Replacing Harmonic Balancer... need reality check.

[Anonymous]

My new harmonic balancer arrived last week (oddly enough on Thursday, the same day my daughter was born ). So I'm hoping to do the replacement one day this week. I've been searching/reading here at the forum to see if there are any pitfalls and/or other items I can replace while I'm in there. As best as I can tell, this is all that I've found:

1) replace belts
2) replace timing cover seal
3) remove radiator to gain enough clearance for the balancer puller

But I have more questions:

1) do I need to drain the oil to replace the timing cover seal?
2) can I possibly do this replacement without removing the radiator?... or is the PITA factor greater with the radiator in? (I'm all about reducing/eliminating as much of the PITA factor as I can.)

I plan on removing my a/c pulley first, cleaning the face of the balancer, then hitting the bolt with some pb blaster and letting it sit overnite. Any other hints about breaking loose the crank bolt? (I know an air impact wrench would be nice, but I don't have access to one).

Also, IIRC the crank bolt is the standard "righty-tighty lefty-loosey." I read that some have been able to break the bolt loose by putting a breaker bar on the bolt then bracing it against the frame rail, then bumping the starter (I won't forget to pull the coil wire). If my calculations are correct, I want to brace the breaker bar against the passenger's side frame rail (as the crank will rotate clockwise, the bolt will be moving counter-clockwise relative to the crank).

Any other advice, pointers, provisos and/or caveats would be greatly appreciated!

Bengoshi2000

 

[falcon fanatic]

I'm gearing up for a similar maneouver. No, you can't replace the balancer without removing the radiator. There's just not enough room to get a puller in there, and you would almost certainly poke a hole in yourrad if you tried. Removing the radiator is really easy. TWo hoses, a few bolts and out she comes. Took me 30 minutes to R&R my rad last summer, including refilling it.

As for using the starter to break the torque, that sounds kind of dangerous. I imagine a 30" breaker bar flying accross the garage. Can you get your hands on an electric impact wrench? (assuming you can get it in position)

 

[fordconvert]

Dont you need to drop the oil pan to properly re seal the timing cover? Or can the front seal be replaced without removing the timing cover?

 

[hasa68mustang]

I will 2nd the fact that you will have to remove the radiator to get the puller in there. As for the breaker bar idea Im kind of on the fence about. I know my dad had done this with a couple of cars whn he couldnt get an impact in there. I cant really see the bar flying anywhere with this methoed however it may cause some missing paint.

 

[JackFish]

Dont you need to drop the oil pan to properly re seal the timing cover? Or can the front seal be replaced without removing the timing cover?

No and no.
Timing cover kits come with a replacement gasket for the part of the old oil pan gasket that you cut off, and half of a new seal, IIRC.

 

[64.5 TX Stang]

When I removed mine, I was able to put a screwdriver (love Craftsman tools) through one of the holes int he balancer and wedge it against the oil pan (where the gasket is). I then just used an 18 inch breaker bar to break the bolt loose. Mine came off without a hitch, but I am sure others are not so lucky.

 

[fordconvert]

Is the front seal a rope like one like the typical rear mains or one of the one piece lip seals like a rearend? So you just cut the pan gasket where it sticks out and put a bit of goo where the gaskets butt up? There are no locating pins or anything to make this a PITA?

 

[Bort62]

Why replace the timing cover gasket. Is it leaking ?

 

[Anonymous]

maybe he is going chrome....?

 

[Anonymous]

maybe he is going chrome....?

Of Course!! Chrome timing covers add at least 50 HP at the wheels right?

No, it's not leaking, I just thought that anything that would require pulling the balancer to replace should at least be looked at since I'm gonna be in there anyway.

Thanks for the responses folks. I'm definitely going to pull the radiator. As far as bracing a breaker bar and using the starter to loosen the crank bolt... I will likely leave that as a measure of last resort should more civilized efforts fail.

Anything else I need to consider??!?

 

[Mercury Mike]

Ben, where are you from? If you're in SoCal, I'd be glad to let you do it in the driveway, and you can use my impact gun. =D

 

[jahearne]

If you're going to pull the timing cover, you might as well replace the timing gears and chain.

Congrats on the new addition to the family!

 

[Anonymous]

Ben, where are you from? If you're in SoCal, I'd be glad to let you do it in the driveway, and you can use my impact gun. =D

A kind offer indeed, but alas, I'm on the opposite side of the continent.

My timing cover isn't leaking and I've had no indications that my timing chain and/or gears need replacement, either... so I'm just gonna let well enough alone.

 

[Bort62]

If its not leaking, you are more likely to do more harm than good taking it off. Don't fix it if it isn't broken.

 

[JackFish]

A good reason would be to upgrade to the double-roller timing set from Mike.
I have mine in at 4° advanced, and there is a difference.

 

[falcon fanatic]

jackfish, is that with a stock cam. I've been wondering about redegreeing a stock cam since I'll be installing a modified head. Moving the powerband up a couple hundred rpm.

 

[woodbutcher]

I don`t recall ever having to use a puller to remove a balancer.I just use two wedge shaped pieces of wood.Sort of like a door stop.Place the flat side towards the timing cover.Place them 180* apart.GENTELY tap them in tighter.The balancer will slowly come forward so that it can be removed.
Leo

 

[JackFish]

jackfish, is that with a stock cam. I've been wondering about redegreeing a stock cam since I'll be installing a modified head. Moving the powerband up a couple hundred rpm.

Yes, everything is still stock, at least for a '78, except that the emissions stuff has been removed.
Oh, and I did the spring mod on my distributor.
I have all the parts (head, cam and carb) for my upgrade, just not the right space to do it.
And as long as it's running as peppy as it is right now, I'm in no hurry.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I just found out this evening that a good friend of mine has recently acquired a set of air tools... not the least of which is an impact wrench. Therein lies the rub... he lives about 30 miles from me and the only reasonable route is via the interstate. My harmonic balancer has slipped and I can tell at idle that it is wobbling back and forth about 1/32 of an inch.

The $64 Million Dollar Question is... should I drive it there?

I don`t recall ever having to use a puller to remove a balancer.I just use two wedge shaped pieces of wood.Sort of like a door stop.Place the flat side towards the timing cover.Place them 180* apart.GENTELY tap them in tighter.The balancer will slowly come forward so that it can be removed.

I like the way you're thinking... I'll give this a try.

 

[Mercury Mike]

You could drive it. Just re-check the timing before you go. 30 miles isn't that far. You could also have it towed, 30$ from uhaul rents you a tow trailer.