bad harmonic balancer?

[carbed 85 gt]

So lateley last week I start to hear a little rattle coming from the front of the engine. I thought it might be an accesory so I pulled the serpetine belt and it got a bit quieter. So the idler pulley is a bit noisey but its still there with no belt. I listened from the valvecovers and the bottom of the motor near the tq converter and exhuast. But it seems to be coming right from the front on the balancer. It isnt visibly wobbling or anything, how can I tell. The sound increases speed on engine speed and does it in all gears and park and neutral. Any suggestions guys? Thanks

 

[DouglasOhio]

Hey, a few weeks ago i had a problem with my HB. It was wobbling and actually hitting the timing marker and this sounded like valvetrain noise. Not sure if this is your problem becuase u say its not wobbling. GOod luck.

 

[darkarrow]

i had this same problem 3 months ago, i heard this clack clack clack sound from the front of the engine. i had just done a $40 from standard to synthetic oil change, and i had thought my engine was know screwed, but it turned out the 4 bolts holding the pulley onto the harmonic balancer had come loose or had broken. i got under the car tightened them and the noise disappeared. it was making the clack sound, like from valve train problems, so check the pulley extensively, hopefully it is a case of a few loose bolt you can tighten. good luck.

 

[carbed 85 gt]

Well I checked the bolts and they seem fine, but looking at it I found the rubber between the inner and outer rings was working its way out towards the timing chain cover. Its out about 1/4 to 1/2 inch all the way around the back of it. I tried to wiggle the outter section and it moves a tiny bit but not freely. So I probably need a new balancer right. So what is affordable out there, seen some for 3-4 hundred dollar SFI approved stuff. Dont think I nned this type on a stock 5.0

 

[Bobert]

I had one that had the rubber pulling out like that and I replaced it with just another stocker. Seems fine (and cheap) since they seem to last an easy 100,000 miles on cars I've seen.

 

[carbed 85 gt]

Cool, I had never seen one do that. I always thought they cracked and the outer ring slipped. Thanks

 

[Bobert]

Cool, I had never seen one do that. I always thought they cracked and the outer ring slipped. Thanks

Now that I think about it again, I think mine was pulling out towards the front, not the back. Guess it doesn't matter, sounds like you need a new one anyway.

Now it seems there was one precuasion everyone told me to make while taking it off (I think to keep from buggering up the crank threads), but I can't remeber exatly what it was now. Several years since I did it and I think alzheimer’s is already setting in :o

 

[ratrapp]

i got my balancer from lrs for $180.it's the sfi approved one and comes with the spacer.

 

[DouglasOhio]

I got mine from autozone for $65, its fine.