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Replacing Harmonic Balancer 200

Is the replacement of the harmonic balancer a DIY job? Will I neeed to mess with the timing belt or is this exclusive of the timimg belt? Can it be done in the driveway? Finally, does anyone have a step-by-step procedure for doing this? So many questions, but would like to give it a try myself. HELP!!








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Replacing Harmonic Balancer (Shameless Rope Trick Plug) 200

If you decide to do this job, I recommend the "Rope Trick" over spending money for a special crankshaft counterhold tool.

Although I own both counterhold tools for the B230 and B21/23, I no longer use either one. Instead, I prefer a piece of cotton clothesline (nylon or similar is OK too), for what is called "The Rope Trick". It's quicker and easier than the "tool" or any other trick, and the basic steps are simple:


1 - Remove all plugs and rotate the crank to #1 TDC Compression stroke.
2 - Look thru oil fill hole to verify #1 and #2 valves closed. The cam lobes will be pointing away from each other, with #1 pointing to the left and raised maybe 25° from engine horizontal line.
3 - Rotate crank about 60° past TDC to make room for rope in cylinder.
4 - Stuff some clothesline (2 feet is plenty) into # 1 plug hole, leaving 6" outside (feeding the rope in thru a short length of heater hose makes the job even quicker).
5 - Rotate the crank backwards until the packed rope stops further rotation.
6 - Use socket, breaker bar, and pipe extension to loosen pulley bolt. Then use pulley to rotate crank a few degrees CW by hand to free rope for removal.
7 - Tighten bolt the same way, but start with crank about 60° before #1 TDC Comp.
8 - When tightened to spec, back the crank up a little to free and remove the rope.

To my knowledge, this is the only "trick" holding tool alternative that allows tightening the bolt to book spec of 44 lb ft, then an additional 60° (B230),
or 122 ft lbs. for B21/23.

Here's what some first-time users had to say:

"The "rope trick" for holding the engine still while removing the harmonic balancer bolt worked like a charm. Honestly, I doubted that it would, but WOW!"
"I finally had an opportunity today to use one of the "rope" tricks to help take off the crank bolt. All I can say is - it worked like a charm! Two seconds and I had the crank bolt off..."
* 5/29/05 "I did this a few weeks ago exactly as ... described and it couldn't have been easier."
• 12/28/05"....the rope trick worked like a charm to loosen and tighten the crank pulley bolt!!,"
• 1-10-06 "tryed the . . . method without any luck but the rope trick worked fine to remove the pully bolt"
• 6-26-06 "(thanks for the rope trick! Worked like a charm.)"
"i just completed the task using the rope trick and my opinion is that it is extremely gentle as compared to jamming a screw driver anywhere. it required about 5 to 6 ft. of 1/4 inch rope and made mission impossible mission simple."
• 4-25-07 at http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1178645.
• 7-7-08 at "Rope Trick Rocks".
• 7-20-08 "was amazed at how easily it worked" .
guillermo.
sonoflee.
N7SC
1-31-09
2-03-09
2-22-10
5-31-10
6-1-10
7-31-10


--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.








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Replacing Harmonic Balancer 200

If you have a powerful enough impact gun the bolt should come off easily. Another method is a really long wrench and a pulley holder tool. The tool locks the pulley in place in the grooves of the balance and is connected to the engine on the timing belt tensioner stud. You can buy the tool or make your own if you have access to steel, a saw, drill, and welder. You should be able to do this in the driveway. You can also apply heat to the pulley bolt to help unseize.

Don't try to use the resistance of the transmission to hold the pulley. That might cause damage or simply won't be enough to hold the pulley.






--
Michel Garcia - 1986 240 B230F & 1982 240 B21A - Ottawa, Canada








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Replacing Harmonic Balancer 200

It is quite simple, really. Remove fan and shroud to give you room to work. Remove the three belts, remove crank pulley bolt, swap in new balancer, reinstall the stuff you took off. No need to mess with the timing belt.

The rub lies in loosening the bolt. You have to hold the pulley somehow as the belt tension and motor force will not be enough to resist your turning, and you will just slowly turn the engine over instead of loosening the bolt. IPD sells a special tool ($44.95) which is a must have for doing the holding. It has teeth that fit into the holes in the hub of the balancer and bolts to the tensioner stud. If you plan on doing even the most rudimentary stuff like timing belt or water pump you will need this tool.

link:

http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-940960/Tools/Crank-Pulley-Holder-Tool/p-136-724-555/


good luck









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Replacing Harmonic Balancer 200

What year 200? The pulleys changed.
--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html








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Replacing Harmonic Balancer 200

This is a 1991 Volvo 240. Thanks.







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