My Car Keeps Eating Guibos!! -- Why???

[Maluco]

so WTF is a harmonic balancer? I just heard someone say it could cause this problem - and in other posts i've heard people say shit like "if you still have one throw it away"

so, what does it do and why do I need it?

"regularly check on your harmonic balancer, or vibration damper, to have a grip as to when you must change it. The BMW harmonic balancer is a product that attaches to the outside of an engine to control harmonic vibration inside (to the front of the crankshaft that is causing all the trouble). Moreover, this product is designed to prolong engine life by reducing wear on the main bearings and main journals and preventing crankshaft failure."

"Its basic function is to lessen the torsional vibration which is produced when the cylinders fire and the power gets transmitted through the crankshaft, which then takes the brunt of this power moving and causing twisting motion and then snaps back to produce vibration. "



Part # 1 ($358!!!!??? - http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...FILTER_GADG=ON)

[s0urce]

preload ftw

[PiercedE30]

were did you get the driveshaft from?
we went through like 2 driveshafts because 1)the first one was out by 15 thousands, and 2)the csb it came with SUCKED.

[kommissar]

"regularly check on your harmonic balancer, or vibration

...



Part # 1 ($358!!!!??? - http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...FILTER_GADG=ON)

I believe this is wrong.. That's at the font of the engine, you want the one near the trans, part # 3:

Vibration Dampener P/N 23131222514 $289.04
which I think was superseded by
Torsional Vibration Absorber P/N 26111434254 $116.62

[87-325ic]

After reading (not skimming) I'd take a look at your motor mounts and tranny mounts like HST suggested. .

Trans mounts / motor mounts. If those are letting the trans move around a bit, it will kill the guibo and CSB.

Both are good.

__________________

Thank you.

Did they pre-load the CSB? I went through like 5 of them for not pushing it 4-6mm forward before tightening it into place.

I hope they preloaded it, they are an import (BMW, Merc., Saab, Volvo,
etc.. specialty shop that has been around for 20+ years..

Sweet, from the sound of this my car needs even more fucking work.

Fucking moneypit.

You know it!! 900 and counting, Just on this problem.. woo hoo..
im positive ive spent more than i did when buying it 4 years ago..

where did you get the driveshaft from?
we went through like 2 driveshafts because 1)the first one was out by 15 thousands, and 2)the csb it came with SUCKED.

Im not sure, it was a place they use, it is Reman, Since i didnt have 4 days and an extra 150 bucks to get a new one from BMA



ALSO, About the Harmonic balancer.....

Would these just go bad? i mean they are a solid plate of metal.. its not like its a waterpump or something...

And even if mine were bad, would the vibration from it, make its way all the way through the Motor, clutch, Tranny, and to the driveshaft?

it seems like id have i wrecked tranny before i had a rubber guibo go to shreds..

Could this really be it?

[kommissar]

ALSO, About the Harmonic balancer.....

Would these just go bad? i mean they are a solid plate of metal.. its not like its a waterpump or something...

And even if mine were bad, would the vibration from it, make its way all the way through the Motor, clutch, Tranny, and to the driveshaft?

it seems like id have i wrecked tranny before i had a rubber guibo go to shreds..

Could this really be it?

It's safe to remove it. Give it a shot and see if anything changes. Just make sure you remove the correct one (see my post before this).

[87-325ic]

Oh,, SPEAKING OF WHICH, i did have the Rear Vibration damper removed, it originally was there, but was removed almost 2 years ago when i put in the z4 shifter..
Should i put it back on?

(Front is HArmonic BAlancer, Rear is Vibration damper.. just so everyones straight on that)

i still dont see the front hb going bad on an engine...

[mattdk318i]

When i drove it i figured thats what it was. But it didnt make sense with it being newly replaced. Alot of the above ideas i agree with.

[trent]

I DID NOT MEAN THE "HARMONIC BALANCER" ON THE DRIVESHAFT. I MENT THE ONE AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE.

These balancers are rubber encased i metal, and yes they DO go bad. I have seen these kill multiple driveshafts/associated parts by sending vibration through the driveline.

TTT

[87-325ic]

trent, please direct me to the best (Cheapest) source to find a good/new one.

[AlarmedBread]

My guess is that they did not get the drive shaft angles within spec. You need to get it to damn near 0.0 in every direction. If you replaced engine/trans mounts, the trans is probably sitting higher than it was before, and the engine needs to be shimmed up in most cases.

Also I think there may be a bunch of junky guibo/csb out there, I bought some new ones and ate them, which also killed my driveshaft. I nabbed a complete drive shaft off a parts car, stuck it in and no problems.

[Julien]

^^^ that's the only route i'm taking with all the driveshaft woes i've had. stick a used one in that you know doesn't vibrate and be done with it.

[ivo316]

The harmonic balancer is an internal metal part, and an external metal part with rubber in between, after a while, the rubber starts failing and the part stops counteracting harmonic vibration.

harmonic vibration: when the crankshaft is hit by the connecting rod on the power stroke, it twists a bit, it gets hit six times by the rods, ar some rpms, the twist/untwist cycle can start building up until some part in the drive system fails.

You can watch wind induced harmonic vibration on a bridge here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw