Exploder done.
The mech says it’s like a new one. I go to pick it up in a minute.
The harmonic balancer spun on the crankshaft. It was 32 degrees off. The harmonic balancer is what triggers the spark. So though I checked the spark wiht a timing light, there was no way to tell what the trouble was, because since the harmonic balancer’s encoder wheel controls the spark, it bears the same relationship with the spark/time position. SO though my timing light showed the spark occurring at the correct position on the balancer, it was in a totally WRONG orientation on the crankshaft.
No, nobody had any idea how it happened. Pictures will follow. The mechanic was confirming the timing chain (which was flawless- 288,000 miles on pure synthetic oils has kept the inside of the engine simon-pure) and found the balancer problem by accident. He considers himself lucky to have found it at all. He was about to give up and throw up his hands. he cut me a deal on the repair costs because he considered it a mission, after a while.
Anyway, I’m gonna drive the van another day, so i can go drive the truck around here 50, 60 miles close to the house before I take it on the road.
This is taking a big bite out of my credit, but it’ll be good to have the old girl home again.
Update: She’s home.
Ahhh.
Runs good. Lots of little new noises I need to address. Mostly squeaky idler pulleys.
16 comments Og | Uncategorized
Semi-educated guess, based on how Mopar mounts harmonic balancers: the Woodruff key sheared off, and the crank snout/balancer hole were just enough out of round to wedge the balancer at the 32* point.
Either that, or if it bolts on, someone bolted it on wrong but all previous timing attempts would have been screwed up as well. I had that happen on one of my Mopars, a cheap-ass chain transmission shop used the wrong flexplate, causing the timing mark to be off by 60*.
Right on the first time, Ham. THe woodruff key somehow rotated its way around. Dumbasses. I’ll post pics tomorrow evening.
Well, you did everything but rebuild it.
Wow…
…and he found it by luck and charged you accordingly. Man, you must be living right, or else God really felt sorry for you.
So, you like synthetic oil?
Slash, the guy said the engine is NEW inside. He said you could see crosshatch marks on the cylinder walls all the way up.
What a great break you got. Now you have some reporting to do back at all those explorer BBS’s you were hitting at trying to figure this thing out. Someone there eventually will bless you for sharing this knowledge now.
This is sweet indeed. Enjoy your baby, Og :)
Sweeter than you can know, Nate. Pascal, I already sent the info along, and everyone was pleased to learn the solution to the problem.
288K??? Where do you commute to, the moon?
:)
Glad to hear it’s all better, og.
Again, I say Wow. I’m going to look at synthetic oil much more seriously now. Thanks.
BTW, did anyone else on those discussion boards have a similar problem? I wonder if changing the harmonic balancer woodruff key should be a 200K service item…
Slash, after I posted the resolution, one guy posted and another emailed to say they had similar trouble.
The replacement is not hard, and it can be done without removing the engine.
The front main seal can also be easily replaced at the same time.
jay, my commute is a 110 mile round trip. Through Chicago expressways. Every day.
Glad its done. I sometimes worry about driving my F150 with 294k on the clock, then almost every day I see a much newer vehicle broke on the shoulder and I think, what the hell a new one can break and put you down just as quick. Why not continue to drive it and put off a car payment as long as possible.
What brand synthetic do you use? I have never used synthetic and just change the regular stuff at 3k. If the synthetic stuff will go longer between changes I might consider changing over. Every 3k is a LOT of oil changes in 294k.
too late now blind. has to be from the beginning. problem is the synthetic will loosen up the crud and clog the oil galleys. I use mobil e and change every 10k miles.
i’m so happy for you, congrats! you sound really happy in the engineering section, i mean i think that was joy, hard to tell. actually, i was only able to understand every other word. but i am so happy your baby is home and safe and ready to ride again.
LOL! Yes, ma’am. Joy indeed.