Volvo 240: wobbly crankshaft pulley

Discussion in 'Volvo 240' started by Jimbo, Aug 9, 2004.

  1. Jimbo

    Jimbo Guest

    On my 89 240 GL, the original crankshaft pulley (harmonic balancer)
    failed, the rubber bonding between the inner and outer halves broke and
    disintegrated. The outer half ended up cocked at about a 25 deg. angle, and
    had ground away one side of the timing belt cover. And of course it ws no
    longer turning anything, as it had completely separated from the inner half
    of the pulley. I replaced it with a junkyard part for only $60. Highway
    robbery for a part that is15 years old, but better than the alternative. The
    very cheapest price for a new one was $120, and that being more than I could
    afford, I opted to take a chance on the used part.
    Finally got the right alternator belt, started the car up, and all is
    working, but the replacement crank pulley is wobbling severely. It is
    cocked or out-of-balance. I did notice before installing it that there were
    three shallow 3/8 in. holes drilled close together on the outside
    circumference, not far from the rim. So I know that this balancer was
    balanced in the past. So what to do at this point? It is so wobbly that the
    rubber bond is going to fail (again!) from the rapid tightening/loosening of
    the belts as it turns....and man, are those belts jumping! I cannot drive it
    like that.
    I suppose I should try removing/reinstalling the crank pulley once, to see
    if maybe for some reason it didn't seat flush. If I still have the same
    problem, then do I need to have an automotive machine shop re-balance it
    somehow? Can this be done when there are are already three holes drilled in
    it?
    But it looks to me more like it has a wobble from not being in proper
    axial (?) alignment with the shaft, rather than just being an unbalanced
    vibration. If that is what it is, can a machine shop grind the surface that
    mates with the crankshaft end so that the wobble is eliminated?
    What are the odds of a NEW crankshaft pully fixing this problem? It
    might not, I guess, because the way the crank pulley failed it might have
    BENT the crankshaft end due to the way the loose outer part of the pulley
    got jammed up....maybe?
    Also, is that the actual end of the crankshaft that the crank pulley is
    attached to, or not? Because if it is the actual end of the crankshaft
    pulley that is bent, then I am really screwed, as they say.
     
    Jimbo, Aug 9, 2004
    #1
  2. Jimbo

    James Sweet Guest


    Yikes, pricey junkyard! I'd expect it to be more like $8-$12 around here at
    a U-pull yard.
     
    James Sweet, Aug 10, 2004
    #2
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