Harmonic Balancer Issue 305

Hello all, decided to tackle that oil leak this weekend. So here it goes, well i pulled a lot of things off today. alternator, water pump, pwr steering pump, the crankshaft pulley. now, comes the fun part.. which im, not to knowledgable about. the actual damper itself. now, i have the puller. with 3 of those fine thread bolts. turned each one of them about 6 turns in. it just sits there now, i dont know what im really getting myself into here..  

its an oil leak, im 19, so i dont know as much as all the older mechanics do. is it safe to pull it out? i took some pictures. there is a line, on the balancer. and i put that line so its right at the 0 mark on the timing tab. i pulled the cap off and the rotor was pointing about 180 degrees from #1 tdc. i thought that line being at 0 would indicate #1 at top dead centre. but i guess not. and also, the timing tab is at 12 o clock. not 2 o clock as i may have thought. so i have a new chrome timing cover, but the tab that goes at 2.. so can someone clearly tell me what the next thing is i should do? i know that i also have to remove the oil pan bolts too. thanks for reading all this. let me know

luke  

oh, i forgot. i put up 2 pictures.

http://s799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/luke476/crankshaft%20balancer/  

its always a good idea to get a repair manual for your car. they have step by step instructions with pictures. if you want to get to #1, turn your motor over one more time. sounds like your at #6. a 4 stroke spins 720 degrees.  they sell aftermarket timing pointers, or you could carefully mark your new cover.  this is a good time to check out your timing chain while your there.  good luck.  

your leak could be coming from the balancer itself.  Over time the timingcover seal will cut a small groove in the balancer and this will cause a small oil leak. Yes I said the rubberseal will cut a groove into the steel balancer  
luck is when skill and opportunity meet

i think i would prefer that the rotor is pointing to the number six .... that way the timing marks on the cam gear are pointing down... and the crank sprocket mark is pointing up....

yep... for those also reading..     cam timing mark down.. #6....    cam timing mark up...  #1.....

if you can make it down to the parts store.. there are several books .. usually 15 to 20 $US...  on how to rebuild the small block chevy.. start with the how to rebuild the small block chevy books first..   not the how to hot rod...   the how to rebuild covers different areas..    the how to hot rod  books expect you to have read and already know how to rebuild them...



can you access autozone.com from canada????

if you join and log in.. select your car...   you can access the free repair guide...  it has a TON of information..


they have a great section on pulling the damper..

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/05/c7/fb/medium/0900c1528005c7fb.gif

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/05/c7/fc/medium/0900c1528005c7fc.gif


Disconnect the negative battery cable.

Loosen and remove the drive belts from the crankshaft damper.

If necessary for access, remove the fan and pulley assembly from the water pump.


Some early model vehicles may be equipped with press fit pulley and/or damper. For a press fit component there is no retaining bolt to removed before using a puller to remove it from the crankshaft.

If separate from the damper, remove the mounting bolts, then remove the crankshaft pulley from the damper.

Spray the damper bolt with penetrating oil and allow it to soak in for at least a few minutes. Loosen and remove the crankshaft damper bolt.


If damper bolt removal is difficult, various methods may be used to hold the crankshaft while loosening or tightening the bolt. One method involves installing a flywheel holding fixture. A holding tool may be available for some dampers which threads into the pulley bolt holes. But most of all, allow the penetrating oil to do the work on loosening an old damper bolt and reapply oil, as necessary.

Remove the damper from the end of the crankshaft using a suitable threaded damper puller, NOT a jawed-type puller which would most likely destroy the damper.



WARNING
The use of any other type of puller, such as a universal claw type which pulls on the outside of the hub, can destroy the balancer. The outside ring of the balancer is bonded in rubber to the hub. Pulling on the outside will break the bond.

To install:

If removal of the damper was difficult, check the damper inner diameter and the crankshaft outer diameter for corrosion. A small amount of corrosion may be removed using steel wool, then the surface may be lubricated lightly using clean engine oil.

Coat the front cover seal contact edge of the damper lightly with clean engine oil, then install the damper on the end of the crankshaft. Do not hammer the damper into position, instead use a damper installation tool to slowly draw the hub into position. If the damper can be positioned far enough over the end of the crankshaft, the damper bolt may be used to draw it into position, but be careful that sufficient threads are in contact to prevent stripping the bolt or crankshaft.

Once the damper is fully seated, install and tighten the retaining bolt to specification.

