Harmonic Balancer replacement help, please
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Harmonic Balancer replacement help, please
Hello to all. Found this forum while googling for help to this small issue. I have an 89 Bronco , 5.8 liter 351 and am attempting to replace a harmonic balancer gone bad, but I've found myself stuck. While removing the crankshaft pulley, I ran into the center bolt that holds the pulley on and I can't budge that sucker to save my life. Is it by chance reverse threaded? Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance..not sure if this problem is posted in the right forum but we'll see.
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From: Loveland, CO.
I am pretty sure that it is a reverse thread, but I am not 100% positive so make sure before you try it. Once you determine the direction of the threads and put torque to it, you might start turning the motor and not getting enough torque to the bolt. You wouldn't turn it very far with the plugs in, but it might move enough to counteract the torque that you are applying. In that case you need to hold the engine still by stopping the flywheel from moving. You can buy a cheap tool that attaches to the flywheel and bellhousing, by removing the inspection plate. It's a simple, cheap tool and worth buying as opposed to trying wedge a long screwdriver in there that always seems to fall out just as you get back out from under the vehicle and put the socket to the bolt. You can count on that... Or you could put someone down there with the long screwdriver, or pry bar, or whatever to keep the flywheel from moving - but the tool is a simple clamping device and not expensive at all. If you have a Northern Tool or a Harbor Freight nearby, you could probably get one for a few bucks; if not, the auto parts store should have one, it just might cost you a little bit more.
Last edited by JBronco; Mar 26, 2005 at 10:06 PM.
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From: Bandera, Texas
1/2" Drive long handle Breaker Bar w/ a 2" -3" extension and I think a 15/16" socket. Then a 1' - 2' cheater pipe over the Breaker Bar. The longer the pipe the better, more leverage. You shouldn't even have to hit it with a hammer to break it loose. I am pretty sure it is NOT reverse thread. Hope this helps. goldendually
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From: Gateway to the West
As I recall its NOT right-hand threaded. However the torque specs are 70-90 ft.-lbs. torque on this bolt. So, like GoldenDually posted, you will most likely need some leverage to break it free. JB makes a good point about the need to keep the crankshaft from turning while you attempt to remove the bolt. The balancer itself is pressed on as well requiring a puller (Ford Tool No. T58P-6316-D or equivalent) to complete the removal process.
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From: Loveland, CO.
That sounds like your answer. It looks like it is not reversed. I wasn't sure, but whenever I am not positive about something I will tell always say so and say to verify the answer first before tearing into the work, as I did here today. I don't want to see anybody snapping the balancer bolt off in there, with the giant cheater bar on it. I know that the idler pulley is reversed though, that's a fact. Sometimes the fan nuts are reversed too.
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From: Florida
Brian72, the crankshaft bolt that secures the harmonic, is a standard right hand tread. When removing it, the bolt must be turned in a counter clockwise [to left] direction, with a good breaker bar for leverage. You will need a harmonic balancer puller, to get the old harmonic off. When installing the new one, the crankshaft bolt should be long enough to engage the thread, without the use of a special installation tool. Would suggest you install a new oil seal in the timing chain cover housing, while your at it. The only easy way to remove the crankshaft bolt, is with an air impact wrench. Installed a rebuild long block recently, so this is still fresh in my mind. John
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From: vacaville,CA.
Would suggest you install a new oil seal in the timing chain cover housing, while your at it.
I'm getting ready to do this, manual says, use special tool to line up seal on shaft or use the balancer to line it up befor tightening all the cover bolts, is it worth getting the special tool or will the HB work just fine?
I'm getting ready to do this, manual says, use special tool to line up seal on shaft or use the balancer to line it up befor tightening all the cover bolts, is it worth getting the special tool or will the HB work just fine?
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From: Florida
gjordan456: I installed the "new seal" while the timing chain cover was removed from the vehicle, tapping around the edges, using a piece of hard wood. You can probably do the same thing, while the cover is on the vehicle, but use caution not to hit the machined surface of the crankshaft with the hammer. John
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I sincerly appreciate all the quick responses, thanks again. Monday night and still can't budge that sucker. I tried to place a hardened piece of metal (snap-on extender) throught the harmonic and lodged it onto one of the bolts holding the oil pan. My neighbor had his foot on the cheater pushing while i was pulling and BINGO - bent that piece of metal into a boomerang. I am turning the bolt counter-clockwise. Is there a a trick to lodging something in there to get good leverage? Is it ok to bang on the bad harmonic with a hammer - I wouldn't think too hard though - the crankshaft might get bent out of whack. Is it better to try and budge it from up top and not down below?
Anyway, JBronco if you by chance check this thread again, which plate on the underside is the inspection plate? I was going to try the holding the flywheel deal and see if that works. Thanks again...
Anyway, JBronco if you by chance check this thread again, which plate on the underside is the inspection plate? I was going to try the holding the flywheel deal and see if that works. Thanks again...
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From: Gateway to the West
I have done this by dropping the inspection cover from the bottom of the transmission bell housing and inserting a hefty steel object into one of the many holes in the flywheel so that when the engine tries to turn as you crank on the balancer bolt, the object in the flywheel will lodge between it and the bell housing and keep the engine from turning.
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thanks greystreak92 for the quick reply. I would imagine since I'm removing the transmisson cover, I'm going to have to replace tranny fluid (?). This is my first major repair attempt (major for me anyway), so please bear with me. I'm going to take that cover off tomorrow and see what's what. Any suggestions as to what to wedge in there that would work. Sorry, never looked at my flywheel, don't know how big the holes are. Did you break loose the crankshaft bolt from up above or down below? Thanks...
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Brian72: An air impact wrench similar to the one used in tire shops, work like a dream on the harmonic bolt ... in seconds it is out! The crankshaft on a 5.8L Ford engine, is extremely tough. When I went to pickup my rebuilt long block, the rebuilder used only the one crankshaft bolt, to lift the entire engine [bolted to a palette] and lowered it gently into my utility trailer. I was shocked, all that weight on one bolt and nothing happened.
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