If the belt tension is too strong or the auxiliary equipment has failed, the pulley will also fail. The cause is linked to the coupling having made contact with the flywheel rim. When removing the pulley you will be able to see visible abrasions in the Poly-V and residue from the belt in the ribs.
What happens if a crankshaft pulley fails?
In our experience, if a crankshaft pulley from our range fails, it is almost always due to fitting issues and will result in a premature failure within the first 12 months of fitting. The warranty is purely there for piece of mind, and knowing that the part comes with a team of after-sales experts on your side should we ever be needed.
What causes a crankshaft pulley to shake?
As we mention above, every crankshaft pulley usually contains a harmonic balancer. This harmonic balancer is designed to absorb the vibrations of the engine as you accelerate faster. But if the balancer starts to go bad for any reason, the vibrations won’t be absorbed anymore. This will cause the engine to shake profusely the faster you go.
What causes a belt pulley to fail?
If the belt tension is too strong or the auxiliary equipment has failed, the pulley will also fail. The cause is linked to the coupling having made contact with the flywheel rim. When removing the pulley you will be able to see visible abrasions in the Poly-V and residue from the belt in the ribs.
What is the function of a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley is responsible for two very simple, yet very important, tasks : > Controlling the timing between the crankshaft and other components of the engine. Without this crucial link, pistons could not be brought into line with camshafts, cam followers and valves and the engine picks itself apart
How do I know if my crankshaft pulley is bad?
The most common symptoms of a bad crankshaft pulley are engine vibration and irregular engine idle. It may also result in a damaged alternator, power steering pump, or a failed transmission if you are unlucky.
What happens if crankshaft pulley breaks?
When a crankshaft pulley fails (or the timing belt due to a badly maintained crankshaft pulley), the timing of the engine is completely thrown off. Even a rotation or movement of a few millimetres can start to cause problems in a system so precise.
What are the symptoms of a broken crankshaft?
Signs of a bad crankshaftA forging or casting flaw.Insufficient lubrication.Bearing wear.Loose bearing main caps.Distorted bearing bores.Improper bearing clearance.Bearing failure.
Can you drive without a crankshaft pulley?
If it was the crank pulley, such could fall off (eventually) and if it does cause a fair amount of damage if it happens while the engine is running. Indeed, if it's the crank pulley and the harmonic balancer comes off with it and the engine continues to run that can damage the crankshaft. That would be very bad.
Why do harmonic balancers fail?
If the rubber layer in the harmonic balancer dries or wears out, it can cause the entire harmonic balancer to completely fail by separating. If the harmonic balancer separates, the engine belts will usually come off and the vehicle will be left without engine accessories.
Can you drive a car with a broken pulley?
Idler pulleys are a completely different story. In some cases, you will be able to safely drive for tens of thousands of miles before you notice any drops in performance. But, it takes only one slip of the belt for the engine to lose momentum and for you to lose control over the vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix a crankshaft?
Replacing a crankshaft typically costs between $2,000 and $2,750. It's a labor-intensive job, so the price may vary depending on your vehicle and how complex the work is. On average, most people pay around $2,500 to have their crankshaft replaced.
Can a damaged crankshaft be repaired?
The repair process starts with machining the crankshaft's journal surface free of cracks and drawing a hardness map to record hardness levels and determine the locations for annealing.
What causes crankshaft wear?
Crankshaft bearings can wear out due to: excessive heat (if the oil doesn't provide sufficient cooling) pressure. etching or corrosion due to exposure to chemicals or acid in contaminated oil.
Does a crankshaft pulley spin freely?
The camshaft and crankshaft pulleys are directly attached to the engine (camshaft and crankshaft) and will only rotate if the engine is running or manually rotating the engine by placing a socket and breaker bar to the crankshaft pulley bolt.
Can you manually crank an engine?
The most precise way to rotate the engine over by hand is to place a large socket on the front crankshaft bolt, attach a long ratchet wrench, and rotate the crank.
What is the difference between a crankshaft pulley and a harmonic balancer?
0:275:26Do I need a Harmonic Balancer Crank Damper? - Jay's Tech Tips #31YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe harmonic balancer is a weighted pulley that mounts on the nose of the crank shaft to absorb theMoreThe harmonic balancer is a weighted pulley that mounts on the nose of the crank shaft to absorb the inherent vibration.
What happens when a crankshaft pulley fails?
When a crankshaft pulley fails (or the timing belt due to a badly maintained crankshaft pulley), the timing of the engine is completely thrown off. Even a rotation or movement of a few millimetres can start to cause problems in a system so precise. In a best case scenario, you would be looking at a bill to realign the timing ...
What is a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley is responsible for two very simple, yet very important, tasks : > Controlling the timing between the crankshaft and other components of the engine. Without this crucial link, pistons could not be brought into line with camshafts, cam followers and valves and the engine picks itself apart.
Why does my TVD belt wear out?
