Timing Belt belt replacement job is paused with stuck harmonic balancer. The steps say to wiggle the damn thing. This thing is really stuck. I am afraid to use too much force. I wondering what is the correct way to work it off?

I strayed it down with PB Blaster (love that stuff).

-Kevin

 

1. Rent a puller from a local auto parts store.

2. I have had success with 2 pry bars behind the pulley and walked it off.

...more PB Blaster

 

Puller occurred to me, but would I have to remove the radiator? I have pry bars, but was hesitant to go that way. Thanks, I will look into this tomorrow.

 

I always remove the radiator it will give you a chance to clean out the insides of it between the AC and Rad plus its very easy to work on the engine with it out of the way

 

If you use a puller that grabs the outer ring, go ahead and get a new balancer, cause that one will be done.

 

I seldom claim exception on Greg, but it looks to me like the balancer has a lip that prevents the outer ring from pulling forward past the inner ring where the rubber isolation layer is. That said, I'd still be extremely cautious with a puller. On one car with a seriously stuck balancer, I attached the puller and twisted the center bolt by hand. That's "no tools at all" by hand. Then a little rocking of the puller, another little twist of the bolt by hand, anothe rocking of the puller, etc. A few of those was enough to break the bond between the bore on the balancer and the crank nose, so it was then just regular stubborn rather than impossible to get it off the rest of the way. No reason not to pull the radiator, by the way. You need to pull it or shield it anyway, takes just a minute to get it out since all but the two ATF lines are already disconnected.

 

+1 on using a puller - only ever needed to turn the puller bolt by hand and then not even "maximum hand torque"

I have examined the balancers on the SE and GT each time they have been off and as far as my poking and prodding seems to tell me the rear "disc" of the balancer is solid steel from outside edge to crankshaft.

 

if you do use a puller make sure to use a socket that wont bottom on the crank bolt threads or you wont be able to rethread the crank bolt if you have a spar crank bolt you can put a dimple in the center of it with a bigger drill say ove 1/2 in diam. then screw the crank bolt into the crank I use a 12mm 1/2 in drive socket with the thinner part stuck into the crank the puller bolt fits neatly into the opposite end and no damage is done

 

The puller I use has a rotating cap on the end of the central screw that is larger than the hole the crank bolt goes into so no danger there. Perhaps more importantly the puller never gets tight enough to hold itself in place so one hand is required to hold the central screw on the end of the crank. Not to mention the octopus I recruit to help holding the puller legs onto the balancer

 

You guys may be right, maybe you can use a puller on a 928 with out fear.
I am not just because I have a rule against it, but carry on.
I have one that will be coming off in a few days, I will inspect it and get back on this.

 

Once you get it off, take a green scrubby pad and clean off the crud that is on the snout of the crank and the inside of the balancer. It should slide on and off like butter.

 

harmonic balancer is off. used a puller. Next, on my GTS does the A/C connector behind the right timing cover just pop off like the connector at the radiator fans or is there more to it?

 

I just looked at a 928 ballancer, IF the jaws are deep enough to only grab the very back you will be ok, if you get the outer ring it will damage it if much force is applied to the outer ring.

 

There's a pigtail lead from the clutch coil, no connector on the clutch coil end. At the harness end, there's a standard female spade connection that mates with a shrouded male connector, The male connector is from the front-of-engine harness, just to the side (towards the pass side fender on US cars) of where it passes behind the oil dipstick tube.

 

Hence the 'hand torque only - no tools!' recommendation. The puller gave me a good way to grab the outer ring and apply a little pressure to get it thinking about coming off. Pressed completely over the crank snout, there's isn't much room to get fingers around the balancer and pull it forward.

The one on my S4 came off effortlessly, once I straightened the Woodruff key just a smidge. The one on James' '85 Euro slid off easily. Maybe that rumor that the 16C cars are easier to work on than the 32V cars is strue. _