Belt Noise and Harmonic Balancer

[jfgibb1988]

Hello everyone, new to the site but love it.  I was following a recent thread about serpentine belt noise and it raised a question as i have the same issue with belt noise as the earlier post.  I have an 1988 Comanche with the 4.0L 6-cyl and was trying to figure out where the constant noise from the sepentine belt was coming from - trying to figure out if it was the belt or one of the pulleys. (belt i new but i don't know brand).   While doing that i noticed that the harmonic balancer has a piece of rubber sticking out from the front - in the previous thread a poster had stated that if the vulcanized rubber is not flush that could be a problem.  How do i tell if i have a problem with the HM?  

[Jeep Driver]

How do you tell?

 

You just answered your own question.

[gogmorgo]

If the rubber looks bad, it's probably bad. Often you'll be able to watch the pulley wobbling back and forth. When mine went, the rubber didn't look too bad, but the pulley was obviously separating. The wobble was bad enough it was alternately pushing the belt against the timing cover, to the point where the belt had cut itself almost an 1/8" groove in the cover. Needless to say it was chirping pretty good.

Replacing it wasn't that big a chore, borrowing a harmonic balancer puller/installer kit from Autozone or whatever parts store you prefer will make it a cake walk. The hardest part is getting the belt back on.

[jfgibb1988]

Thanks! 

[MuddFoot]

just did this today mine came way apart lol. good now