Harmonic Balancer Wearing into Timing Belt Cover? WTF?!

[HAMMER DOWN]

I 100% totally disagree since mine just took a crap and literally order a "harmonic balncer" directly from subaru for my 05 LGT. A pulley does not have rubber encased between a two half pulley. If if this was also the case it would be identical to the STi ones. Also it wouldnt have its own section in Alldata in regards to shake in steering wheel at idle. It is really quite simple a pulley is all metal a harmonic damper/balancer has is two pieces bonded together with rubber in between that absorbs the vibrations.

 

Where to start:rolleyes:. Harmonic balancer is a common name reference for crank pulley. What's important is not the name, but what it does. Subaru state, " The crank pulley is a pulley and nothing else. It is not USED as a harmonic damper/balancer."

They use the elastomer (rubber) portion of the pulley helps dampen some noise from the engine accessories (ie. alternator, PS pump, and A/C compressor). Just like the LGT get softer motor & tranny mounts, for noise dampening, because is a sporty sedan. Not sport car like the STi. Where noise dampening is on a lower priority then performance.

 

Mike

[0LegacyGT5]

LOL Did you read what you wrote????? lets see where to begin you even state that it is used to "DAMPEN" noise!!!!!! The noise comes from HARMONIC vibration!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GAME SET MATCH!!!!!!!!!! HARMONIC BALANCER/DAMPNER!!!!!!!!!! Just because it is not used to balance the internals of the motor that naturaully tries to balance itself as it is a boxer or "H" style motor does not mean it isnt a harmonic dampner or balancer. N ironically even SOA sells it as a harmonic balancer. Kid get a clue for real.

[0LegacyGT5]

Furthermore if it didnt do anything the wouldnt have wasted the millions of dollars to produce something that is entirely different the a CRANK PULLEY!!!!!! come on now think practically.

[BAC5.2]

LOL Did you read what you wrote????? lets see where to begin you even state that it is used to "DAMPEN" noise!!!!!! The noise comes from HARMONIC vibration!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GAME SET MATCH!!!!!!!!!! HARMONIC BALANCER/DAMPNER!!!!!!!!!! Just because it is not used to balance the internals of the motor that naturaully tries to balance itself as it is a boxer or "H" style motor does not mean it isnt a harmonic dampner or balancer. N ironically even SOA sells it as a harmonic balancer. Kid get a clue for real.

 

Kid. No.

[BAC5.2]

Furthermore if it didnt do anything the wouldnt have wasted the millions of dollars to produce something that is entirely different the a CRANK PULLEY!!!!!! come on now think practically.

 

You think it cost millions of dollars to develop a crank pulley?

 

Nope.

[Mill]

Figured since this got bumped I'll say that I replaced it with a Lightened pulley and haven't looked back. Gave me a tiny bit more response with the throttle. Other than that I notice no difference. And kid, you clearly haven't worked in the auto industry. If we had a million dollars to design a pulley you would probably be driving something equivalent to the cost of B-2 Bomber.

[0LegacyGT5]

Obviously you have not worked in the auto industry or engineering industry. I however am ASE and ICAR certified in all aspects of autmotive repair. As well as have a BA in mechanical engineering. Sooooo lets see.....why do companies try to use parts on multiple vehicles? OH WAIT!!!!!!! It costs millions of dollars for major manufacturing companies to design products. It is not like the aftermarket for all of the liability issues. There is massive amounts of testing, design, redesign, testing etc.... Now every time they change design they have to retool. Tooling is outrageous in price as well. Apparently you are just to narrow minded to see what goes into it. Maybe you should further your education a lil more before you decide to pipe up.

[Max Capacity]

Obviously you have not worked in the auto industry or engineering industry. I however am ASE and ICAR certified in all aspects of autmotive repair. As well as have a BA in mechanical engineering. Sooooo lets see.....why do companies try to use parts on multiple vehicles? OH WAIT!!!!!!! It costs millions of dollars for major manufacturing companies to design products. It is not like the aftermarket for all of the liability issues. There is massive amounts of testing, design, redesign, testing etc.... Now every time they change design they have to retool. Tooling is outrageous in price as well. Apparently you are just to narrow minded to see what goes into it. Maybe you should further your education a lil more before you decide to pipe up.

 

You may want to delete that post before BAC5.2 reads it. He's no dummy that just happens to work on cars.

[Mill]

Obviously you have not worked in the auto industry or engineering industry. I however am ASE and ICAR certified in all aspects of autmotive repair. As well as have a BA in mechanical engineering. Sooooo lets see.....why do companies try to use parts on multiple vehicles? OH WAIT!!!!!!! It costs millions of dollars for major manufacturing companies to design products. It is not like the aftermarket for all of the liability issues. There is massive amounts of testing, design, redesign, testing etc.... Now every time they change design they have to retool. Tooling is outrageous in price as well. Apparently you are just to narrow minded to see what goes into it. Maybe you should further your education a lil more before you decide to pipe up.

