Volvo RWD 900 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 4/2013 900 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Harmonic balancer? 900 1992

posted by  BrickDad on  Thu Jul 16 06:52 CST 2015
Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
[RELATED]

This morning while driving I noticed a 1 per rev vibration and ticking noise from the engine of the 940T. No warning lights or CEL. Seemed louder at idle than when underway. At the commuter train station I just had time to pop the hood and the noise seemed to be coming from the main pulley area. Is this a symptom of a failed harmonic balancer?

Brian Mee

92 945T
91 240
90 240 DL








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Harmonic balancer? 900 1992

    posted by  pageda on  Thu Jul 16 06:57 CST 2015
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 13:18 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    If you can't tell by looking at it, draw a line across both metal pieces rev the engine and look at the line. If it has separated the HB is failing. Should also hear squealing noise.
    Dan








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      Harmonic balancer? 900 1992

      posted by  BrickDad on  Thu Jul 16 13:38 CST 2015
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
      [RELATED]

      I'll check that tonight. So far more of a tapping than a squeal. Could it be something in the water pump impeller?

      Brian Mee








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Harmonic balancer? 900 1992

        posted by  jerryc on  Thu Jul 16 14:39 CST 2015
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Wed Oct 8 21:28 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        One of mine also has a sort of light tapping or ticking noise. A stethoscope on everything shows nothing. Listening carefully, from center, as I move to the right the noise seems to be from the left; moving to the left the noise seems to be from the right. So I'm pretty sure it's the damper. I have several, but this isn't going to happen for a while. When I do it I'll post back.








        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          Harmonic balancer? 900 1992

          posted by  BrickDad on  Fri Jul 17 10:42 CST 2015
          Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
          last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
          [RELATED]

          Well the harmonic balancer may deserve replacement but the biggest problem is with the multi-groove pulley on the water pump. It somehow lost 3 of the 4 bolts holding it on and wobbled enough to make the one per rev sound before it shed the power steering belt and quit turning. Good think a 945T has an electric fan, the mechanical fan (like on a 240) probably would have eaten the radiator.

          No time to investigate further but will post more next week.

          New timing belt and tensioner was installed about 20K miles ago as part of the head gasket replacement project. At 255K miles I probably should have considered replacing the harmonic balancer while it was off.

          Brian Mee

          92 940T 275K miles








          •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

            Harmonic balancer? Now water pump pulley bolts 900 1992

            posted by  BrickDad on  Tue Jul 21 08:02 CST 2015
            Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
            last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
            [RELATED]

            Well got to look at it last night. One bolt finger tight, two broken off at the pulley surface (with enough sticking out to turn out with pliers and one sheared off flush with the pulley. Looks like I'll have to use a drill and an easy-out to get that one out.

            Probably have to pull the radiator fan assembly to get enough space to get the drill in. I would prefer not to take the water pump off since I did get a good seal on the various connections this time when installing it and I don't have replacement gaskets handy. Water pump turns freely so no sign of internal damage or jamming.

            Probably cause - operator error, bolts not high enough grade ( probably lost originals during the long head gasket change process). Looks like one bolt head failed and then the assembly got loose enough to batter the heads off two others before it threw the belt and stopped turning.

            Planned solution - use grade 8 bolts and a little thread locker when reinstalling. Also will mark the harmonic balancer just to see if it has any slippage.








            •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

              Harmonic balancer? Now water pump pulley bolts 900 1992

              posted by  spook on  Tue Jul 21 09:34 CST 2015
              Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
              last visit: Fri Oct 24 08:06 CST 2014
              [RELATED]

              Dear BrickDad,

              Hope you're well. The proximate failure cause was untightened bolts. Once tightened, these bolts are not under much strain. A Grade 8 bolt might have withstood longer the battering from a loose pulley.

              A hand-held rotary tool might allow you to remove the flush-sheared bolt stub, without removing the electric fan housing. Cut a slot in the bolt stub and use a screw driver to turn-out the stub. Most hand-held rotary tools will fit easily between the water pump pulley flange and the electric fan housing.

              As none of the bolts was fully tightened, the bolt stub is "loose". Thus, a shallow slot cut in the bolt stub should allow you to turn the stub with little effort.

              The water pump pulley flange is about 3/8" (10 mm) thick, so a slot cut into the stub - that extends slightly into adjoining areas of the pulley flange - will not compromise the flange's strength.

              Alternatively, if you have an electric welder, weld a 10/24 screw to the bolt stub, and then turn-out the stub.

              I'd not use thread locker on the replacement bolts, unless the holes in the pulley flange have been deformed. If so, the bolts will feel "loose" (wobbly) as you screw them in. I'd bet that the flange steel is harder than that of the bolts, to there's been no damage to the holes.

              Even if the bolt holes have been deformed, it might be better to use lock washers - to keep tension on the bolts - rather than to rely on thread locker.

              Hope this helps.

              Yours faithfully,

              Spook








              •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

                Harmonic balancer? Now water pump pulley bolts 900 1992

                posted by  BrickDad on  Wed Jul 22 05:34 CST 2015
                Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
                last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
                [RELATED]

                Thanks Spook, that did the trick. New bolts with lock washers installed. Now just need to get the power steering belt back on and should be good to go.

                Brian Mee








          •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

            HB...rely on visual clue 900 1992

            posted by  Amarin on  Fri Jul 17 11:02 CST 2015
            Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
            last visit: Thu Oct 23 22:42 CST 2014
            [RELATED]

            Hi,

            If your car still have the front underbelly pan, check for any 10mm bolts collected there (also around the battery and air filter box).

            For this troubleshooting purpose get the bolts on the water pump pulley fixed first. If no bolts on the belly pan, take out the last remaining bolt and bring it to the hardware shop to get more replacement. The size is 10mm hex about 15mm to 20mm length. While I doubt these replacement bolts would be of automotive grade, these would do for the moment. By dong this you've isolated the water pump pulley's noise.

            Alternatively (if your hardware store is far away and a drive there is not possible) you may use the grounding bolts from the headlight ground pegs behind the headlights, FULLY knowing this would render your headlights and turn signals un-operational during this troubleshooting (plus one of your headlight grounds is also for the O2 sensor). The water pump pulley uses similar 10mm bolts as the grounding bolts. These are only FOR A WHILE.

            For the HB draw a white line for better visibility. I usually use the white correction fluid (Tipp-Ex / Pentel / Papermate etc). Visual confirmation is much better than relying on fleeting engine sounds. My HB last time gave "chirping" sounds at idle and this helped.

            Regards,
            Amarin.






<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.