Try one of the site sponsors that's a GM supplier. Since it's an OE part you'll need, you need to contact a GM parts supplier.
Once you get a new pulley, it's 3 bolts off, old pulley off, slide new pulley on, tighten 3 bolts in place. Re-install serpentine belt, test drive as necessary.
NOTE: the bolt pattern for the 3 bolts is "asymmetrical", in other words the bolt holes are not evenly spaced, on purpose. Line up all 3 bolt holes before installing bolts.
Once you get a new pulley, it's 3 bolts off, old pulley off, slide new pulley on, tighten 3 bolts in place. Re-install serpentine belt, test drive as necessary.
NOTE: the bolt pattern for the 3 bolts is "asymmetrical", in other words the bolt holes are not evenly spaced, on purpose. Line up all 3 bolt holes before installing bolts.
Same thing that just happened to me from what I saw. The actual center of the pulley is worn out.
And to sum it all up the belt slipped off therefore mangling it. So now I have to buy a new serp. belt. Oh well it was that time anyway.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: new orleans to houston
Update: I tried loosening the bolts to the pulley so I can replace it but the hub itself moves just a little bit. But damn those bolts are on tight as hell!!! I sprayed some liquid wrench on the bolts, let it sit for a few minutes, tried loosening them again to no avail. Is there anything else I can do to get the bolts off, because its a pain in the ***?!