There are many reasons that a belt may start to wear and fail, and the most obvious is a failing crankshaft pulley. But this failing can work in reverse, in that a failing belt can indeed damage a crankshaft pulley. The rubber damping layer within a TVD can become worn as the belt itself becomes faulty. Apply a new belt to your worn crankshaft ...
Can crankshaft pulleys be worn?
It is worth noting though that, due to it’s incredibly important role in the engine, a Crankshaft Pulley should never get to the state of excessive wear or total failure; as long as you keep on top of your service history and your inspecting garage knows their way around a good annual service. “The issue here is that a crankshaft pulley cannot ...
What happens if the crankshaft pulley fails?
If the crankshaft pulley fails, the alternator no longer turn and produce power.
What is a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley powers all of the components connected to the crankshaft. While the crankshaft will drive the car wheels, the pulley transmits power to other parts, such as the alternator and power steering pump. The crankshaft pulley includes an internal dampener, responsible for decreasing vibrations running along the pulley belts.
How to replace crankshaft pulley on luxury car?
If you wanted to replace the crankshaft pulley yourself, the job isn’t that complicated. Remove all of the engine drive belts. Take off the crankshaft pulley bolt. You will need a pulley holder and a high torque impact w rench. Remove the old pulley.
How much does it cost to replace a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley replacement cost is between $350 and $400, depending on the car model and labor costs. You could spend $200 to $240 for a new crankshaft pulley, plus about $150 for labor.
Where is the crankshaft pulley located?
The crankshaft pulley, otherwise known as a harmonic balancer, is found on the end of the crankshaft. It’s a wheel-shaped device with grooves that connect directly onto the crankshaft.
What happens when a transmission starts to fail?
When the transmission starts to fail, you might notice trouble shifting, whining sounds and leaking fluid. This is not something you want to deal with simply because you had a bad crankshaft pulley.
Why does my car's isolation ring break down?
Even though the part is designed to last the lifetime of your engine, it can fail easily. Most models have a rubber isolation ring that breaks down when exposed to high temperatures, which happens naturally because of the engine.
What is the purpose of a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley is connected to the crankshaft, which is a device that transforms the pistons’ linear motion into rotational motion . In layman terms, the crankshaft takes engine power and transmits it to ...
Why is crankshaft pulley important?
The car crankshaft pulley may seem like a minor part in a vehicle, but it is actually a very important part because this part contains harmonic balancer and connected to another important moving parts. If the crankshaft pulley were to go bad, it could spell trouble for the entire operation of the vehicle. You would surely notice a lot of diverse symptoms, some worse than others. But you should replace your crankshaft pulley as soon as you notice any of these symptoms.
What happens if a crankshaft balancer goes bad?
This harmonic balancer is designed to absorb the vibrations of the engine as you accelerate faster. But if the balancer starts to go bad for any reason, the vibrations won’t be absorbed anymore. This will cause the engine to shake profusely the faster you go.
How much does it cost to replace a crankshaft pulley?
The cost to replace a bad crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer is anywhere from $350 to $400. The cost of labor is around $150 to $180 and the cost of parts is around $200 to $220. And you will get cheaper price of part if you buy aftermarket products such as Dorman harmonic balancer. It is not the most expensive replacement job, but it is not too cheap either. You may be able to reduce the cost of labor if you can shop around and find a more affordable auto mechanic.
What happens if your transmission goes bad?
Once your transmission goes bad from the damage, you’ll experience a whole new set of symptoms. This includes whining noises, difficulty shifting gear s, leaky transmission fluid, and so many other bad symptoms you can’t tolerate for too long .
Why do cars depend on fuel?
by themechanic. Car engines depend on fuel to generate power for various components of the vehicle , especially the wheels underneath. In fact, there are several mechanical systems as well as electrical systems which depend on engine power to function properly.

So, What Is A Crankshaft Pulley
OK, It’S An Important Part. But Why Should It Be Replaced ?
- Replacing a crankshaft pulley ahead of it’s eventual failure can not only help your vehicle run more efficiently, it can also save you an incredible amount of money on repairs. When a crankshaft pulley fails (or the timing belt due to a badly maintained crankshaft pulley), the timing of the engine is completely thrown off. Even a rotation or moveme...
Those Scenarios Don’T Sound great. When Should This Be Replaced ?
- Whenever there are issues within a vehicles engine, there are very clear signs even to someone who knows nothing about cars. Crankshaft Pulleys are no exception to this rule and when they’re very unhappy they will tell you. Symptoms such as a loss or change in vehicle performance, knocking or more vibration than normal from the engine bay and even metallic tapping as engin…
Why Do These Parts Wear & Fail ?
- In the best case scenario, a bolt warping under the stress of the engine will start to cause progressively louder noise as time goes by and the fault is left to worsen. At this point you are looking at minimal damage to the rest of the engine, and likely there will be no further issue if worn parts are replaced immediately. However other failures, while not only very costly, can be f…