If separate, install and secure the damper pulley.

If removed, install the fan and pulley to the water pump.

Install the drive belts to the crankshaft pulley, then adjust their tension.

Connect the negative battery cable.





here is how to get the timing cover off.. after you take out all the bolts...

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/05/c8/05/medium/0900c1528005c805.gif

there are a bunch more sections..  like replacing the front crank seal... or timing cover seal...  

Nice post as usual Wayne
 
When The Flag Drops,,, The BullChit Stops,,,
Master Engine Builder

cool thanks guys, i got the damper off. pulled it straight out, undid the 16 pan bolts, and removed the cover.. its weird though, the left side of the engine (while looking at it from the front) the chain seems to be tight, but the right side is as loose as a .. well its loose. haha. going to wait till next weekend till i get back then ill have the 12 o clock timing tab fastened to the chrome timing cover. and also a damper installation tool. but to reinstall the damper, cant i just thread in a new centre bolt thats longer to drive it in? then once its in, take it out and put in my pulley with my old bolts?  

Sounds like a mighty good time to install a new timing chain. If its sloppy replace it. Use a Cloyes. One side carries all the tension, thats why its loose on just one side. They are a weak spot (the OEM chains and gears) and if its loose your engine will run OK but you'll be missing out on some smooth runnin and torquey-ness.

The reason you want to tap the balancer on with a 2x4 and mallet (lol thats how I do) rather than pulling it on with the bolt is because that will affect the bolt torque. Pull it on with a bolt and within a few months the snout of your balancer will wobble, crack, and eventually grenade, sending chunxx into the oil pan. Just like a factory timing set will. Ask how I know

+1 on looking closely at the balancer. Rubber carves steel just like water carves stone  
.
"1969 Grand Prix, 1972 Cutlass Supreme, 1976 ElCamino, 1999 Grand Prix GT Coupe"

so i was just cleaning up the old parts i took off the engine, like all the pulleys etc.. going to try some chevy orange lol see how they work.. but, and i had a look at my oil pan gasket.. the one i bought brand new, and theres like one little slice right at the top corner, but not right through by any means, i dunno its a lot of work to take the whole pan right out and try and bring that gasket back to canadian tire. lol. its just a little slice, like i say.. maybe some extra silicone will do?  ohh and for silicone, whats recommended? i have some ultra-blue stuff for brake pads,, people say that'll work.. just in the corners?

and to do a new chain, is it just undo those 4 bolts on the camshaft gear? what about the crank gear? does that come too?  i was thinking about gear drive .. can it happen on a stock 305?  

hows this one look?
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-auto-parts-tires-engine-engine-parts-Brand-New-COMP-Cams-3100-5-Timing-Chain-and-Gear-Set-Hi-Tech-W0QQAdIdZ176626308  

All you need is a stock replacement timing chain. No race brand, no gear drive.

You have got a manual that covers timing chain replacement, right? And a torque wrench and flexplate holding tool, for the put-together?

I'd use Ultra Black sealer, not brake shoe glue.

Your small slice may be OK, but you ARE there to fix an oil leak, was that it?  
.
"1969 Grand Prix, 1972 Cutlass Supreme, 1976 ElCamino, 1999 Grand Prix GT Coupe"

check out this balancer installation video..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8PUFNlTFqA

you can do the same thing with longer 7/16-20 grade 8 bolts...  these have 6 stripes on the head..



the standard bolt is about 2 1/2 inches long...    you might get a 3 and a half inch .. and a 4 inch bolt.. and a short stack of 7/16 id washers...

just curious.... i looked over at the canadian tire web site.. they have a harmonic balancer puller and installer kit..  Harmonic Balancer kit Product #25-6357-8  is that what you got????   or did you kit include a Large stud with external threads... and a bunch of short studs that thread into the end..  this is used like the video above to drive the balancer back on.. after you make sure the woodruff key way is lined up.  

yes, i have the exact same puller tool. with the 3 bolts, i dont have that installer tool.. good video by the way too. the thing is though, when you thread that piece into the crankshaft, the whole engine wants to turn over..  

maybe theres a video like that on how to replace a timing chain  

the thing is, i cant seem to find any sort of timing marks on any of the gears that are on there.. there are 3 bolts holding the cam gear on. so arent there only 3 ways that a cam gear can go back on? .. and the crank gear is splined on..

is there any way that once the gears are removed, that the crank or cam will move?