Harmonic Balancer Stuck?!

rkilgore

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Location
NY
TDI
2002 Jetta
In the midst of my first ALH timing belt change. So far, the valve cover bolts were an issue, then the harmonic balancer bolts were an issue. Now I've finally got the harmonic balancer bolts all out, and the harmonic balancer won't budge. :( Any tips? I see extra holes in the harmonic balancer hub, but they don't appear to be threaded holes that I could use with a "harmonic balancer puller." I'm thinking that using a regular 2 or 3 jaw puller is going to mess up the surface the serpentine belt rides against. Based on my internet research this evening, it looks like the bolts are always getting stuck, but doesn't look like the getting the balancer itself separated from the crank pulley is a common issue on this engine.:)
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,glutton for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB , added an 06 NB DSG
I’ve sprayed penetrating oil where the crank bolt is to try to get behind the HD.
Also use a rubber mallet or rawhide mallet and alternate wacking the HB side to side on the face to get it to move.
Once it starts to move just work it back and forth and it will pop off…..
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
if these 2 do not work well for you (it should) you can put a slide hammer on it, same effect as the mallet but pulling away can be more effective if the hammer isnt doing the trick. , usually walking away for 30 minutes and trying again is more effective than you think!
Good luck and welcome to our forums! Feel free to ask if you need any more help!
FWY thoe pullers can work great if you have one, and would be plan C
 

rkilgore

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Location
NY
TDI
2002 Jetta
Thank you all for the replies. Glad that this forum is alive and well, some forums are looking like ghost towns these days. It's been a great resource keeping my daily driver on the road for the last 3 years and helped me through a radiator swap, wheel bearings, a heater core, injector seal replacement and injection timing adjustment, among other things. Rubber mallet seems like an obvious answer, why didn't I think of that... Now where did I put that thing... And I do happen to have a nice slide hammer.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Not sure how you are going to put a side hammer on it, there's nothing to attach it to. I usually start tapping the face with a hammer and then they will usually loosen up enough to wiggle off.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Not sure how you are going to put a side hammer on it, there's nothing to attach it to. I usually start tapping the face with a hammer and then they will usually loosen up enough to wiggle off.
side hook, go around the side bit by bit same as a hammer but pulling on the sides vs hitting. same effect
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Valve cover bolts problem - check
Harmonic bolts problem - check

That's why I make customers buy a set of each for timing belt jobs. Never have a problem if I did the work last though. As to the balancer spray penetrating oil in there as much as you can and spin it if you can. Once it's moved a few mm to clear the index hole you should be able to work it back and forth.
 

Metal Man

Vendor
Joined
Sep 29, 2001
Location
Sunbury,PA 17801
TDI
1998 NB TDI, 2006 Jetta TDI, 2014 Tiguan gas, , 2019 E Golf X2
I usually spray them and work it off with two screw drivers. You just want to be careful not to mangle the metal cover behind it.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
I usually spray them and work it off with two screw drivers. You just want to be careful not to mangle the metal cover behind it.
prybars work a bit better but its gentle nudges. had to do this with the 955 cayenne. i hate to do that... with my luck it will damage the cover.
 

rkilgore

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Location
NY
TDI
2002 Jetta
Ended up using regular 3-arm puller. Managed to get it moving with any noticeable damage, I guess thanks to large surface area on each of the puller "hook" surfaces. Everything went fairly smoothly after I got the harmonic balancer off. Just mailed the tools I rented back to Metal Man today.

I was going to hold off on cleaning the EGR and intake manifold, but ended up pulling the intake manifold to get the stripped valve cover bolts out. Glad I did, that thing was really caked!
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Ended up using regular 3-arm puller. Managed to get it moving with any noticeable damage, I guess thanks to large surface area on each of the puller "hook" surfaces. Everything went fairly smoothly after I got the harmonic balancer off. Just mailed the tools I rented back to Metal Man today.

I was going to hold off on cleaning the EGR and intake manifold, but ended up pulling the intake manifold to get the stripped valve cover bolts out. Glad I did, that thing was really caked!
I use Irwin bolt extractors which let you hammer the tool onto the bolt head. I've been able to remove any stuck valve cover bolt like that. At least you are going to have a clean manifold when you get done.
 
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