Koko4

1997 Civic LX, 215k 5-speed

I was on the way to TX from GA for a work trip, and I heard a belt slapping against the hood. The battery light came on immediately, so I figured I had lost the alternator belt. Immediately pulled off the road and into a Texaco gas station. I had a replacement alternator belt in the trunk, as a "just-in-case" item. The power steering belt had also worked its way off of the pulley, but was not damaged.

When I got under the car to do the alternator bolt, I noticed that the harmonic balancer didn't look "in line" with the other pulleys. I soon discovered that the crankshaft bolt was loose (not loose enough to turn by hand, but loose enough to get off with a ratchet) and the Woodruff key had been damaged beyond repair. The keyway on the crankshaft, as well as the keyway on the harmonic balancer both look fine.

The threads on the crankshaft bolt do not look mangled or damaged. The spines inside the harmonic balancer, however, are smoothed on one side, and you can still feel the ridges on the other side. I circled the splines that I'm referring to in this image:




Now, I am about 400 miles from my home at the moment. I had it towed to a local Honda dealership that opens at 7:30am tomorrow, and I am staying in a nearby hotel.

Of course, when I get there I am expecting them to tell me I need a new crankshaft, or even a new pulley. My question is if I really do need a new pulley, since some of those splines are worn off, or would I be okay just getting a new Woodruff key and having them torque down the crankshaft bolt correctly?

I haven't been in that side of the engine for at least 25k, and that was to do a timing belt. I torqued the crap out of it, but I will admit that I didn't have a torque wrench that could measure the 180+ft/lbs that is required. So I'm HOPING that it's under-torquing that caused it to back out like that.

If worst comes to worst, Majestic Honda has crankshaft pulleys for $138.88, Crankshaft pulley bolts for $8.07, and the Woodruff key for $2.55. Hopefully I could get them to come close to those prices.

I am supposed to drive to Dallas, drive around for a week and a half, then drive back home to Atlanta. Even if it requires a new pulley, would I get away with the new Woodruff key and the bolt torqued properly?

I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst..

mithious

Was the correct washer on the pulley bolt?

I would replace the pulley... Any wrecking yards nearby? Used pulley, new woodruff key, if the bolt looks OK reuse it. You know if you put a new pulley and key in there you'll feel better about the driving you have to do, and won't have issues.

Also, regardless of the smoothing of the splines, if you put the pulley on and it feels solid, I would probably run with it and just torque the heck out of the bolt. (and a new woodruff key) probably would be good for a bit.

Pretty sure that's what I'd do in your situation. Rather than give any money to the dealership (other than a few bucks for the woodruff key) I'd probably buy the tools to do the job if I didn't have them in the trunk already.

Good luck!

Koko4

Good call on the new pulley. I suppose $150 + whatever labor they charge isn't the end of the world. I would go to a wrecking yard, but I don't have a car. I was literally on the way out of town for work and this happened. Luckily the tow guy dropped me off at the hotel.

I was thinking though - does that Woodruff key control the crankshaft sprocket where the timing belt sits? Because if they had to go in that deep, it would get EXPENSIVE. I'm hoping the Woodruff key only controls the harmonic balancer, and that there's a separate notch that the crank sprocket sits in.

Koko4

Well here's the update. The dealership had the key in stock but not the harmonic balancer. They were going to charge $100 to even look at it - I don't have any other options so I went for it. They determined that the inner diameter of the harmonic balancer is sheared a bit, and if we try to reinstall it, it will just wobble and potentially back off the bolt once again.

The new harmonic balancer, installation, and reassembly of the belts will be $508. I'm biting the bullet and going for it. I have a rental car to use on my work trip until next week, when I will pick the car back up on the way home.

I figured that after towing it back home, that the 300-mile one-way trip to my house from the shop, coupled with the $99 diagnostic fee, coupled with the ~$150 or so OEM Honda harmonic balancer...I'd basically be in the same price range that I'm looking at. It hurts, BUT I guess it was inevitable.

My best guess is that the harmonic balancer somehow became "ovaled" enough to slowly tear away at the key, until it sheared and the predicament that I'm currently in unfolded.

They said they won't know if the crankshaft is out-of-round or not until they physically try and put the new harmonic balancer on. If it is, I'm looking at a crankshaft replacement..at which point I'd be better off just dropping in another used engine (after I get it home, of course).

The mechanic and I both looked at the threads of the crankshaft and the end of the crankshaft..and we both think it looks good. Fingers crossed that this works.

White_EG1

Did you hear any engine noises when it happened when you were driving? If the harmonic balancer backed off when you were driving and you heard belts flap, did you check the timing belt? Because if that fell off when you were driving, it would jump timing causing some bent valves.

Koko4

No, no engine noises. Luckily, I was in the right-hand lane, super close to an exit. As soon as I got off the exit, I was able to turn directly into a Texaco and shut it off immediately. The pulley wasn't all the way off of the crankshaft, but it was backed out enough to make the belts wobble off.

Hopefully I caught it early enough. Tomorrow I will know!

mithious

The woodruff key only aligns the pulley. the crankshaft sprocket where the timing belt sits has it's own built in key thing that keeps it in place. (see photo) If that had gone out of whack I'm pretty sure you would have known it.

I feel the $ pinch man. Good luck with the rest of it!