Harmonic balancer failure

[rodtech]

balancer problem

I am replacing the harmonic balancer on a 2004 4.0 v6. do i have to set it to tdc before pulling the balancer and if so why?

 

[rodtech]

do i set the engine to tdc on #1 before i pull the harmonic balancer?

 

[ranger7ltr]

Nope...

do i set the engine to tdc on #1 before i pull the harmonic balancer?

The balancer has a slot to index into a keyway in the crank snout so it doesn't matter where the balancer is when you pull it off...

But you should check with the dealership to find out if the balncer bolt is torque to yield or not...On the earlier 4 liter engines the bolt was to be replaced each time it is tightened and then removed...The bolt stretches as it is torqued and you cannot reuse it safely...

 

[Weekend Mechanic]

Thanks to zjrog

I just went through this entire process on my 2005 4.0 explorer and thanks to zjrog experiences, I went a different route to remove and re-torque the harmonic balancer bolt. At the local ACE, I bought a piece of 3 inch by 1/8 th thick by 3 foot long flat stock and drilled an 1.5 inch hole near the end and two 3/8 holes 2.5 inches apart spaced evenly about the large hole. I bought M8-1.5 by 400 mm bolts, used some nuts and washers as spacers and secured the flat stock to the end of the old balancer using the puller holes. This gave me a long lever that came out of the hood of the car and I just put my breaker bar with a slight extension through the hole in the flat stock and it came off easy. I repeated the procedure with the new balancer and the flat stock actually was stopped by the battery and then torqued to yield the new bolt. Worked fine. I left the radiator in because it is interlocked with the supplemental cooler and condensor coil so an impact gun was not an option and I opted out of removing the starter because I was on my own with no one to hold the flywheel lock. I also could not use a hammer to re-install so I used the suggestion of a reverse puller to draw it back in with the tight space. I could not find running thread for M12 - 1.5 without special order and very expensive so I cut the head off the old balancer bolt, had an extension welded on of 3/8" USS running thread (total length 9 inches) and used the puller yoke in reverse.
Thanks to zjrog for sharing his painful experience!! It really helped me from going down a bad road.

PS, the more I talked to people, I believe that Ford has a real design problem with the old balancer design. I bought Ford replacement parts because the new Ford design appears much different and stronger verses buying the aftermarket for $100.00 less - grief just not worth it.

 

[wailim1972]

The balancer retaining bolt loosens counter-clockwise. Here's a link to a thread I just finished on pulling it off a SOHC V6:
Under timing cover inspection

Hi, looks really good StreetRod. I am located in Ireland with the only 3rd Gen Explorer here (As far as I know) and I have the chirping/Squealing. I only have the truck a couple of weeks and want to do this.

Looking at the picture of the crankshaft & chain pulley after you've removed the balancer leads me to believe that the 3 components are keyed together. I don't have a manual yet but I can see a key there!

Obviously with the pulley bolt removed, if the chain pulley came away from the block for some reason then that would allow the crankshaft and/or camshafts to move out of step but so long as the chain pulley stays in place this is not a risk right? (apart from what you say about the desing being prone to slippage moving counter clockwise)

 

[CapriBlue]

Ditto

Sorry to bump an old thread, but it did ask for comments on similar failures. My 04 V6 Explorer suffered harmonic balancer failure this week at 71K. My pulley looks exactly like the first pic! It separated and slid back destroying the position sensor and A/C hose. I also noticed a link that sent me to a very good procedure on removing the unit. Too bad I saw it after I started working on it! My question is now, I have already rotated the motor forward and back to get the pulley off. Is the only way to tell if the timing chain jumped when turned backwards by pulling the cover off and checking the marks?

 

[rockfishhunter]

All, thanks for the great information on how to pull the Harmonic Balancer off. Mine had separated on my 2004 Explorer XLT 4X4. I removed the radiator as well as the fan for easier access. I did not do the starter/bump method to break the mounting bolt free and would not recommend that to anyone. If the breaker bar slipped it could be bad. I would suggest using a strap wrench and an extra set of hands. I had my son hold the strap wrench on the rubber part of the balancer while I had a 4' breaker bar from above.

