2004 harmonic balancer problems
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Island KY
2004 harmonic balancer problems
Anyone ever had this promblem before. A freind of the family has a 04 4.0 explorer, it started making a noise in the front of engine. She was told it was timing chain issue. I started taking it apart to fix for her and found the inside peice of the balancer had broken loose and was banging around. I put a new balancer and bolt on it and now has no noise. is this a common problem.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Chesapeake, Va.
Anyone ever had this promblem before. A freind of the family has a 04 4.0 explorer, it started making a noise in the front of engine. She was told it was timing chain issue. I started taking it apart to fix for her and found the inside peice of the balancer had broken loose and was banging around. I put a new balancer and bolt on it and now has no noise. is this a common problem.
I don't know about "common" but it seems that all of the manufacturers have an abundance of problems with the harmonic balancers, some can be much worse than noise. A little more than a year ago my daughter in law was on the interstate doing about 65 mph and all of a sudden the van, a Windstar with the 3.8 engine, just died. After having it towed home and looking it over for a cause it was discovered that when cranking the engine the balancer was not turning. We checked it out and the outer ring of the balancer had slipped on the inner hub which apparently caused a severe out of balance condition and it broke the crank snout behind the timing gear. We had rebuilt the engine about 3 years easrlier and didn't feel like going through that again and we put a brand new transmission in that we bought on eBay at the same time as the rebuild. Just said "to hell with it" and gave it to a junker. it was a damned good van too, until that happened.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Chesapeake, Va.
I'm glad it was an easy fix and not something much worse.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,584
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake, Va.
I'm glad it was an easy fix and not something much worse.
New User
Joined: Sep 2006
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Harmonic Balancer Problems
I have an 04 Explorer with a V6. I took it to the Ford garage for noise from the serpentine belt, and they replaced the serpentine belt. However, the real problem was the metal pulley had broken away from the harmonic balancer. When they replaced the belt they put it on the rubber part of the harmonic balancer with the metal pulley part between the belt and the engine. I drove 700 miles over the mountains from AZ to CO without problems, but the next morning my wife drove the car 2 miles and the car was hissing and the belt was squealing. The pulley had worn a hole in an A/C line, so the local Ford garage replaced the harmonic balancer and the A/C line.
The AZ garage initially tried to convince me they did nothing wrong--they actually believed the serpentine belt can jump off the harmonic balancer when it breaks apart and then land on the remaining part while the engine is running. Eventually they apologized and reimbursed me for the serpentine belt and my warranty deductible!
This is the first time I purchased an extended warranty and I am certainly using it a lot!
The AZ garage initially tried to convince me they did nothing wrong--they actually believed the serpentine belt can jump off the harmonic balancer when it breaks apart and then land on the remaining part while the engine is running. Eventually they apologized and reimbursed me for the serpentine belt and my warranty deductible!
This is the first time I purchased an extended warranty and I am certainly using it a lot!
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 668
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From: Northfield, MI
"they actually believed the serpentine belt can jump off the harmonic balancer when it breaks apart and then land on the remaining part while the engine is running."
I personally have seen vehicles come in with the belt running on the rubber remains of the damper after the pulley shifts toward the block. I just repaired one a month or so ago. So, yes it does happen, but the belt is usually torn up at that point.
And damper failures are not uncommon on the 4.0L. there is an updated part available.
Jay
I personally have seen vehicles come in with the belt running on the rubber remains of the damper after the pulley shifts toward the block. I just repaired one a month or so ago. So, yes it does happen, but the belt is usually torn up at that point.
And damper failures are not uncommon on the 4.0L. there is an updated part available.
Jay
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