What are the symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer?

The most common symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer include:
  • Engine Vibrations. The harmonic balancer’s job is to dampen vibrations applied to the crankshaft. …
  • Noticeable Harmonic Balancer Wobble. …
  • Unusual Noises. …
  • Illuminated Check Engine Light. …
  • Visible Wear or Damage.

What happens if your harmonic balancer goes bad?

If the harmonic balancer gets too old or fails and can no longer properly absorb the harmonic vibrations, the engine will shake excessively. The shaking will become even more pronounced, and therefore dangerous to the engine at high speeds.

Can you drive a car with a bad harmonic balancer?

It’s not okay to drive with a bad harmonic balancer. The bouncing crankshaft will wear on the main bearings. It can also tear up drive belts and possibly come apart posing a danger to people and property.

What is the point of a harmonic balancer?

A harmonic balancer is a front end accessory drive component that is connected to the crankshaft of an engine. The purpose of the harmonic balancer is to reduce engine vibration and in many cases, serves as a pulley for drive belts.

How much does it cost to fix a harmonic balancer?

How much does a harmonic balancer usually cost? A harmonic balancer replacement can be as low as $150 to over $550.

What causes the harmonic balancer to go bad?

Over time, the crankshaft harmonic balancer can go bad from constant exposure to chemicals, the elements, or from old age. If this happens, the crankshaft may develop cracks and ultimately fail.

Can you run an engine without harmonic balancer?

It may seem simple enough to use a harmonic balancer, but failure can have severe consequences. In the absence of a balancer, unwanted vibrations from the crankshaft may cause engine failures, such as worn rod bearings and broken crankshafts.

Is a harmonic balancer necessary?

The function of the harmonic balancer is to reduce the amplitude of the torsional vibration peaks to an acceptable level. Most OEM harmonic dampers are not designed to cope with the rpm and BHP levels experienced in competition. That is why racers must consider a high-performance damper that is fit for purpose.

Does harmonic balancer affect performance?

A harmonic balancer is designed to keep crankshaft torsional vibrations in check that occur when the engine is running. So, it doesn’t matter what kind of change you make to the engine, adding more horsepower will change its harmonics.