94 Honda Civic crankshaft issue -- brokedown, pls help!

TELOIV

MEMBER
1994 HONDA CIVIC

I'm on a long drive home. Got 900 miles to go. I drove over some gravel making a sharp turn to exit and heard a thump. Two belts came loose, and when I took it to a mechanic he told me the damper and crankshaft were both chipped. He said he can put a new damper on it and it might run smooth, but can I drive home 900 miles with a chipped crankshaft? The chip is about 4 mm. I have a car full of stuff and need to get home asap!

3 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

DAMPER IS THE HARMONIC BALANCER?

IS THIS WHAT YOU MEAN?...IS CHIPPED ON THE EDGE OF IT?

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Harmonic-Balancer-Dorman---OE-Solutions_20950318-P_1269_R%7CGRPENGPAMS_____

THERE ARE MANY "CIVIC MODELS" I JUST USED "LX" WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE EXACTLY IN MY LINK

THE CRANKSHAFT IS IN THE CENTER OF THIS HARMONIC BALANCER---TRAVELS INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK, BACK OUT TO THE TRANSMISSION

WHAT I'M SAYING IS--IT'S PRETTY MUCH COVERED UP AND PROTECTED

ARE YOU SURE THE "CRANKSHAFT" WAS DAMAGED, AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE?

CAN YOU POST A PIC OF "BOTH DAMAGES" IN FOCUS, MAYBE POINTING AT THE "BOO-BOOs" WITH A PENCIL?

THIS MIGHT HELP US A BUNCH

THANKS,

THE MEDIC

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Monday, January 30th, 2012 AT 3:14 AM

TELOIV

MEMBER
1 POST

Hi, yes I mean the harmonic balancer. There are two pulleys attached to it, I think they run the alternator and power steering. I have a Civic DX.

My mechanic tells me what whatever I drove over hit the harmonic balancer, which in turn hit the crankshaft. Both are chipped. Yes, the crankshaft is chipped on the edge, its about a 4mm chip.

Sorry I don't have pictures, I should have thought to take some when the mechanic showed me. Its still at the shop now.

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Monday, January 30th, 2012 AT 3:35 AM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

OK I TOOK A PIC I HAD OF MY JEEP AND LABELED IT

NOTICE THE CRANKSHAFT IS TOTALLY HIDDEN BEHIND MY HARMONIC BALANCE. IN FACT THE BALANCER'S "SLEEVE" COVERS IT UP COMPLETELY, THE SLEEVE EXTENDS INTO THE ENGINE. ON THE FRONT, A BIG THICK WASHER COVERS THE FACE AND THE BOLT I DISPLAY IN THE PIC HOLDS THE WASHER IN PLACE, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE HARMONIC BALANCER FROM SLIDING FORWARD AND OFF.

HERE'S MY PROBLEM--I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR SET-UP LOOKS LIKE, BUT OF THE MANY VEHICLES I HAVE SEEN, THE CRANKSHAFT IS NOT USUALLY EXPOSED AT ALL. UNLESS THE BALANCER IS PRESSED ON, INSTEAD OF BOLTED ON. IF THAT WERE THE CASE, ONLY THE FACE WOULD BE EXPOSED, AND A "DING" TO IT, WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS.

OTHER THAN REALLY SERIOUS, MAJOR DAMAGE TO A PULLEY, I CANNOT VISUALIZE THE CRANKSHAFT BEING HURT TERRIBLY

WITHOUT A PIC, OF THE DAMAGE, I COULD GUESS ALL DAY LONG

WITHOUT BETTER INFO, I'M NOT THROWING BLAME OR TELLING YOU YOU ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

I WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST ALL I CAN

I DO HAVE ACCESS TO A ON-LINE REPAIR MANUAL, I DID LOOK AT HOW YOURS IS CONFIGURED

THE 1ST PIC IS MY JEEP CJ

THE 2ND IS FROM MITCHELL I, IT IS A DIAGRAM OF HOW TO TENSION YOUR BELTS ON A CIVIC DX.I COULD NOT FIND AN OBLIQUE VIEW

SORRY THIS TAKES ME SO LONG, I'VE BEEN READING AND LOOKING FOR INFO, AND I HUNT AND PECK RATHER SLOWLY

(EVER THOUGHT ABOUT A "REAL JEEP", THEY CAN REALLY TAKE A L. ICKING AND KEEP ON GOING!)

THE MEDIC

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