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    Bad harmonic balancer?

    Ive had to use my 87 mgm as a daily so Ive started noticing more things. The biggest thing is the damn vibrations I can feel throughout the car whether parked or driving. Looking at the crank pulley I can see it wobble a lot. Ill post a video later. How can I know for sure its a bad balancer? The pulley wobbles but the weight doesnt. Also how hard is it to change one? Im assuming mine is as old as the car so I might as well change it anyway. Thanks.


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    #2
    Check the timing with a light, if it's way the eff off on the balancer, but running just fine, the outer ring probably slipped loose.

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      #3
      If the outer ring looks like its wobbling, climb under there and have a good look at the rubber between the inner and outer ring. If its cracked or pushing out, replace the balancer.

      The pulley bolts to the center hub, so there isn't much to fail there. Not to say someone hasn't managed to bend the crank pulley. Its just stamped steel and its definitely possible to bend it if you try. If the fan clutch has ever been replaced, make sure the bushing is there. The aftermarket ones have a larger hole in the center of the clutch and without the bronze bushing installed, the clutch will not sit centered on the water pump. You get a lot of vibration if thats gone. If you let it go long enough the water pump shaft will break and the fan will try and drive itself through the radiator. You can ask Lincolnmania about that one. I fixed mine before it self-destructed.
      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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        #4
        Ill check the timing when I can thanks.

        I replaced the fan clutch myself but I dont recall any sort of bushing. And speaking of which, my water pump pulley wobbles a lot too. Maybe thats the issue then.


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          #5
          Also what does the bushing look like and can it be purchased seperately? I dont remember having this bushing when I installed the new fan clutch.


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            #6
            If the fan pilots nicely on the water pump, you don't need it. If it moves all around until the bolts are tight, it needs the bushing. Maybe someone is making proper sized clutches now but the last several I've bought all came with a bronze reducer bushing that had to be installed in order to center the fan on the pump correctly. If you know the ID of the fan clutch and the OD of the water pump shaft, you can order one from McMaster-Carr but you'll need a set of calipers to measure it.


            the pullies and such should not have significant wobble, but some minor imperfection is ok. These are stamped steel parts, they're not super precise.
            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

            Originally posted by phayzer5
            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

            Comment


              #7
              Ok, the water pump pulley itself has some wobble to it but nothing too bad. I have a video from last night after work but you cant see the wobble too much.

              I bought the fan clutch off ebay and I think it was like an open box part or something. It might have been missing the bushing like it was supposed to have one for all I know. Ill have to mess with it when Im off.

              The balancer doesnt seem to move much but the crank pulley itself moves a lot. Also out of the blue I have a lot of belt squeal and it takes a while to go away. It definitely wasnt there before.


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              Comment


                #8
                you might have a bent pulley or loose bolts. Could even be a wad of crap between the pulley and balancer if its been off, or maybe someone pried against it. You'd be amazed at the dumb things that happen to belt drive parts. Usually its pretty easy to see that kind of thing if you pull the belt off and give it all a close look.

                does your power steering pump leak at all? If the front seal goes it can put a very small amount on the pulley and then the belt on that side slides. A wipe on the pulley with a paper towel will usually show oil if thats whats going on. Clean the pullies with a rag soaked in brakleen.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment


                  #9
                  As a matter of fact it does and has leaked for some time. Its pretty low on my to do list since it still works but I might just have to bite the bullet and replace it. It seems to not really leak anymore like it used to since I added a little seafoam trans tune. Probably not the best idea but it quieted the pump down and slowed the leak.


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                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by 87GrandMarq View Post
                    Ill check the timing when I can thanks.

                    I replaced the fan clutch myself but I dont recall any sort of bushing. And speaking of which, my water pump pulley wobbles a lot too. Maybe thats the issue then.
                    You may not need a bushing. Depends on what hubs they had on hand that day.
                    Without the bolts in (or nuts tight) the fan clutch hub should fit snug over the snout that sticks out of the water pump and not wobble side to side, if there is side to side motion and you just bolt it up the fan clutch hub will be off center and have a very noticable side to side wobble. The bushing fits over the water pump snout and fits in the fan clutch hub centering the whole works for the mismatch in size. Save those bushings in the event you don't need them. Caught a counter guy once who had no clue what that was and thought it didn't belong to the fan clutch and was going to leave it on the counter.

                    Alex.
                    Attached Files

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                      #11
                      Oh wow ok thanks Ill check but Ill have to wait now. If my luck couldnt get any worse today on my way to work I spun out and went up on the median. Luckily there was no damage but the front drivers side tire decided to deflate as I was limping it back home. When it rains it pours...



                      It looks worse in person but it did a 360 and went up on the median. It started right back up and I was able to back up off the curb and keep going. Luckily there wasnt much traffic though the little there was decided not to stop and the passing fire truck apparently couldnt be bothered... Everything that was in the center console went flying towards my feet, it sounded like glass smashing but it was just screws and other miscellaneous stuff.


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                      Comment


                        #12
                        might be time for some better tires.
                        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                        Originally posted by phayzer5
                        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Welp to be honest its my fault. The po installed slicks and it was raining so I really cant blame the weather or my car. I shouldnt have been driving it but I couldnt get another car in time. My 17 gt is at the dealer and my other cars arent registered. Oh well I have turbines and two new tires waiting to be thrown on. Im lucky my stupidity didnt total it.


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by 87GrandMarq View Post
                            Oh wow ok thanks Ill check but Ill have to wait now. If my luck couldnt get any worse today on my way to work I spun out and went up on the median. Luckily there was no damage but the front drivers side tire decided to deflate as I was limping it back home. When it rains it pours...



                            It looks worse in person but it did a 360 and went up on the median. It started right back up and I was able to back up off the curb and keep going. Luckily there wasnt much traffic though the little there was decided not to stop and the passing fire truck apparently couldnt be bothered... Everything that was in the center console went flying towards my feet, it sounded like glass smashing but it was just screws and other miscellaneous stuff.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                            I done it first time taking the Crown Vic to college after I had it painted.....DUMP truck behind me luckily stopped in time as I was trying to get back on the road facing the proper way.


                            BTW kick panel tucks under the a pillar trim.
                            ~David~

                            My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                            My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                            Originally posted by ootdega
                            My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                            Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                            But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                            Originally posted by gadget73
                            my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                            Comment


                              #15
                              Won’t hurt to give the front end a good inspection after that party.

                              Glad you and the car are okay.
                              1990 Country Squire - weekend cruiser, next project
                              1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - waiting in the wings

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