I am taking a second shot at doing the head gasket on my 91 240 thanks to encouragement and advice from you guys. First one leaked - I think I screwed the gasket up. This just got a little weird......

As I tried to get to TDC, the harmonic balancer notch moved between 20 degrees and 10 degrees, and finally to 7 or so - with the rotor at the distributor housing notch, and the cam sprocket dot lining up. I turned the thing for what seemed like 30 minutes on and off and could never get all three to align at the same time.

My question is do you think the harmonic balancer is starting to fail? It has 50,000 or so on it, and I have pulled it in the last few months twice, now three times for a timing belt, pump, and seals, my first head gasket escapade, and now for the second. I have used a counterhold tool I got from FCP Groton each time..... but the tool did slip at least once. The harmonic balancer is properly seated on the bump/notch on the crankshaft sprocket.

I am prone to pull the thing, and proceed with pulling the head so I can get it out to be machined.

Thanks as always. Any thoughts are appreciated!

Dave
91 240 Original Owner