I just replaced my harmonic balancer on my 98 2.5 and the car runs fine, but a few days latter, I'm smelling burning rubber. It appears to be comming from around the altenator, unsure if the belt tension is too tight but I was told that as long as you can twist the belt from side to side the belt should be good. I noticed that the altenator pulley was very hot after just a short trip to the store and back.

Also, do I need to bleed the collant system since I removed the top radiator hose while doing the work?

Any help would be appriciated

 

As to my recent post, I just went and took another look at the harmonic balancer that I replaced and it appears to be a woble in the last pulley (altenator), what are the chances of the same problem happening in less than a month?

Does anyone know anything about the hamonic balancer on the98 2.5, if so please help me I'm baffled!

 

I did not bleed after removing/installing the upper and lower coolant hoses during Timing Belt repair. I did pour very slowly to insure I replaced the required amount of coolant,.. or very close to that. Once engine runs you can check the reservoir level and top off as needed.

You post is unclear about whether harmonic balancer or alternator pulley is wobbling. If Harmonic balancer is wobbling you have a problem, either damaged harmonic balancer or loose retaining bolt (very bad). I would remove the accessory belts to access the alternator pulley w/o the belt in place and confirm the alternator bearings are sound.

Since you replaced the harmonic balancer, you must have removed the pulley retaining bolt. Did you retorque to near spec. I hope you didn't accidentally knock the woodruff key out of the crankshaft when pulley was off? There is a keyway in the harmonic balance pulley that must engage the woodruff key in the crankshaft.

good luck

 

it's actually the harmonic balancer that has a wobble not the altenator, and I did make sur the key was in place before re-installing the balancer. What are the odds of the same problem back to back? I got the balancer from a place that repo's cars and strips them down for all the parts. Could the belt being to tight have caused the balancer to go bad again, this is crazy

 

Harmonic balancer may have a bit of offset due to storage set. I would give it a while to see if the wobble gets better. Wobble may be causing the belts to get hot, causing the burning rubber smell. I've always noticed a slight burnt rubber or chemical smell around front of my 2.5TL, but could never pinpoint any source.

good luck

 

I took the harmonic balancer off and the altenator pulley (the last one in the rear) has come loose, i mean I don't believe that when I got it while holding it in my hand I was able to turn that last pulley with out the whole thing moving also. So it seems that since the last pulley is moving it wobles enough that when I had it on the car and let some of the tension off of the altenator, I could tap the last pulley against the second and make the clap together and the burning was comming from that last pulley shaking and rubbing against my timing belt cover.

Is it possible to ruin a harmonic balancer by having the altenator too tight or maybe it was just a bad part.