The crankshaft pulley (harmonic balancer) is mounted on the end of the crankshaft. Its purpose is to turn the drive belts that operate the engine accessories (alternator, air conditioning compressor, etc.).
Correspondingly, how do I know if my crankshaft pulley is bad?
Bad Crankshaft Pulley Symptoms
- 1) Engine Vibrations. The first symptom that will likely come up are engine vibrations.
- 2) Alternator Failure. The crankshaft pulley is responsible for powering the alternator.
- 3) Power Steering Pump Failure.
- 4) Transmission Damage.
- 5) Irregular Idle Engine Speed.
One may also ask, does the crankshaft pulley move? The camshaft and crankshaft pulleys are directly attached to the engine (camshaft and crankshaft) and will only rotate if the engine is running or manually rotating the engine by placing a socket and breaker bar to the crankshaft pulley bolt.
Similarly one may ask, can you drive with a bad crankshaft pulley?
Indeed, if it's the crank pulley and the harmonic balancer comes off with it and the engine continues to run that can damage the crankshaft. That would be very bad. Other pulleys could get distorted if a fastener is missing and in such condition could damage the drive belt riding on the pulley.
What are the symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer?
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Crankshaft Harmonic Balancer
- Engine vibration. One of the first symptoms of a potential problem with the harmonic balancer is engine vibration.
- Misaligned timing marks. Another symptom of a potential problem with the harmonic balancer is misaligned timing marks.
- Separated harmonic balancer.
Related Question Answers
Is crankshaft pulley same as harmonic balancer?
A harmonic balancer is a front end accessory drive component that is connected to the crankshaft of an engine. Harmonic balancers do have many names, though, such as damper, crankshaft pulley and crankshaft balancer, among others.What causes a crank pulley to wobble?
Perhaps when they were installed (or re-installed following service), some dirt was trapped under the pulley and/or they were torqued improperly, causing the wobble. With the fan-belt pulley removed you'll be able to examine the harmonic balancer more closely for damage.Where is the crankshaft pulley located?
Locate the vehicle's crankshaft pulley Generally, it can be found on the engine compartment's left side or the driver's side. Other times, it may be hiding at the bottom front portion of the engine.How do you remove a crankshaft from an engine?
How to Remove a Crankshaft From Under the Car - Remove the engine's belts.
- Remove the pulley which attaches to the harmonic balancer.
- Remove the harmonic balancer.
- Drain the radiator by removing the radiator's drain plug.
- Remove the water pump.
- Remove the timing chain cover.
- Remove the timing chain.
- Remove the oil pan.
How much is a crankshaft pulley?
Prices for most OEM crankshaft pulley replacements should hover around $100 - $250, and it should only go higher if you're getting a high-performance replacement that's designed for racing applications.What kind of noise does a bad harmonic balancer make?
Loud Noise from The Engine Bay A worn-out crankshaft harmonic balancer will also cause a lot of noise in your engine. You will feel this noise once you start to accelerate your car to higher speeds. If this noise is too loud, it is better to not drive the car and call a mechanic.Can you drive with a bad harmonic balancer?
It's not okay to drive with a bad harmonic balancer. The bouncing crankshaft will wear on the main bearings. It can also tear up drive belts and possibly come apart posing a danger to people and property.Can you run an engine without harmonic balancer?
And because the belts that go around the crankshaft pulley run all of the car's accessories, without the harmonic balancer you'd have no air conditioning, no power steering, no alternator and no water pump. And without it, you can do damage to the crankshaft and the engine bearings. So you really do have to replace it.Can you drive with a broken crankshaft?
Yes. It's called a "driver". If that safety system overrides itself, well then, the car is pretty vulnerable. Yes a car can run with a broken crank, sometimes; if the crank is broken in such a way that the pieces still force each other to rotate.How do you balance a crankshaft?
The big end of the rods and the rod bearings rotate around the crankshaft centerline, and therefore represent the rotating mass. During the balancing process, bobweights are bolted to each rod journal to simulate the mass of a pair of pistons and rods.What does a crankshaft do?
A crankshaft is a fundamental feature in a vehicle's engine. It is the system that converts linear energy into rotational energy. This enables the wheels to drive the car forward. All the pistons in the engine are attached to the crank which is also connected to the flywheel.Can a bad harmonic balancer make a knocking noise?
The harmonic balancer should not wobble at all. Before you condemn the motor for having rod or crankshaft knock you should have the crankshaft harmonic balancer checked for a broken one. If it is bad then it can cause a loud knocking noise.What causes a crankshaft to break?
A broken crankshaft is not a common occurrence. Cranks can break due to a casting or forging flaw but this is very rare. Usually a crank will break because of another failure. In a diesel engine the amount torque created during a failure such as a spun bearing can cause a crank to snap.Should a harmonic balancer wobble?
The balancer is packed with rubber that comes loose over time and causes a wobble. On one of mine it sheared the crank sensor and the car was dead. On another pretty new Buick it caused a leak from the front seal. So yeah, a wobble is not normal and the balancer needs to be replaced.How much is a harmonic balancer?
Cost of Harmonic Balancer Replacement A factory replacement part costs about $261 and a Dayco part costs about $111. The total harmonic balancer replacement cost would be around $251 using OE parts and about $201 using aftermarket parts.What happens when a crankshaft pulley breaks?
If this stress continues, the crankshaft will break and your vehicle will be inoperable. Signs that your crankshaft harmonic balancer needs to be replaced include: The engine is loud and you feel vibrations coming from your engine. The pulley belt may slip causing your vehicle to backfire or misfire.Can you turn crankshaft backwards?
When a motor is turned backwards, the timing relationship between the crank (timing mark) and the cam (distributor, etc) changes, so parts can be installed out of time, etc. You can turn it backwards, then just need to turn it back forwards enough to remove the slack, restore the timing relationship.How do you remove a crank pulley without a puller?
There is a way to do it. You put a wrench on the pulley bolt and block the other end against the floor or the frame. Then you use the starter motor to turn the engine (DO NOT START IT, JUST TURN IT) for at most one or two revolutions of the crank. Just enough to break the bolt loose.What happens when an idler pulley goes bad?
Belt squealing If the surface of the idler pulley wears, or the pulley seizes or binds it may cause the engine belt to squeal as a result of it rubbing against the surface of the pulley. In some instances a bad pulley may bind or slip and cause the belt to squeal when the engine is first started. 