Pulling the balancer is another story. You may need someone on the strap wrench again to hold the balancer still. I suggest backing the mounting bolt out about 3/4". Use the harmonic balancer puller against the mounting bolt until the balancer bottoms on the bolt. Then remove the bolt the rest of the way and put a 5" carriage bolt (what I had handy) 5/16" diameter in to use to pull the balancer the rest of the way.

Once you get the balancer out, inspect the area thoroughly for damage from the sheave of the balancer sliding toward the timing chain cover. My A/C line that passes behind the balancer had a groove cut into it that I need to get replaced. For now I taped the line shut and told my wife the A/C is off till we can get that fixed. I am told $600. parts and labor for the line and recharge of the A/C System. Also had cut a groove in the crankshaft sensor, but it still works.

Thanks again.

 

[jpoprock]

So, is this something "common man" can replace? Or is it much too complicated? Sounds like if you have a torque wrench, you're good? But I don't know what "torque to yielld" means.

I'm a guy able to do things, sometimes with the joint effort of friends. But I'm not a mechanic (I just play one on TV).

thanks!
J

 

[Kazer]

i consider myself no engine mechanic, i can do a lift kit but thats about it, and i replaced my harmonic balancer with ease. and Torque to Yield means "one and done" once the bolt is torqued to its spec, then loosened, it needs to be replaced. when a torque to yield bolt or nut reaches its yield, it is slightly stretched causing it to hold in place. people(including myself) have re used TTY bolts and nuts, but i felt it was worth the gamble with the engine.

**thats my understanding of TTY, if i'm wrong please correct me**


i followed this write up, as i installed an underdrive crank pulley

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151951

 

[jpoprock]

When you hear the word "torque" when referring to a bolt, does that always mean with a "torque wrench", or just a good old fashioned "firm" tightening that doesn't recall blowing an eyeball?

So, does that pully not "turn" when you go to unbolt it? If that's the case, it would seem no harder to replace then a lawn mower pully? Maybe a little harder... but not overly complicated anyway.

thanks!
Jason

 

[Kazer]

most of the time, yes. the TTY bolt requires 44 foot pounds of toruqe to be at spec, then tightened an addtional 90 degrees beyond the 44 ft/lbs position. i can't feel out foot pounds on a normal wrench, but some people can get pretty close....

well to loosen it, i took a piece of 2"x2" square tubing about 2 foot long, stuck it over the wrench handle and laid it on the driver side frame rail and gave the key a turn in the ignition. but to re install the bolt, you must use anyhting and everything you've got to keep the pulley from moving when torquing the bolt

 

[nobouncecap]

So I found out that my Harmonic Balancer was out by trying to fix a chirp/squealing noise from under my hood. At first I thought it was just the serpentine belt but it ended up being the PS pump. I was trying to do some research and low and behold found this site and this particular thread...needless to say my wording was something like, "Holy crap my balancer is off too." I say that in part because I didn't have any signs that the two rings had slipped. There was never a loss of power or a strange noise from the engine bay to alert me that the serpentine belt had slipped and the rings separated. I bought the truck used with only 36K so perhaps it happened with the previous owner, which is rather low miles for something like this I would think but like I said I felt or heard nothing that would suggest the belt slipping.
I posted up some pics of what mine looked like before I had it replaced.

Notice the two big dings on the inner ring.

What I find is interesting is that the outer ring, where the belt should have been running on, looked to have very little use; which is why I'm thinking before I owned it.

 

[CS223]

Had the balancer fail on my 2005 Explorer, 102k miles. I ordered the Dorman part from Rockauto, p/n 594-236 $85. It looks identical to the OEM photo posted earlier in this thread. The Bolt was just shy of $8 from Ford. Just wanted to update the thread since it's the first to come up in a goggle search.