• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Harmonic Balancer, how do I know when it's at the right spot on the crank??

N

nate438

NAXJA Forum User
Location
NE
I have a 1990 XJ that I have just insalled a new harmonic balancer on. I used the installer tool from Auto Zone and for the most part it's on. My concern is how do I know where the balancer is supposed to stop on the crank? Let me explain, while insalling it to me it appears that it's pretty close to lined up with the other pullyes. It was pretty hard to get it installed close to where the old one was. The kew way is lined up by I didn't know if I could just keep wrenching on the HB installer and it would stop and bottom out when it's right or how I would tell it's fully seated where it should be? I just dont want to think it's good and not have it on far enough, or to far for that matter. I thought it would just but up against the oil slinger and timing gear but not sure on that one.

Thanks.
 
I pushed mine on too far, there is a spec somewhere for the depth between it and the timing cover but I could not find it when I needed it. When you torque the retaining bolt to where it should be, the damper will not be coming off.

I was doing a complete rebuild for a stroker at the time, I also went with an AC delete pully and a newer style PS bracket, as a result of all of that I am now running a 97+ length belt with 1 groove shaved off...
 
5-90 said:
The crankshaft nose should be flush with the hub of the damper.
Click to expand...

X2 or 3 or 4 whatever. The balancer will butt up to the hub against the nose of the crankshaft.:rof:
 
Because of the iffy quality of aftermarket ballancers I installed a new factory one on our 1989. The older 4.0 engines had a oil splash ring on the front of the crank inside the timing cover which wasn't used on your engine, so I needed to have the inside nose of the ballancer machined to match the original.
Yours should be fine if you just snug it down.
 
Mine had an oil slinger when I took off the timing cover, I had to replace the timing chain and gears. I talked with the engine tech's at Hesco and they said that I had to have the oil slinger and that I could just put on the HB with it. I really trust those guys but never got a chance to ask them about this issue.

Just to make things a little more clear if it helps, it has a Marshel reman 4.0 in it not the factory one and the HB brand is Graywerks 102005.
 
wolfpackjeeper said:
I set mine up that way, which is why mine ended up being stupid. Damn 258 crank
Click to expand...
I read somewhere that the 258 crank snout is about 1/4" longer then the 4.0 crank. Didn't yours get shortened?
 
tbburg said:
I read somewhere that the 258 crank snout is about 1/4" longer then the 4.0 crank. Didn't yours get shortened?
Click to expand...

10m/m - just over 3/8". You can either cut off 10m/m on the crank snout, or turn a spacer 10m/m thick off of an old damper. Put the damper on, put the spacer on, and tighten.
 
Sorry Nate, we kind of got off topic there. :rof: That damn ADD just keeps kickin' in.
 
LOL, no problem. I think I'm going to run it in as far as I can and it should bottom out agains the oil slinger and the timing gear. Then just torque the retainer bold down and I'm set. I guess if you think about it the crank has no point on it from the front of the crank where you slide it on all the way to the timing gear so by design it has to stay put in one spot and if you just put it on there with a key way it could still move back and forth. So it has to be pressed between two items to stop its movement. The timing gear and the retainer bolt. When all esle fails simple logic:roflmao:
 
5-90 said:
10m/m - just over 3/8". You can either cut off 10m/m on the crank snout, or turn a spacer 10m/m thick off of an old damper. Put the damper on, put the spacer on, and tighten.
Click to expand...

I made a spacer, turned out my digital caliper was on its last legs and starting to fail (a few weeks later when setting up My 9" it was starting to read .1 in increments as over 4") and was off by a hair or 7 or 8. end result was it got pushed in a little too far. The belt actually rides ok on the HB, but with the new intake manifold and PS pump it pulls it out too far, and the AC delete pulley was off too. So instead of tearing it all back down again and going through that headache I just trimmed the belt and grabbed another beer.
 
PhotographerMike said:
Because of the iffy quality of aftermarket ballancers I installed a new factory one on our 1989. The older 4.0 engines had a oil splash ring on the front of the crank inside the timing cover which wasn't used on your engine, so I needed to have the inside nose of the ballancer machined to match the original.
Yours should be fine if you just snug it down.
Click to expand...

1987 4.0 AW4 97,000 miles

My harmonic balancer needs to be replaced: a little wobble, cracked rubber, extremely minimal clearance with timing chain cover, and the famous "chirping".

Based on my search of the site, aftermarket Dormans appear to be crap.
If I go OEM, do I need to machine the balancer as the above poster did, because I also have an "oil slinger"? Any other options, or better after market balancers out there not made by the Chinese?

Thanks everyone. This site save me bunches of time and money in isolating my problem.


Greg
 
I haven't had any problems with my shaved Factory H.B. since I installed it over 3 years ago.
What I saw when I was shopping were all Chinese junk, one I got had the edges broken off in the sealed box, bad alloy and casting. Dorman is a distributor for many different parts chains. When I got my factory ballancer it was made in Canada, but who knows were they are made now.

"This site save me bunches of time and money . . ."

I came to the same conclusion and have been a paying member ever since.

Mike
 
When you put the new HB on just run it up close to what looks like it's all the way on, then take your tork wrench and set it and tighten it till it clicks and your done. Just did mine this past week, no problems. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks guys.

For PhotographerMike: did you take the original and the new balancer to a machine shop and have them measure and shave that way? Did you just leave the timing chain cover on and just replace the seal? I'm not sure, I believe I read some say I should also replace the timing cover gasket. Did you? Sllinger is not touched, correct?

I was born and raised in the SFV and escaped to GA in 1992. Man has CA and the world changed since I grew up as a teen in the 60's:)

For TBones 88 XJ: what brand did you go with?

Muchas Gracias
 
I took both to the machine shop after reading about the difference in depth. The reason I had it trimmed is that I didn't want to pull the timing cover and worry about another leak starting. If you do replace the gasket I'm pretty sure you can remove the oil slinger ring when you're in there, you'll need to check if it's needed, but I don't think so.

"I was born and raised in the SFV and escaped to GA in 1992. Man has CA and the world changed since I grew up as a teen in the 60's"

And I had a girlfriend named Diane in Sylmar back before the earthquake . . .

Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
996
RCP Phx
R
C
Ticking/Knock/Rattle that matches RPM 88 XJ
Replies
13
Views
2K
PacificEd
PacificEd
B
Dash brake light on after replacing rear brakes
Replies
1
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
B
Replacing my cooling system, should I do the harmonic balancer while I'm in there?
Replies
7
Views
1K
windlover
W
J
Sudden Crank/No Start condition - also no accessories in On/Run?
2
Replies
22
Views
3K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top