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Help! In Middle Of Replacing Harmonic Balancer


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OK good news bad news, I need help...

 

Bad news #1 I forgot to remove the washer after I removed the crank bolt, then starting using the remover tool but that messed up the washer slightly since I was cranking on it. I'll need to go buy a new washer, no big deal.

 

Good news #1 The balancer came off nice without removing anything but my skid plate and the splash shield. No need to remove rad, fan, etc., none of that. In hindsight I probably didn't even need to put the truck on ramps to do this job.

 

Good news #2 The balancer was rubbing on the timing chain cover but luckily it didn't dig through, it just "scored" the cover, so the damage is minimal and I don't need to replace the cover.

 

Bad news #2 Here's where I need help.... boy I'm struggling to get the front crank seal (on the timing cover) off. I tried using a screwdriver, I tried using the paint lid tool trick, and I bought the seal remover tool. None of them will budge the damn thing. Any ideas on how to get the stupid thing out of there?

 

And how do I get the old woodruff key out of there? I put some vice grips on there to try and pull it and it wouldn't budge.

 

Yeah yeah I know I butchered things trying to get the seal out... :mad:

 

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  On 3/29/2014 at 4:43 AM, KYMJ said:

A punch and hammer.

 

For the seal or woodruff key?

 

  On 3/29/2014 at 5:23 AM, onlyinajeep726 said:

Why do you need to remove the old woodruff key?  The new balancer should still work with the old woodruff key...

 

Good question. The new balancer comes with a new key so I just kind of assumed I need to change it. When I think about it it's easier to just leave that one alone. Consider that done :thumbsup:

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I found a trick on YouTube for removing a stubborn seal... drill a small hole and put a screw in there and pull. Cool idea, I might have to try that... but I'm done with this for the night, I'll tackle the project again tomorrow afternoon.

 

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p.s. I forgot to mention that I used the old trick of putting a socket & breaker bar on the crank bolt and cranking the engine to break the bolt loose, it worked wonderfully. It sounded terrible (I only cranked it for about 1/10 second, just a blip) but it worked great.

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IF you can drill a hole the the lip of the seal that may do the trick, otherwise don't waste your time. It's a major PITA but it is worth it in the long run to just remove the cover all together. If not you could end up damaging the opening and/or the deal surface . . . . . . . like I did. Thank God I had a spare.

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Argh, it's gone from bad to worse. I tried the drilling a hole and using a screw to pull it out trick a few times and it just tore the front metal part of the seal.

 

So what needs to come off to remove the timing chain cover? I may just take it off...

 

Someone stop me from pushing the truck out to the street and lighting a match... :mad:

 

 

13498175875_a0b5ba741e_c.jpg

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OK I didn't torch my truck. Long story short I read on another forum a tip to try and punch the seal inward toward the crank so it "loosens" the seal against the cover. When I did that I was able to take the biggest screwdriver I have and pry it out then.

 

So I guess I was just trying to not damage the timing cover too much before. In the end I think it's all good. I picked up some black RTV, I'm going to smear a little bit on the seal where it fits into the cover to help prevent any future leaks. And I put the new seal in my deep freeze to help make it a tiny bit smaller before putting it back in :thumbsup:

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