Squeeling Harmonic Balancer...

98, i6, ax15 np231...

I have been trying to trace a belt chrip squeak in my serpentine belt for the last couple of weeks. I checked the torque and it appears (no I do not have a gauge...) to be tight, only have about a half inch of threads before I run out. With the engine running I did the old spray water till it quiets out, harmonic balancer is the squeeler. I then watched the belt as it made its rounds. I noticed a slight wobble on the pulley for the AC Delete,(http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1055932).

I pulled the belt this afternoon. I spun the idle pulley, smooth. ac delete pulley smooth. water pump smooth. fan clutch seems to be operating affectively and spun smooth.

That being said. Any similar experiences with the ac pulley not being solid?
Am I in the right ball park about a bad balancer?

Thanks for reading

Had a friend tell me his balancer went out and it didn't he same thing. Said it was a 2 piece with plastic in the middle and it squealed terribly.

I had to replace my HB fairly recently. I chased a belt squeak/shred for months. When I changed out my HB (I have a parts XJ so it was free), using a straight edge, I was BARELY able to see that my HB was starting to go south. I changed it and not a single squeak since. It doesn't take much separation for them to cause a squeak. Too much going rearward and it'll wear a hole in the timing chain cover.

easy way to tell if the balancer is slipping is to take white-out or a paint marker and draw a line across the inside and outside edge on the front of the balancer. drive it around or whatever you have to do to make it squeal then turn the engine off and see if your marks still line up. if they've shifted it's new balancer time.

I just replaced mine last week , 206k it had separated and the outside started to walk off the hub . I've had a squeal for a year and in the span of 3 months I have noticed the separation .
Bought a power bond from oreily 35 bucks .

Grim, that's a great trick. I went ahead and replaced with a power bond. install and removal were super easy. All told pulled and installed in under an hour. I did find once I had removed the harmonic that my wobbly ac delete pulley was walking the serpentine up against the timing cover. There is a chirp, but overall the thing sounds a million times better. I am going to stop over at napa on Monday to find a non dorman ac delete pulley, then off to orielleys to find a gates brand belt.

xjwisconsin said:

Grim, that's a great trick. I went ahead and replaced with a power bond. install and removal were super easy. All told pulled and installed in under an hour. I did find once I had removed the harmonic that my wobbly ac delete pulley was walking the serpentine up against the timing cover. There is a chirp, but overall the thing sounds a million times better. I am going to stop over at napa on Monday to find a non dorman ac delete pulley, then off to orielleys to find a gates brand belt.

Click to expand...

FYI all of napa's belts are made by Gates