 

Actually I have worked in both. Engineering at American Axle and Manufacturing's forging plant. You are still wrong. I know tooling and design is expensive but I still tell you that you are wrong in saying that this pulley cost them $1,000,000 to design, tool, and test. Companies use multiple parts on various models because it is economical. You would be a complete idiot to redesign every single part for every single car when the result will be for all intents and purposes the same.

[.Catalyst.]

How did I miss this epic thread until now...

 

[BAC5.2]

Obviously you have not worked in the auto industry or engineering industry. I however am ASE and ICAR certified in all aspects of autmotive repair. As well as have a BA in mechanical engineering. Sooooo lets see.....why do companies try to use parts on multiple vehicles? OH WAIT!!!!!!! It costs millions of dollars for major manufacturing companies to design products. It is not like the aftermarket for all of the liability issues. There is massive amounts of testing, design, redesign, testing etc.... Now every time they change design they have to retool. Tooling is outrageous in price as well. Apparently you are just to narrow minded to see what goes into it. Maybe you should further your education a lil more before you decide to pipe up.

 

You know, a BA in engineering is one degree that I don't have.

 

What I DO have, however, is a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Mechanical Engineering, and more than a decade of experience with working with high performance Subaru's. I don't work in the automotive industry any longer, but I do spend these days doing experimental R&D in the aerospace industry. I can also construct a coherent sentence.

 

I think I might be just a bit more qualified than you, when it comes to speaking intelligently about the design or manufacturing of nearly anything.

 

Fortunately the cost of developing that pulley, which was not $1M, has nothing to do with the fact that it still isn't a harmonic balancer.

[Nolmers06LGT]

Obviously you have not worked in the auto industry or engineering industry. I however am ASE and ICAR certified in all aspects of autmotive repair. As well as have a BA in mechanical engineering. Sooooo lets see.....why do companies try to use parts on multiple vehicles? OH WAIT!!!!!!! It costs millions of dollars for major manufacturing companies to design products. It is not like the aftermarket for all of the liability issues. There is massive amounts of testing, design, redesign, testing etc.... Now every time they change design they have to retool. Tooling is outrageous in price as well. Apparently you are just to narrow minded to see what goes into it. Maybe you should further your education a lil more before you decide to pipe up.

 

Know-it-all with a BA in mechanical?

 

I have a BSME, and I work in advanced manufacturing technology for a living. Based on your criteria, I think I can chime in.

 

Intelligent people with an engineering degree typically recognize that they have a lot to learn.. Especially when in the company of people who know more than they. Other forums may have some "gurus" who don't know what they are talking about, but fortunately for us this isn't one of those forums.

 

There is a significant amount of engineers on this forum.. and these are engineers with hands-on experience with Subarus. You would be wise to accept their advice.

 

Furthermore, there is actually a quote directly from Subaru stating that it was not designed as a harmonic balancer. Yet you trust a part name on a sales receipt?

 

A contribution towards the actual point of the thread: Replace the pulley with a LWCP only if you're running an OEM dual-mass or single-mass flywheel. Obviously if you're driving a 5eat a LWCP is fine, but running a lightweight flywheel and a LWCP is not recommended. Just replace worn out pulley with a new OEM unit.

[BAC5.2]

Yet you trust a part name on a sales receipt?

 

Actually...

 

http://www.subaruparts.com/cart/?pn=12305AA251

 

Subaru calls it "Pulley Crankshaft"

[illusi0ns2]

Not to add too much fuel to this fire... but I found the same issue with my old 05 Legacy 2.5i, I called all the auto parts stores in my area, stating I needed a crank pulley and I got silence at the other end of each call. I called the dealer as I have a friend in the service department and asked him if they had a crank pulley laying around, he said one of the techs had one that was used he could give me, I took it needing it as it was my daily driver. After using the used one, and buying the piece of plastic for the Timing Belt cover for $60, I called around and asked for a "harmonic balancer" and they were able to find the part in the computer, whereas it may really be a crank pulley, end result, not everyone knows the proper terminology unfortunately.

 

To add insult to injury when it went, if you’re as lucky as I was the belts will touch the clutch plug on the a/c compressor and break it, but not completely so you have to figure out why the A/C isn’t working. Something I was lucky to find in 85 degree weather dressed in black. I bought a used compressor on ebay and swapped the clutch.

I also had fun trying to buy plug wires (ended up getting them from the dealer) as when I called I got, it doesn't have wires... after a small sigh I advised the person on the other end of the call that just because you can't get them doesn't mean they don't exist on my car.