Harmonic Balancer issues.

[Sport/Truck]

I’ve been prepping the motor with fresh new alternator & power steering brackets. I have a new water pump pulley coming from Southern Parts.
While looking at everything I noticed something out of whack on the crank pulleys. What I found is the rubber on the HB is starting to push out a little.
Is this something that need immediate attention or can it wait? The balancer is not loose or anything just a little of the rubber is stating showing.
I searched for some answers and found some that confused me-(not that hard to do) lol.
I read that older engines had small HB’s. Mine is a large 8in and looks like Ragen’rat’s.
(Except his looks really nice with a chrome pointer and all)
It’s also on a short water pump. Does all this sound correct?
Thanks.
s/t

[rage'nrat638]

sound's right..i might have a nother used one or you could just buy new for
45.00-55.00

[Fred T]

Definitely put in a new balancer while it's apart. The size is determined by your pointer, which can be replaced if needed. But you can buy 8" balancers all day long, so stick with that size.

[WorkinLonghorn]

Don't know if this helps but when I had a motor put in recently I saw the same thing and decided it was OK. Now 12K later the TDC mark is about 20 degrees advanced,so I suspect that the thing is slipping internally. I'd get another one.make sure the seal surface is good or get a sleeve installed.

[Sport/Truck]

Thinks everyone, I think I’ll get a new one. Cougar, what are these seals & sleeves you mention? I understand the seal in the block, Can/should I change this while im in there? I don’t any evidence of oil leaking there though.
I don’t know what the sleeve that cougar mentioned is? Any information would be appreciated.
s/t

[70c10]

I got a nice summit racing brand with the engraved timing marks for about $60last year.

[WorkinLonghorn]

It's been a few years since I did it but I thought on mine,the HB had a surface that the cover seal rode on.On mine it developed a groove there so they pressed on a sleeve that restore that area to a sealable surface.
Memory is pretty dim though so please chime in if I'm full of it.-cougar

[cdowns]

while working on the front of the engine you might want to take off the timing chain cover and check the chain for wear // replace timing cover gasket and crank seal it's inexpensive preventive maintenance

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by 70c10

I got a nice summit racing brand with the engraved timing marks for about $60last year.

I’ll check it out. Thanks.
s/t

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by cdowns

while working on the front of the engine you might want to take off the timing chain cover and check the chain for wear // replace timing cover gasket and crank seal it's inexpensive preventive maintenance

I’ll look into gear drives too.
s/t

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by cougar

It's been a few years since I did it but I thought on mine,the HB had a surface that the cover seal rode on.On mine it developed a groove there so they pressed on a sleeve that restore that area to a sealable surface.
Memory is pretty dim though so please chime in if I'm full of it.-cougar

A stock harmonic balancer will develop a groove where the oil seal rides around. This will eventually leak.

There are two fixes for this leak.
1. Buy an offset seal to replace the stock one. This will move the point of contact with the balancer and stop the leak for another 100,000 miles.
2. Buy a sleeve for the balancer. The sleeve gets whacked on over the groove giving the seal a new surface to ride.

Wait, I guess there are three fixes. The third would be to buy a new balancer.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by mrein3

A stock harmonic balancer will develop a groove where the oil seal rides around. This will eventually leak.

There are two fixes for this leak.
1. Buy an offset seal to replace the stock one. This will move the point of contact with the balancer and stop the leak for another 100,000 miles.
2. Buy a sleeve for the balancer. The sleeve gets whacked on over the groove giving the seal a new surface to ride.

Wait, I guess there are three fixes. The third would be to buy a new balancer.

I’m looking for a stock type of balancer OEM was 131! Ouch.
An engine shop here quoted me 60 for a pioneer brand.
Napa said 65 for the bulkamp brand – all thee are new.
Commits?
s/t

[Sport/Truck]

Looks like the pioneer is the brand summit sells for more money. I’ll go look at it after work.
s/t