# How do you get the harmonic balancer off?



## Dan Weidel (Mar 3, 2012)

I have a '69 400ci with a coolant leak somewhere behind the cast timing chain housing. Either where it mates to the block or possibly the intake so it looks like I have to get the balancer off. What are the best tools and procedure? Motor is in the car. Thanks!


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## Icefan71 (Apr 7, 2011)

I'm a novice here, but this is what I did. I stuck a screwdriver into a hole in the flexplate to keep the crank from rotating. I don't remember but I think you have to remove the cover (3 screws). Then use a 1/2 inch drive 15/16 socket and good size breaker bar and bust the balancer bolt loose. Then remove the belts and the pulley (4 bolts). For me the balancer came off with some very gentle prying with a large screwdriver. It didn't take much at all. If yours doesn't want to come out you should probably rent a harmonic balancer removal tool. They are free to rent at Autozone, Advanced Auto. When you put it back on torque it to 160 ft lbs. I was doing a tear down of the motor so I had the front end already removed, radiator, radiator support, fan all removed. So you might have more stuff in the way. Hope this helps.


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## Koppster (Jul 27, 2008)

Icefan hit the key points....ditto, make sure you torque it correctly when you reinstall


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## Dan Weidel (Mar 3, 2012)

thanks! you mentioned just some gentle prying, is it on a tapered shaft? My understanding was using a puller and using the center screw, walk it off. Thanks guys!!!


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

"It depends" - the factory balancer is usually a slip fit and sometimes you can just slide it off by hand once the big nasty bolt is out. Don't count on it though - have a balancer puller available 'just in case'. I usually "lock" the crank in place by dropping the flexplate/flywheel cover from the transmission/bell housing and clamping a big pair of vise-grips onto the starter ring gear so that they limit how far the crank can turn. This works for both removing and re-installing the big bolt. If you're doing it in the car, reinstalling the balancer can be a little tricky because it's hard to see when you've got it properly aligned with the key on the crank snout. What I did to help me with that was I got a narrow strip of "fine line" masking tape (make sure it's just a tad bit narrower than the key way itself) and ran it along the crank snout in line with the key and dropped the end of it over the end of the crank. That made it a lot easier for me to see when I had the slot in the balancer aligned with the key during re-installation.

Bear


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