Bad Harmonic Balancer Symptoms – Everything You Need To Know

A harmonic balancer may be unfamiliar or even unheard-of for many drivers, but its functions cannot be denied. As such, you should frequently inspect its performance.

So what are bad harmonic balancer symptoms? This article will offer deep insights into this matter; you can consider and check in case bad scenarios happen.

Stay tuned!

What Is A Harmonic Balancer?

A harmonic balancer, or harmonic damper, is a device created to absorb vibrations stemming from the crankshaft.

Specifically, each four-stroke engine has a piston moving up and down during a power cycle.

It must complete four strokes, including compression, power, intake, and exhaust, by rolling the crankshaft. Once a piston rotates upwards, it makes the crankshaft move at a higher velocity.

By contrast, if its rotating direction is downwards, the speed of a crankshaft will be lowered greatly.

A huge resonance could be generated when two opposing forces collide simultaneously, rendering high-frequency vibrations. That’s why a harmonic balancer comes into use to minimize these strong forces.

A typical balancer is equipped with a central hub, which is attached to one of the two ends of a crankshaft balancer.

An inertia ring and a rubber insulator are also added to make absorption of the harmonic vibrations.

Another vital component that a balancer must have is a crank pulley. It is usually connected to a drive belt.

When the engine starts, the pulley will rotate the belt, facilitating the smooth operation of other accessories, like the A/C compressor, motor alternator, etc.

What Are Some Bad Harmonic Balancer Symptoms?

Below are warning signs of a bad harmonic balancer:

• Engine vibration
• Misaligned timing marks
• A separated crankshaft damper
• Loud engine noise
• Worn-out rubber isolation rings
• Moving outer rings
• Unusual noises & oil leakage
• Wobbling problem
• Illuminated check engine light.

Let’s take a closer look at each case.

Engine Vibration

This is one of the most outstanding symptoms, denoting that your harmonic balancer gets broken. As mentioned earlier, this device is responsible for absorbing engine vibrations.

When a balancer is out of order, it cannot function effectively, increasing the vibrations to excess.

As a result, the engine would shake ferociously, and you could feel this shaking sound more distinctly when accelerating the engine speed.

Out Of Place Timing Marks

The misalignment of timing marks is another sign indicating that your balancer is on the fritz.

To dive more deeply, most crankshaft harmonic balancers are pieces of metal connected to each other via a rubber layer.

When they get split because of some factors, such as an accident, the timing marks in front of the idler pulley will likely shift or throw off from their original positions.

Separated Harmonic Balancer

When the rubber layer deteriorates or wears out, the harmonic balancer is inclined to separate due to the lack of connection between metal pieces.

As presented above, the pulley would be consequently affected, and it cannot manage the rotation of a drive belt, causing other accessories to fail.

An Irritable Loud Engine Noise

Concerning a bad balancer, you can hear lots of commotion and noise from the engine. Some common problems that a normal balancer encounters include corrosion, rusting, loosening, or falling apart.

However, this indicator is unclear, as it can derive from other faulty motor parts.

You are advised to spot more than two listed symptoms before reaching a conclusion or have it examined by professional mechanics.

Worn-out Rubber Isolation Rings

In most cases, the isolation rings are located between the outer ring and the central hub. They are most susceptible to wear when your harmonic balancer shows signs of breakage.

Besides, some common factors, such as heat, mud, or cold temperature, are also culprits behind the improper function of rubber rings, wreaking havoc on your balancer.

Moving Outer Rings

It is common knowledge that an outer ring is within reach of rubber rings. When they are vulnerable to damage, there is a high chance that an outer ring may also get broken.

To test whether it fails or not, you must remove the fan belt and use your finger to touch the ring with force. If it swings from side to side, your balancer is apt to go bad.

Unusual Noises

Suppose your balancer is faulty; other related issues, like the abnormal movement of the engine drive belt or automatic drive belt tensioner, would likely arise.

Strange sounds may stem from these problems, especially knocking, squeaking, squealing, and even rattling noise you can easily notice.

Don’t mistake them for noises rendered by other engines, for instance, the brake pedal squeaking.

Oil Leakage

Engine overheating and vibration cause the oil seal surface to loosen or harden. Its sealing capacity seems to deteriorate over time.

The problem of residual engine crankcase pressure will follow, rendering the oil leak out of the seal.

When the engine oil flows onto your harmonic balancer, it will ruin the rubber, an important component of many devices, such as the connecting layer or rings.

Once this issue persists, your balancer might fail as a consequence.

Wobbling Movement

A wobbly harmonic balancer is another noticeable indicator. This is because a balancer is packed with lots of rubber materials.

After a while, they may degrade due to corrosion, which primarily renders the wobbling matter.

When your balancer has been in use for a long time, it also denotes this problem, telling you that it should be replaced instantly to avert worse scenarios.

You can utilize the method as follows to check this issue. All you need to do is grab a flashlight and open your vehicle’s hood.

Locate the crankshaft harmonic balancer by shining the light directly on it and use force to shake it gently.

Illuminated Check Engine Light

The powertrain control module (PCM) is a headquartered computer in your car.

Its function is to manage and control the operation of all motor parts, engines, and systems inside your automobile by receiving and sending signals.

To check whether your balancer goes wrong, it usually relies on the CKP sensor, which reads a notched or toothed wheel on the crankshaft.

Once something abnormal happens with the original balancer, the PCM will illuminate the check engine light, acting as a warning to drivers.

How To Fix A Failed Harmonic Balancer?

Following are numerous viable remedies you should take close notice of:

• It is strongly recommended that you replace your harmonic balancer once it displays the symptoms above.
  Purchase a new one in a reliable store and avoid buying a fake product due to its bad quality.
• If the balancer problem lies in the damaged timing marks, you should make a replacement of them immediately.
• It is also wise to remove the old isolation and outer rings and install new ones into the set position.
  In case you cannot figure out how to make an installation, call a qualified maintenance specialist for a helping hand.
• Have a routine inspection of the crankshaft seal and manage the engine temperature to prevent the oil leakage problem from arising.
• Keep an eye on the rubber layer because it is regarded as the connecting bridge between two metal pieces of a normal harmonic balancer. The crank pulley needs to be concerned as well.
• You should tow your car to a famous garage so that licensed mechanics will check it for you.
• Don’t fix your balancer at home.
  This practice could pose great hazards if you lack knowledge and experience as regards the balancer installation procedure.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully, this article enriches your knowledge base about the automotive facet and helps you learn more about the bad harmonic balancer symptoms and feasible solutions to this problem.

If you still have questions about some parts of our post, please comment below or direct our website via the hotline for instant help.

Thanks for your support, and have a nice day!