I fixed my Harmonic Balancer, now the car stalls with 20 error codes | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

I fixed my Harmonic Balancer, now the car stalls with 20 error codes

The speed sensor code - i got a similar code on my mustang, ended up being the crank sensor
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Crank sensor is probably shorted, have a good look at the wires as well and make sure the sheathing hasn't cracked off. If it isn't the wires, there is an internal short in the sensor.
 






Is the Crank Sensor the black thing next to the Harmonic balancer?
 






I took it out for a test drive and all seemed well and good until I tried to floor the gas. When I tried to accelerate very quickly, the Electronic Throttle Control warning light came on.

InkedIMG_2392_LI.jpg


Also, not sure if this means anything, after putting on the new Harmonic Balancer, I wasn't able to tighten the center crankshaft bolt tighter than about 30lbs of torque because the harmonic balancer would spin, even with a strap wrench. I'm about to take the Throttle Body out of the explorer and clean it. Any other suggestion?
 

Attachments

  • CodeReaderCodes.pdf
    2.3 MB · Views: 133






I did the same swap as you and I have not had any issue with the new pulley style and I just tightened with a normal breaker bar.

how many miles on engine?
do you have timing chain rattle? if so drain the oil see if there is any plastic chucks in oil.
check for air intake leak, the upper and lower orings go bad as well as the bolts.
make sure you you have the right spark plugs. and check the spark plug wires for arking to the engine block or ground.
 






I broke down and took the Explorer to Apple Ford and after 4 days I haven't heard anything from them. Before I took it in, I went over everything I worked on, making sure everything was put back right and working. It's only got about 60k miles on it, never got in an accident, and has had nothing wrong with it, except for the Harmonic Balancer. This is EXACTLY what I did on my Explorer, in order.

1. Disconnected the Battery.
2. Removed the top plastic part of the fan shroud
3. Disconnected and took out the fat hose from the radiator
4. Disconnected the small hose from the radiator to the reservoir
5. Drained the radiator via the bottom drain plug on the radiator.
6. Took off the fan with cluch nut
7. Unhooked and removed serpentine belt
8. Removed Idler pulley
9. Removed tensioner pulley
10. Removed Fuse/Relay #49 Highbeam (by accident)
11. Removed Fuse/Relay #48 Fuel Pump Relay.
12. Loosened the Crankshaft bolt of the harmonic balancer. (Center bolt)
!NOTE! Reconnect Battery.
In order for me to loosen the bolt, I had to use a braker bar and extender, and then start the engine for a second to loosen it. THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY for me to free the bolt.
Disconnect Battery
13. Using the Harmonic Balancer Universal Puller kit from Autozone, I began the process of pulling the harmonic balancer off the Crankshaft.
14. Once the Harmonic Balancer was 99% off the crank, I ran out of threads on the balancer bolt to use as leverage to pull the balancer off the rest of the way. So I had to take the puller completely off the balancer, then remove the crank shaft bolt completely. Then using a longer bolt I had lying around my house, I stuck that inside the crankshaft, through the balancer, until it hit whatever was on the otherside. I put the puller back onto the harmonic balancer and used the longer, thinner bolt as leverage to get the balancer off the rest of the way.
15. Once the balancer was off the crank, I took out the makeshift bolt out of the crankshaft.
16. Installed new Idler pulley.
17. Installed new tensioner pulley.
18. greased the outter part of the new harmonic balancer, lined up the keyway slot and racheted on the new harmonic balancer.
19. Put new serpentine belt on.
20. Torqued the center crankshaft bolt to about 30-40lbs, (that's all I could manage using a strap wrench before it would spin under the weight)
21. Reinstalled the fan and clutch bearing
22. Reinstalled both the fat and skinny hose back to the radiator.
23. Reinstalled the fan shroud
24. Filled the radiator with about 3 gallons of Ford radiator fluid.
25. Tried to start the car but it wouldn't start (forgot to put back both Fuse/Relay #48 and #49)
26. Put Fuse/Relay #48 and #49 back in and car started up.
27. Let the car run for about 5 min, all seemed great.
28. Turned off the car after the engine was good and warm.
29. Changed oil, oil filter, and air filter.
30. Went out for a test drive -
a. Car stalled out and would not accelerate. On the dashboard, the wrench icon lit up and the display panel said the car was put into ETC Engine Failsafe mode. This now happens EVER TIME the car is driven.
31. Hooked up the Explorer to a OBD-II reader and recorded all codes. (THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THIS THREAD)
32. Removed the Throttle Body, Cleaned the ThrottleBody and the sensor.
33. Installed Throttle Body.
34. Test drive revealed exact same results listed in 30.a

Below is a picture of the components I removed in the process of this repair. ANY ADVICE would be appreciated.

.
71861825.jpg
 






Have you replaced the crank sensor or checked the sensor wiring?
Sounds like the crank sensor and throttle body sensor are not jiving.
My Haynes manual has procedures to test the various sensors, you can check most of them with a cheap digital volt meter.

7ef5bf851736e3e592e0acd19b596db4e1f8b1d3.jpg


Since the throttle body sensor reads a mechanical motion, make sure the TB is opening properly and not binding up somehow or the cable is not binding as well.
That’s where I’d start. Then at least you will know what is working correctly and what isn’t.
 






did you change the spark plugs? Maybe you were sold the wrong plugs.
 






UPDATE: Ford called, and the person I spoke to said it sounds like a bad Harmonic Balancer!?! LOL. I told him I replaced the harmonic balancer! He asked where I purchased it from. I told him, from your dealership, Apple ford. He replied, oh. Then he said, let me talk with the Mechanic again. I asked if I could talk directly to him. He said no. I told him that when I checked the computer with a OBD-II code reader, the Explorer triggered 20 OBD-II codes.
 












In your procedure list of changing the balancer, how did you perform step #12, after step #1?
 






I assume he hooked it back up to run the starter.

Did you do anything with the crank sensor? I’d have tested or replaced it before taking it to a dealer.
 












I assume he hooked it back up to run the starter.

Did you do anything with the crank sensor? I’d have tested or replaced it before taking it to a dealer.
The Crank Sensor? Is that the Black plastic object pointing directly at the Harmonic Balancer? If so, I left it on throughout the entire process.
 






Here's the part I Ford Sold me to replace my old harmonic balancer

91x0vxaNTrL._SL1500_.jpg

HBR.PNG
 






Yes, the crank sensor reads those teeth. I’d replace it if the wires look good.
 






Back
Top