Bought a new harmonic balancer for the mav. (It's a 73 - 200 I6) If you line up the timing marks on the old and new, the key openings don't line up. If you were install it, it would make timing marks off. Before I do this, is it going to be a problem? Rhonda
How far off are the marks? You might be able to fix it just by buying a different pointer that aims a little more to the left or right to line up with the lines. Or you could buy timing tape and put it around the balancer and line the lines up with your existing pointer. More importantly, Make sure that when you flip it over, the keyhole lines up with the same cuts in he weighted areas. If it doesn't look like the weighted areas are similar, I would start looking for a different balancer.
Balancers have been known to slip. Outer ring slips out of phase with the main center section. If you are sure that it has not moved, you could transfer the TDC or other mark onto the new balancer. Lots of people put a paint mark or chalk on their timing marks for visibility. I use paper correction fluid or "white out".
ive never trusted the factory timing marks. i will use a piston stop in the spark plug hole and turn the motor against the stop. mark where the pointer is at on the balancer. then turn the motor over the other direction till the piston touches the stop and mark the balacer again. now the point that is inbetween the two marks is the true top dead center. ive only found one motor that set up with the pointer correctly located. the rest ive done have been off 2 to 6 degrees.
thanks everyone! we transferred the mark to the new balancer, marking it with a white paint pen. I just wasn't sure, having only changed one out on 1 other vehicle, and this wasn't an issue then. My husband got in for Easter, so helped me finish up the timing chain/oil pan gasket/alternator project. My daughter came home from work on Friday, her dad told her I had dismantled her car (again). She just laughed and said I always put it back together. It just takes me longer than most people. I have a Chilton's manual, you guys, and my husband (an otr driver) to get answers to questions. So far, no one is laughing at me (outloud that I can hear, anyway!) Rhonda
