Harmonic Balancer help needed!!!

bricker82 · #1 12-02-2007, 08:02 PM

So my wife's 2000 3.1L GP's main drive pulley is wobbling. Not a lot, but enough that you can hear it and see it. I assume that it's the Harmonic Balancer that's causing this. The pulley is not able to be turned by hand and seems snug and the car still runs.

Any ideas? Is this something that I could do in a day, or any ideas of cost for a shop to do it?

EDIT: No Codes.

GTP Dad · #2 12-03-2007, 08:14 AM

Sounds like the balancer is coming apart. Sometimes the rubber between the inner and outer part of the balancer will come apart and cause this issue. The only recourse is to replace the balancer. You can do this in a day as no special tools are required just a puller, an impact wrench (air or electric) and some time.

tblake · #3 12-03-2007, 11:00 AM

did the 3100's have rubber in the balancer? I thought that was only the 3800's.

richtazz · #4 12-03-2007, 12:48 PM

Almost if not all factory balancers have a rubber isolator ring. It's how they help quell the oscillation and vibration caused by the reciprocating parts yanking the crank around.

bricker82 · #5 12-03-2007, 01:59 PM

Thank You very much for the info! Looks like I have a project to take care of.

Edit: Why is an impact wrench needed? To break the bolt free w/o spinning the crank? I don't have an impact wrench so if there is another way to do this, please let me know!

bricker82 · #6 12-03-2007, 02:15 PM

Just looked at everything again and noticed that there rubber sticking out between the pulley and the center of the pulley, I assume that is the problem.

Also, is there any chance that the "Hub" would be bad also. I had a shop quote me for $250 so I want to do it instead.

GTP Dad · #7 12-03-2007, 04:26 PM

I really don't know what a hub would have to do with the harmonic balancer, unless you are talking about the inner part of the balancer and yes that will need to be changed since the ring cannot be put back on once the rubber is bad. The bolt on these engines is very tight, the impact wrench makes it much easier to remove. Go to a rental place, you should be able to rent one for a few dollars, believe me it will be worth the price you pay. To get to the balancer remove the front wheel on the passenger side to gain access and the bolt should be easy to get to. The entire balancer will come off once you use the puller. The entire assembly will need to be replaced. Try a wrecking yard for a good used one or contact a dealer for a new one. I don't know if you can get one from an autoparts store. Good Luck!

bricker82 · #8 12-03-2007, 04:37 PM

Thanks, I think the shop was trying to take me for a ride with the whole "hub" business, because the harmonic balancers that I found online, were $125 for the whole assembley. Remove and replace.

I'll try that impact wrench rental, but my wife is givin me some sh*t about workin on her car. She wants me to take it to the shop!!! Oh well, it's her money!

Thanks again all, this is the only place I received an answer about this issue!!!

It's funny, the other "places" I go talk more about performance and tuning, yet nobody could help with this. How can you have a fast car w/o being able to keep it run!!!

richtazz · #9 12-03-2007, 05:29 PM

IF you take the inspection cover off the bottom of the trans and expose the flywheel, you can do one of two things to keep the engine from rotating while you take the center bolt out of the balancer. You can have an assistant hold a pry bar or big flat head screwdriver in one of the flywheel teeth, or if you're alone, clamp a set of vice grips tightly on the flywheel.

bricker82 · #10 12-03-2007, 08:29 PM

Thx for the help guys, all done. Wife didn't trust me, so she took it to the dang shop and forked out some dough.

I think I could've done this easily, but she's a delivery driver and didn't want to chance not having a car for another night! Oh well, there's always next time, especially with these cars!

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