1968 Could this be a problem?

[rvrtrash]

I'm not much of a mechanically inclined person, so I need advice.:grin: I was pulling the CS out of the shop today to take some pics for Cory's book and noticed a strange noise coming from the engine. I climbed out, popped the hood and noticed the belts weren't turning. I was wondering if you guys (and gals) thought this might be my problem.

Steve (Yes, this is tongue in cheek, but I thought you would like the pic)

 

[Diesel Donna]

Hahaaaa omg!!

 

[Midnight Special]

...On the bright side - you won't need a light to adjust the timing!
;-)

 

[CALIF GIRL]

I see you have been letting Joe drive again!

 

[robert campbell]

Steve,
WOW and OMG!!! I have never seen this in all my years of wrenching on these cars. Bet the engine was a bit out of balance!

Rob

 

[Perkchiro]

What the heck? How did that happen?

 

[rvrtrash]

It's a first for me also, and I have no idea how it happened. I was coming back from a cruise about a month ago and the car started running a little rough. I thought it was something in the carb because it's been sitting all winter. Yesterday I was going to take it out of the shop for pics and to check plugs, etc to rule that out and heard funny noises with the roughness. The rest is history. I'll pull the front of the engine off to check the crank and key and I just pray I don't have to replace the crank.

Steve

 

[aemoo28]

Someone kindly translate what this photo is, the piece and the little parts. Where does it go? I'm trying to fit in here.

 

[rvrtrash]

Well the piece and the little parts used to be all one piece, the harmonic balancer. It mounts to the front of the crankshaft, through the timing chain cover. A pulley mounts to the opposite end of it and is the bottom pulley that drives all your fan belts. The harmonic balancer has the timing marks on it for adjusting your distributor. I should have specified what it was earlier. Sorry.

Steve

 

[Mustanglvr]

Gee Steve, I'd send that part back and complain to the company! :wink:

 

[franklinair]

That confirms my suspicion: FORD JUNK - Every 30 or 40 years you have to fix something!!
On a more serious line - I've never seen a harmonic balancer do that. Hopefully the crankshaft & keyway aren't damaged. The shaft seal in the timing gear cover probably got mauled.

Neil

 

[hookedtrout]

Hey, get that fixed I need pictures.... JK no hurry, well not too much, I am getting anxious to see the book in print. ;-)

Cory

 

[Mosesatm]

Well the piece and the little parts used to be all one piece, the harmonic balancer. It mounts to the front of the crankshaft, through the timing chain cover. A pulley mounts to the opposite end of it and is the bottom pulley that drives all your fan belts. The harmonic balancer has the timing marks on it for adjusting your distributor. I should have specified what it was earlier. Sorry.

Steve

I think the confusion may come from the fact that the orange thing behind the remains of the balancer looks like part of the part. I struggled with it for a long time before I figured it out.
At first I thought you put a Chevy part (orange) on your Ford engine!

 

[rvrtrash]

I think the confusion may come from the fact that the orange thing behind the remains of the balancer looks like part of the part. I struggled with it for a long time before I figured it out.
At first I thought you put a Chevy part (orange) on your Ford engine!

I leaned it against a jack stand to get the "full effect". If I WOULD have put a chevy part on a Ford engine I a) wouldn't have been surprised if it self destructed and b) would have deserved it.

Neil, that's my hope also. I think the key is toast and probably the seal, but I'm praying the crank is ok. I'm getting ready for two more raft trips in the next 3 weeks so don't have time right now to tear the front of the engine apart, but will as soon as I can. Anyone know of a good aftermarket balancer for a 3 bolt pulley?

Steve

 

[robert campbell]

Stock or high performance?

 

[rvrtrash]

I think stock would be fine. The cam is a little lumpy but that's about the only real change from stock.

Steve

 

[66hcs-conv]

Hi gang,

I put a 302 in a Ford Ranger, w/5speed trans and was "rowing" throught the gears, and the balancer came apart. The outside portion seperated from the
inside part. I think it is just rubber that joins the two together. Made a he!!
of vibration and racket. I was able to mostly coast home, and purchased an after market balancer and everything was ok. No damage to the crank or seal. To quote Bill Elliot "I'd rather be lucky than good"

Have fun - Dave

 

[Mosesatm]

I started my C-code to tune it up for a road test and I heard a knocking noise from the front of the engine. It didn't sound like a normal internal knock so I removed all the belts from the pulleys to see if the noise was coming from the water pump, power steering pump, or the alternator.
That made the noise much, much worse!!! My first thought was a failed front main bearing but my engine builder recommended checking the lower pulley because they sometimes crack.

When I placed a socket on one of the pulley bolts the entire harmonic balancer moved......... a lot! It turns out the harmonic balancer bolt was loose, so loose I unscrewed it by hand.

Check out the photo. A new balancer is on order so I won't be posting a photo like Steve's in a few months.

 

[robert campbell]

Arlie,
Wow, is that a lot of damage to the damper. What does the crank keyway look like? And the key itself?

My brother in law and I just finished a 1969 Ranchero paint, interior, and engine/drivetrain freshen up. He went with an aftermarket vibration damper on the 351 Windsor. 4 speed car and after a month or so it developed a very light “knocking” noise. Front of motor also. We took belts off, adjusted lifters, looked a the fuel pump. Could not make it go away. Very deceptive even with my stethoscope.

As it turned out when my b in law put the pulley on the damper the bolts bottomed in the holes just a fraction before squeezing the pulley to the damper tight. Pulled out the bolts and added one washer and all is great now. All 3 bolts bottomed before tightening.

Rob

 

[Mosesatm]

Rob,
The key looks fine.
I'm not sure that is damage. The edges look so crisp I wonder if someone didn't cut in a new slot, but I have no idea why.