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Weird Noise


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Yeah, well I had one of those stethoscopes from that kid's game "Operation" but all I hear is the engine rumbling.

If you have a real long screwdriver put the tip up anainst various parts of the engine and the handle up to your ear, usually you will be able to trace odd noises.

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Yeah, well I had one of those stethoscopes from that kid's game "Operation" but all I hear is the engine rumbling.

If you have a real long screwdriver put the tip up anainst various parts of the engine and the handle up to your ear, usually you will be able to trace odd noises.

 

Does that really work? :eek:

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Yeah, well I had one of those stethoscopes from that kid's game "Operation" but all I hear is the engine rumbling.

If you have a real long screwdriver put the tip up anainst various parts of the engine and the handle up to your ear, usually you will be able to trace odd noises.

 

Does that really work? :eek:

Yes...it is "possible" to trace noises that way. I have done it with success on some things and not on others...just depends on what it is.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi kids.

 

I'm still working on this noise which is getting worse.

Now it's doing it at idle, when I accelerate from a dead stop,

or come around a corner.

Tried all the tricks mentioned earlier to diagnose where the noise is coming from but I can't pinpoint it.

Here's what I did see though. When the noise happens you see the harmonic balancer do strange things.

How strange?

Well imagine the front wheel on the balancer.

If you're looking at it staight on there is an outside ring and an inner ring.

Remember the video of me blipping the throttle?

At the point I do that the outside ring actually moves out toward the radiator while the inner ring stays put.

:nuts: That's not normal right?

Now remember, I know nothing about the internal workings of a combustion engine, but isn't that balancer connected to something (crankshaft I think) and couldn't the slop of the balancer coming apart maybe cause whatever it's connected to to hit something that it's not supposed to inside the engine?

I know I'm not using the correct terminology here but I'm starting to think something in the lower end of the engine is @#$%ed.

Guys, opinions, comments, or am I just off my rocker here?

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You are correct...that is not normal. The balancer on the 4.0L engines have been known to do exactly what you are describing and when they do...it's time to replace it ;) . It is attached to the end of the crank shaft with one big bolt.

 

The same one fits all 4.0L's from 1987 - 2006...and since you will likely ask, I can get you one for $57 + shipping. It weighs about 8 lbs, so shipping is probably going to be $10 - $12 ;) . You can probably still find one of those in good shape in salvage though too.

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You are correct...that is not normal. The balancer on the 4.0L engines have been known to do exactly what you are describing and when they do...it's time to replace it ;) . It is attached to the end of the crank shaft with one big bolt.

 

The same one fits all 4.0L's from 1987 - 2006...and since you will likely ask, I can get you one for $57 + shipping. It weighs about 8 lbs, so shipping is probably going to be $10 - $12 ;) . You can probably still find one of those in good shape in salvage though too.

 

You're exactly correct homey, I was going to ask :D

But do you think it could be the cause of this noise?

Of course with a correct diagnosis I would have to pay your 65.99 fee :D

That B and I'm going to need that front seal between the balancer and the block.

What's fuct is I just had it replaced about a year ago right before I found this site. I bought the balancer off of E-bay at Part's Warehouse or something like that. I'm going to check my records but I'm betting it was made in China!

What's the official name of that seal (is it Front Main Seal)

and can you just PM with the total fer both so I can pay ya? :cheers:

 

Oh, and last question.

Should I stop driving the truck to avoid any further damage until I change the balancer out?

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I, nor anyone, could guarantee that it's the source, but if you can see it wobble that badly...it's definitely A problem. If it comes apart while you are driving it could cause a fair amount of damage so I would be careful.

 

The seal is simply called the front crank seal by most people that I know. I will get a total together for you tomorrow and shoot you a PM. :cheers:

 

We can probably cut the fee in half now since I already missed the diag one time ;)

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I, nor anyone, could guarantee that it's the source, but if you can see it wobble that badly...it's definitely A problem. If it comes apart while you are driving it could cause a fair amount of damage so I would be careful.

 

The seal is simply called the front crank seal by most people that I know. I will get a total together for you tomorrow and shoot you a PM. :cheers:

 

We can probably cut the fee in half now since I already missed the diag one time ;)

 

:rant: WTH do you mean you can't gaurantee A diagnosis by a horrible description of the noise over the internet and a crappy cell phone video :rotfl2:

 

I'll see ya tomorrow :thumbsup:

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I would definitely not drive it until the balancer's been replaced. Even if it grenades at idle it will at the very least take out your radiator, and quite likely some hoses and serpentine belt.

 

You do not want to see the carnage they can do if it grenades at 4000 rpm, which is far more likely.

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Yep, I know, I parked it last week when I actually saw the balancer coming apart and talked to Taz about it.

I keep having these nightmares about the balancer coming off, the crankshaft blowing out of the block, going thru the rad, and impaling some blind old guy sitting on a corner asking fer spare change.

I've got to switch to decaf.

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I keep having these nightmares about the balancer coming off, the crankshaft blowing out of the block, going thru the rad, and impaling some blind old guy sitting on a corner asking fer spare change.

.

DUDE... maybe I should have shipped it a little faster than ground. You could always run out to the drug store for some Melatonin :brows:

 

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Yep, I know, I parked it last week when I actually saw the balancer coming apart and talked to Taz about it.

I keep having these nightmares about the balancer coming off, the crankshaft blowing out of the block, going thru the rad, and impaling some blind old guy sitting on a corner asking fer spare change.

I've got to switch to decaf.

 

lol. thats funny. the crank wouldnt blow up. but then it wouldnt be a nightmare right? it would definatly idle really hard but 6 grand would be killer

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All right guys.

I got the harmonic balancer in from Taz today (thanks again B)

 

Mine was replaced when I first bought the truck but I never did it myself.

Is it a pretty staight foward replacement or is there any special tools/tips I should know before pulling mine off and replacing it.

 

Here's what I think but someone please chime in if I'm missing something.

 

1)Loosen belt, pull off the old balancer.

2)Loosen and remove the bolt holding the balancer on.

3)Remove balancer and old front seal. Clean area well.

4)Re-install new balancer and seal and button everything back up.

 

It seems like a pretty staightfoward job but is there a certain position the balancer should go back on and do I need to put anything on that front seal?

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It's been a long time since I did a balancer, but I seem to remember having to remove the radiator to get a puller in there as it sticks pretty tight on the crank. Otherwise I believe it was as you have described.

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Problem solved :D

 

I changed the harmonic balancer and front seal today and there is no more noise.

Couple things I'd like to point out. To get the old balancer off you will need a puller. I borrowed a friends but saw one at Autozone for $17.00.

To get the front seal back in correctly without bending it to pieces,(don't ask how I know) you will need a large washer. Use the bolt that goes thru the middle of the balancer and use the washer that has a larger diameter than the seal to walk it back in without causing problems. To walk the balancer back on to the crank you will need a longer bolt than the one that is already there.

I went to Lowe's and the size I bought was 1/2-20 2" Grade 5.

I didn't measure the length of the original bolt that holds the balancer on but it's probably 1 1/2". Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. Also the head is either 19 mm or 3/4".

After I'd spent 4 hours today messing around and running around and buying a new seal, larger washer, and longer bolt it took me exactly 8 minutes to put it all back together.

Figure if you have the correct tools, puller, larger diameter washer, and longer bolt ready to go you can basically get ths job done in less than 1/2 hour.

 

Once again thanks for everybody's help on this one :cheers:

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