wobbly crank pulley

[mouchyn]

Does anyone have any idea why two different known-good crank pullies would wobble slightly?

I have checked the pullies with a square and they are all perfectly straight. It's almost like the surface the crank pulley pushes against is bent of crooked. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Strugglebucket]

you've got the key in there, right?

[mouchyn]

yeah. the key is in. I started the engine with the crank pulley off and the crank doesn't wobble or move at all. Hopefully, that's a good indication that the crank is ok.

What's interesting is that the crank pulley has worn/cut a groove into the timing belt cover. Has that happened to anyone else? I wonder why it would do that...

[mouchyn]

i think i fixed the problem. I took the pulley off and remove the lower timing belt cover. The timing belt was riding about 1/8" off the timing belt cog. I pushed the belt back on and turned the engine by hand a few times to make sure it was tracking properly. I put it all back together and the pulley doesn't wobble anymore.

we'll see how long it stays fixed. I know i didn't put the engine together with the timing belt off that far...

[BlueBead]

I had that rubbing problem on my hatchie.. it didn't do to much other than wear away the plastic. try to make sure you don't crank the cover on too tight.

[mouchyn]

well, i drove the car around for 10 or 15 minutes. the crank pulley was fine and there wasn't any rubbing sound. When i got back to my house, the whirring was back and the pulley was wobbling.

I'll take it apart again tomorrow and see if the timing belt came off the gear again. I'm very frustrated, now.

[AccordEpicenter]

you need to tighten the fuck out of that bolt

[Oldblueaccord]

You have the inside and outside "cages" that guide the belt on it right?

I think if you didnt you could bottom out the bolt and it still could wobble. New bolt/washer and a new key wouldn't hurt either.


wp

[mouchyn]

the key and belt guides are new. i spun the bolt in with my fingers, then hit it with a 260 ft lb impact gun.

i haven't taken the cover off to check out the timing belt again, but if it is riding off the crank gear, what could be pushing it out? why wouldn't a really effing tight pulley bolt hold everything together?

[Oldblueaccord]

the key and belt guides are new. i spun the bolt in with my fingers, then hit it with a 260 ft lb impact gun.

i haven't taken the cover off to check out the timing belt again, but if it is riding off the crank gear, what could be pushing it out? why wouldn't a really effing tight pulley bolt hold everything together?

Well of course it should but in this case something is going on. I'm wondering if you have some crank walk and thats what is making the belt walk otherwise I am at a loss at this point. I guess make sure the tensioner is on the pin correctly so it's not making the belt want to walk by being crooked when you tensioned it up.

wp

[YK86]

Weird....Do you have both guides (#5) and the crank bolt washer (#8) in there?

http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SE00/023/3.jpg

[mouchyn]

Weird....Do you have both guides (#5) and the crank bolt washer (#8) in there?

http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SE00/023/3.jpg

yes.

how can i check for crank walk?

[Oldblueaccord]

yes.

how can i check for crank walk?

uhh..... i see in that picture it does have thrust bearings sometimes they can wear and let the crank move back and forth. You usually can see it when you rev the motor up. Really you need to take the oil pan off and run the procedure in the book. Im a work but guessing Id say use a feeler guage and a big screw drive to load the crank both ways. Hope its not that it need new bearings and the caps are most likley screwed. Keep looking for any other options/


Sure you got the correct pulley. I no there is a break over as far as the bolt size goes not sure what year it went to a bigger bolt. Mic everything out check and double check.

wp

[Strugglebucket]

'89s got the 19mm bolt. everything before was 17mm, but i think the only difference was the head.

if the t-belt is sliding outwards it's because it is too loose. pushing it back won't do any good as you found out. you probably need to replace the spring on the tensioner and re-tension the belt.

BTW i can't see how the t-belt being out of place would cause the crank pulley to wobble, unless the bolt wasn't tightened down all the way. i think a new key is a good idea.

[Robs89LXi]

If you are replacing all your original parts, then it sounds like you just have not tightened it enough. When you insert the keyway, then put on the pulley, it should be a very snug fit on the crank end. You can push it on just enough for it to hold, or you may have to put a piece of wood across the face of the pulley and tap it on with a hammer. Even then though, it is still not on all the way. As you tighten the bolt, it will pull the pulley all the way on to the crankshaft end. This bolt should be tightened to 108 ft/lbs. I think you need to recheck to make sure everything was put on properly. Make sure you are using the correct thick washer on the bolt, make sure the threads are good on both the bolt and crank, and then torque it correctly. I think your wobble is coming from a improperly mounted/tightened pulley.
Be sure to let us know what you find out, and good luck.

