Harmonic Balancer Question

My harmonic balancer is pooing out the rubber from where it is encased between the two pieces of steel, extruded kinda. Will this be a tragic thing when it fails? I plan on swapping it out pretty soon, but would rather not sooner than later. I have been spending more time with my XJ than my wife lately...try to keep one happy, and the other falls apart :laugh3:

StuckonTheDock said:

My harmonic balancer is pooing out the rubber from where it is encased between the two pieces of steel, extruded kinda. Will this be a tragic thing when it fails? I plan on swapping it out pretty soon, but would rather not sooner than later. I have been spending more time with my XJ than my wife lately...try to keep one happy, and the other falls apart :laugh3:

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That's fairly typical - and that's why I got an XJ for my wife. Now, she understands...

Yes, the rubber squidging out can be a Very Bad Thing (TM). Not only can it cause total loss of the inertia ring (that's what it's called,) but the ring is now free to "walk" back and forth on the hub. It can walk backwards into the timing cover. This is also a Bad Thing (TM), because the steel inertia ring is harder than the aluminum timing cover, and can and do eventually wear right through the thing.

You will need a harmonic damper puller to remove the old one, and you'll want to use a series of 1/2"-20 hex head screws and washers to install the new one (do not use the "sledgehammer method" - not only is the front lower crossmember in your way, but you'll wreck the new damper doing that anyhow!)

May as well change your belt and idler pully bearings while you're about it - the bearings add about 10 minutes to the job, and the belt needs to come off anyhow.

Can be catastrophic. Change it ASAP. Limit your use of the XJ until you change the thing too.
Many would rather be anywhere that their wife wasn't. You're a lucky man, you have a good excuse. Now take advantage of it.