|
|
|
Hello. My daughter's '89 B230 engine has stripped the "key" or tab in the crankshaft timing gear. This of course means the engine will run faster than the belts thereby making the alternator turn slow and not charge the battery, the power steering going out, the water pump not pumping, the engine getting hot and the entire car going nuts. My daughter somehow brought it 65 miles home like this. After ruling out the alternator and noticing all belts turning too slow compared to the engine, I figured the little tab down there in the crankshaft gear sprocket was stripped. I got the bolt out using the rope a dope trick. Easy. BUT, the pulley will not pull off so that I can get to the sprocket. Do I have to completely loosen the A/C compressor and take the belts off first. I was hoping the pulley would just pull right off when I got the bolt and retainer off. The A/C pulley adjustment on the front side is loose, but I am finding it impossible to loosen the slide bolt on the back side of the A/C mount. Is that really necessary. It is a @#%&@@!!! If I have to I will probably have to buy one of those expensive half moon curved wrenches. Any ideas. BTW, those crankshaft sprockets with the key are pricey. Whoooweee!
|
|
-
|
|
|
by joining the pieces together?
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.
|
|
-
|
|
|
re: "...My daughter's '89 B230 engine has stripped the "key" or tab in the crankshaft timing gear. This of course means the engine will run faster than the belts thereby ...."
You're right about the pulley slowing down, but for the wrong reason! Actually, if that happened as you say (the key on the timing gear shearing), it would be as if the timing belt broke -- i.e., the crankshaft would no longer by synchronized by the camshaft and distributor-driving intermediate shaft, and the engine wouldn't run at all (though no damage, because it's a non-interference engine).
However, what has almost certainly happened (with a diagnosis below) is that the two parts of the harmonic balancer (whose outer part incorporates the crankshaft's accessory belt pulleys) are no longer bound together.
The B230 like yours (and unlike the earlier B23) has a two part balancer, an inner part and an outer part, and they're glued together (don't ask me why they're made like that). But this balancer is notorious for losing integrity, and the parts begin to slip. From the moment they start this, you can no longer use a timing light to set the distributor timing (if you have a pre-'90, that is, because '90-on the ECU does all the timing, not the distributor, based on the CPS on the bell housing) -- the timing mark is on the outer part, and the crank is attached to the inner part, and they're no long attached!
This is also why I wrote that it was "notorious". That is, whenever you do a timing belt replacement (every 50,000 miles or so), you should also consider replacing the harmonic balancer. Actually, if you use a Volvo-brand unit, you can do this every other timing belt; but if you use an aftermarket (ScanTec brand, for example), do it every time. Consider the balancer a "maintenance" item, rather than expecting it to last the life of the engine.
To detect or confirm the diagnosis of this problem, put a chalk or paint stripe radially (i.e., a radius line) on the pulley. You'll find after running the engine that the outer and inner parts of the stripe no longer line up. So in effect, the outer part is spinning slower than the inner part, as you suspected.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Excellent post. Thanks so much for the explanation. It also confirms to me that it would be best NOT to replace this bad pulley with the other old one on my spare 240. It likely will go bad also, although I have no idea how old it is. Best to buy a new one, somewhere, on a Saturday. Perhaps Carquest will have one. Or NAPA. Still gotta get the old one off, dadgummit.
|
|
-
|
|
|
If the rubber is badly cracked on the spare it may be ready to fail. If there are none or a just a couple of small cracks it is good.
Dan
|
|
-
|
|
|
OK. I got it off with lots of PBB and remembering I had a 3-point gear puller in a box. Good grief. Wish I had remembered that yesterday. The pulley was in terrible shape with dry-rotted crack all out. I could literally hear the rubber crack with just a little pressure from my fingernail into the rubber. It freely spun on the inner part. Shot. I ordered a new one for pick-up at Carquest on Monday for $95 plus tax. Not a bad price considering I need it fixed by Monday night. Thanks everyone, for all the help. This was a good class.
|
|
-
|
|
|
If the alignment key were sheared the engine would be out of time and not run. What has probably happened is the rubber in the harmonic balancer (pulley) has failed causing the alt to not turn with the engine.
They get corroded onto the crank shaft and you will have to work it back and forth but it will come off. Some PB Blaster may help.
Dan
|
|
-
|
|
|
If that is the case, do you recommend a new pulley? I have only worked with the older pre-86 pulleys with the little 10mm bolts that held it on. This is new. I assume the rubber, if worn out, is an integrated part of the pulley and cannot be bought separately. Am I right about that. My back up car, an '88 240, has a good pulley with none of these problems. I will likely take that pulley off and put on this '89.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Yes a new harmonic balancer or a good used one will solve the problem. You should be able to see the failed rubber once you get it out. The one from your 88 will work if you want to take it apart.
Dan
|
|
-
|
|
|
I am a bit new to the "harmonic balancer" lingo. Is that the rubber part, the outer part, or the whole pulley is the harmonic balancer? I did get the belt off finally by rolling it off using a screwdriver as was suggested. However, I cannot get the pulley off as yet. I have squirted lots of PBB in there. My wife loves the smell....NOT. Anyway, the outer pulley turns freely and wiggles, but the inner "hub" will not budge. I assume it all should come off together. Right? I guess I will let the PBB do it's thing overnight and start banging on the inner part in the morning. I can't wedge anything down in there behind the pulley because of the plastic cover getting cracked. I am completely open to other ideas to get this cotton pickin thing off. Once off I will be able to see what the real problem is.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Ok. I get from your earlier note that the pulley itself is the harmonic balancer. So if I can EVER get this one off and the other off the '88 then I am off to the races. So, when they go bad and the rubber degrades, then it will not spin with the engine, but frees independently of the engine. Is that correct?
|
|
-
|
|
|
Yes, but you are lucky the outer ring did not come off and destroy the radiator. The whole assembly is called the harmonic balancer.
Usually the slipping make a terrible squeal indicating the rubber has failed and the two parts are slipping
Dan
|
|
-
|
|
|
If the outer metal turns freely the whole assembly (harmonic balancer) needs replacing. Try tapping the inner piece with a hammer to break the rust bond. Work it back and forth, eventually it will come off.
Dan
|
|
-
|
|
|
Are you sure it is not just the outer portion of the crank pulley that is loose? That is fairly common. If you find that you need a replacement cogged pulley for the crankshaft please email me at jrstarkieatroadrunnerdotcom.
You can usually "roll off" the belts. Replace the bolt so you can turn the crank and use a screwdriver to guide the belts off as you turn the pulley with a rachet on the bolt. These photos show it being done on a 940.
Randy
|
|
-
|
|
|
2 issues here:
the pulley tends to stick to the end of the crank pretty well, it may need encouragement with a rubber mallet and some penetrating oil (PB blaster, Kroil, etc) before you'll be able to wiggle it off.
Moving the A/C compressor is a royal PITA. There's the front adjuster, which you've already loosened. There;s the rear nut, which you've already seen and concluded is a nightmare to access (I come in from the front with socket, ujoint, and extensions). Then there are 2 MORE bolts down below, on the underside of the compressor, which have to be loosed before the damn thing will move.
You'll need to loosen the compressor anyway, as there's no way you'll get the pulley back on there with the A/C belt slipped on it and in tension.
John
|
|
|
|
|