[mouchyn]

I bought that key brand new, but it certainly does not fit sungly on the crank side. It's very loose in its little groove. I'll get another one from Honda today. While i'm there, i'll get a new bolt and thick washer.

I'll check the tension on the timing belt again. The tensioner and belt are brand new, so I don't think the tensioner is messed up.

Thanks for all the help guys

[Robs89LXi]

No, the key does not necessarily fit snugly, but the pulley should fit snugly on the crank shaft when you put it on. It should be so snug that you cannot push it back all the way onto the shaft. This will happen when you tighten the bolt. It will push the pulley back to seat it as it tightens.

[mouchyn]

No, the key does not necessarily fit snugly, but the pulley should fit snugly on the crank shaft when you put it on. It should be so snug that you cannot push it back all the way onto the shaft. This will happen when you tighten the bolt. It will push the pulley back to seat it as it tightens.

hmm, interesting. both of the pullies i have will slide all the way on. It takes some wiggling, but it'll go all the way. Do you think i should drop the $100 for a new pulley? I would really hate to do that and it still wobble... Honda doesn't like to take parts back.

here's some videos of the wobbling. the first video is just the crank pulley wobbling. In real life, it wobbles about twice as fast as you see in the video. I guess the digital still camera i was using to take the video doesn't have a high framerate capture. oh well. you get the idea. It wobbles just like this except twice as fast.
http://members.cox.net/cgmouchyn/video/100_0759.MOV

this second video shows you how smooth the engine idles. you could set a full cup of coffee on the valve cover. it also shows that the crank pulley does when you rev the engine.

http://members.cox.net/cgmouchyn/video/100_0760.MOV

if the videos don't work, try right clicking them and choosing "save as"

[SteveDX89]

I don't think you need a new pulley. My pulley slides all the way on by hand and it doesn't wobble at all. The chunk I knocked out of it sucks tho. :sad2:

[mouchyn]

so, you're is missing a chunk and it doesn't wobble?

so much for pulley balance being the issue...

my stock flywheel is lightened to 15 lbs. The guy i bought it from is a trustworthy machinist and he said he balanced it to 15k rpm. I have plenty of experience with lightened stock flywheels, too. All my 3G preludes have lightened stock flywheels and don't have any wobble or vibration issues. IF my flywheel is slightly out of balance, do you think that could cause the pulley to wobble?

the engine idles and revs smooth as glass and you can't feel ANY vibration in the car...

[SteveDX89]

Nope, no wobble. I was putting it back on the one day and I had the key rotated 90º so it wouldn't slide on easy. I was banging on it with a rubber mallet but it wasn't helping so I tried a regular one and banging in the middle near where the bolts goes and I slipped a little bit and broke a chunk off. It doesn't wobble but I'm sure it's out of balance now. It's probably fucking my bearings up everytime it's running. :sad2:

[Oldblueaccord]

hmm, interesting. both of the pullies i have will slide all the way on. It takes some wiggling, but it'll go all the way. Do you think i should drop the $100 for a new pulley? I would really hate to do that and it still wobble... Honda doesn't like to take parts back.

here's some videos of the wobbling. the first video is just the crank pulley wobbling. In real life, it wobbles about twice as fast as you see in the video. I guess the digital still camera i was using to take the video doesn't have a high framerate capture. oh well. you get the idea. It wobbles just like this except twice as fast.
http://members.cox.net/cgmouchyn/video/100_0759.MOV

this second video shows you how smooth the engine idles. you could set a full cup of coffee on the valve cover. it also shows that the crank pulley does when you rev the engine.

http://members.cox.net/cgmouchyn/video/100_0760.MOV

if the videos don't work, try right clicking them and choosing "save as"


Damn adjust your valves your gonna give me a nightmare tonight when I sleep.

I see the wooble wish I could figure out the problem.

Only one other thing is that the two cages are a front and a back I believe. one has a tit on it that fits into the timing belt sprocket or the tit is on the sprocket it self im drawing a blank atm. That valve noise is making me go have a drink :rockon:


wp