I'm really trying to keep this car running but getting worried I may getting near the end. I just noticed the crankshaft pulley on my '99 accord VTEC 4 cyl with 210K wobbles when idling. When I increase RPM the pulley appears to rotating normally. There is no unusual noise and my daughter just drove it about 500 miles round trip a few weeks ago with no problems on a road trip. Any help is appreciated.

 

I would just go to the junkyard or maybe Ebay and get another one. Good Luck!

 

Thanks. So you are saying that the pulley is bad and not a more serious problem? I was worried that there could be a fatal problem with a bearing or shaft. If you haven't guessed, I'm a weekend mechanic so my experience is limited.

 

Just get another pulley, the rubber on the pulley is failing. Seen that before.
Easy fix.

 

It could be that the elastomer on the damper is failing, and the higher rpm just aides in smoothing it out visually.

Pull the under tray cover off, remove the belts and inspect the crank damper. Verify that the bolt is tight, if it is see if you can move or rotate the outer ring of the damper. If it is loose a new or good used damper is needed.

 

Thanks. What is a damper? What does the damper look like?

 

yup i just did that to mine. when i would turn on the a/c it would squeal like a pig was dying i thought it was the belt but i noticed one day that the pulley would wobble. i got a replacement pulley from another car and it went away. mine was so bad when i took off the belt the outer ring on the pulley that holds the a/c belt came out the other piece stayed on the car

 

he's just referring to the crankshaft pulley.

That pulley has many names... Harmonic Balancer, Crank Pulley Damper, Crankshaft Damper, etc.

 

The 'crank pulley' is not just a pulley but also a harmonic damper.
As your crankshaft spins, it also twists from each power stroke of the piston connecting rods, and from pushing/pulling on the other piston/connecting rod assemblies. This twisting, if left unchecked, can amplify harmful harmonics and will begin to rattle your engines internals.



Understanding the Harmonic Damper

 

yes i totally agree. heres my story. i let someone borrow my car for a while. i guess during the time they had my 1990 honda accord they overheated it. when i got it back blown headgasket and knock noise thought it was a wrist pin. i changed the headgasket and left the engine noise like that. i said if it blows it will blow. i left it like that for about a year or so. then my a/c started squealing like a pig. check belt seemed good. then one day decided to check it with car on a/c on. seen the pulley part of the damper wiggling said mmmmmmmmmmm. so i got a new one changed it and knocking sound went away