Hey, my harmonic balancer just came off!

get a puller that bolts onto the balancer like the ones for steering wheels

 

Heat will break down red Lock***e just be careful you don't get the balancer too warm and burn the elastmer (rubber) out of it.

Dawg

 

I'm holding off on the heat until i can get the other style puller tomorrow and give it a whirl.

I spent my time cleaning up the water pump and stripping the paint off the fan, I'm gonna repaint before I put it all back together. Any recommendations on what to make a patch with to fix the hole if i can't find the missing piece inside? I wanna try patching what i have before I go though all this **** again pulling another cover off the other motor. I'm trying to get this back together by monday so I'm not stuck at home! I thought I could use a piece out of another aluminum cover, but I don't have any around.

 

Tining cover seal is easy, you use one from an early 70's Buick 455... Gets you neoprene instead of rope....

 

Now that is a useful piece of info, thanks.

 

All the parts store sites I'm checking are only showing rope seals for the 455 as well. I've checked from 70-74....

 

hit up v8buick.com, search the nailhead forum and you should find the party number for the seal. if that fails, you'll have to wait till monday, but hit up your local bearing/hydraulic hose type shop, you should be able to give them the ID and OD of the seal you need and they can look up the closest match.

 

I found it, got it on order should have it along with some new vlave cover gaskets tomorrow. Now I just gotta get the damn balancer back off and fix the timing cover.

 

Just FYI CR Services # 19786 or Federal Mogul PN 474272 Most parts stores will have it in stock... and if you have to do a rear main seal you can use one from a Buick V6 (3.8)....

 

Alright, finally got the balancer back off. Went real easy once I go the right puller!

Now I'm trying to get the timing cover off. According to the old manual I have, it says I have to take loose the fuel pump, alt & P.S. brackets, pull out the dizzy, and it says to remove the timing gears???? If I can't get around ****ing up the timing to fix this, I may just have to let the car sit in the yard until i can afford to have someone more qualified than I to work on it.....

 

My guess is that you found the balancer bolt and washer on the battery because:******THAT'S WHERE YOU LEFT THEM**** last time you worked on the car. LOL

 

I've never had to mess with a harmonic balancer in my life! I swear!

The only thing i've had to do to this engine is new plugs, belts, fuel filter, & an oil change! I've never done any engine work in my life.

I've got all the bolts out of the timing cover, but it's not budging. Do i have to remove the brackets for the acessories? I took the bolts out that held them to the engine via the timing cover.....

once I get this thing off, any suggestions for what to use as a patch if the missing piece isn't inside? I don't have any aluminum parts lying around.

 

Alright, I got the damn cover off finally.....Now, how do i go about removing the old seal, looks like it used to be the rope type. I don't want to mess up the housing anymore than it is trying to remove it.
Also, i figure why I've got it this far I should check my timing chain, so what the hell do I check for?

Heres a pic, howdoya suppose I patch this up since th emissing piece was NOT in the engine?

 

Another quick question while I'm waiting for the cover to soak good. Is the balancer supposed to have a rubber isolator like the ones on later engines? I just wanna make sure the balancer is cool before I put it back on.

 

just feel the chain and if its really lose, replace it, if its still fresh and taught- leave it. it actually looks like your seal is ok in there, but pictures lie. make sure that when you re install it you use a lot of rtv... as far as the repair goes- as ghetto as it sounds- jb weld?

 

you dont HAVE to use alum to repair the hole. steel patch overlayed the hole, jb weld between the two. you should be able to tap the seal out from the front of the cover. clean the whole thing up really good and you'll prb see where it was pressed in originally, from the back. AS chiltons says, to install - reverse procedure. Not sure on the balancer, pretty sure they have a rubber ring like a small block chev

 

I think the "use a lot of rtv" sounds more ghetto
No need, clean the gasket surfaces and use the gasket with a light coat if any sealre....

Nope.. has to come out the back... if you need I can take a few pics of how to remove the metal ring and the seal this evening...

Some good info to check out
http://www.buickstreet.com/build-a-better-buick-nailhead-page1.html

 

I got the rope seal out, I guess you telling me I need to tp out the metal part it sits in so the new neoprene seal can go there?

Anyone know about the balancer?

 

Yep just tap it out... try not to deform it to much...

Got 2 425's and a 364 sitting in the shop, no rubber visable on any of the balancers... does this answer your question?

 

Man, this is really cold hearted but, you should have traded that car to me when you had the chance.LOL.. Seriously I wish you the best of luck. Crank bolts are a common nailhead problem. Jerry

 

That's what I thought about the rubber, never noticed any on mine, and couldn't see any from pictures on the net. Wanted to make sur ethough since someone at the v8buick forums said it should. Don't want to put the balancer back on if it's ****ed up! Thanks for the help Scott, mind if I just pm you if I have any more problems? Bar looks good by the way, we'll have to check it out next time we're up that way.

 

Usually just because they do really mean 200ft/lbs... most aren't torqued correctly...

No problem...

 

So is it fixed yet?