Currently stranded with a busted harmonic balancer and damaged crank. 1HD-T (1 Viewer)

[DancesWithMutts]

A little backstory, I had just completed a bunch of maintenance right before taking this trip, including installing a new harmonic balancer (both pieces).

I was having a hard time holding the balancer while torquing it, so I ran it on with my smallest 1/2 impact, which is rated around 180 ft lbs.

I'm currently outside of Payson AZ, 12 hours from home (Denver). With the help of some awesome locals that I ran into (thanks Kyle!), I was able to get the balancer off and find that it is cracked, and the nose of the crank is damaged. The keyway is in bad shape.

I assume that the balancer cracked when I impacted it on, which means the key was the only thing stoping it from spinning. Eventually the key got chewed up and the balancer started wobbling around.

I figure I'm going to have to replace my crankshaft, but I'm wondering about the missing pieces of the crankshaft, balancer and key. They must have gone into the timing gear cover.

I suppose there is potential damage to those gears, and depending on how the oil flows through that cover, those parts could be anywhere on my engine, right?

What would y'all recommend for when I get this thing back into my garage? How far of a teardown should I do?

 

[Loober]

Sucks to hear, there was someone else here that had a similar experience. Since the crank is damaged, you will need to do a full tear down, with a complete engine rebuild. Good time to step up to a 1HDFT. Depending on how much you can do yourself, you're looking at a 8-10k job. I would be looking at a replacement engine, meanwhile you can take your time and see what is salvageable, possibly to part out and recoup some $$$$.

 

[Douglas S]

Sucks to hear, there was someone else here that had a similar experience. Since the crank is damaged, you will need to do a full tear down, with a complete engine rebuild. Good time to step up to a 1HDFT. Depending on how much you can do yourself, you're looking at a 8-10k job. I would be looking at a replacement engine, meanwhile you can take your time and see what is salvageable, possibly to part out and recoup some $$$$.

I don't think that's necessarily true. It would just be the snout of the crank that is damaged and that may even be repairable. Engine would have to come out to pull the crank but the pistons, rods, and whole top end could be left in place.

 

[Loober]

I don't think that's necessarily true. It would just be the snout of the crank that is damaged and that may even be repairable. Engine would have to come out to pull the crank but the pistons, rods, and whole top end could be left in place.

True, I am speaking based on the worst case that could be....

 

[mudgudgeon]

I think you need to do a full tear down and have the crank crack tested.
A new OEM crank for a 1fz-fe cost me $1500-ish AUD recently. $1000USD.

I highly doubt your impact driver caused damaged. More likely the lack of proper torque on the crank bolt.
I think OEM spec on the crank pulley bolt is 300lb-ft of torque. (1fz-fe is 306lb-ft, memory says the 1hdt is similar but not the same).
The crank snout is tapered and relies on a friction fit and correct torque to prevent it spinning.
Keyway is more for ensuring correct orientation.

I think you had movement in the interface between harmonic balancer and crank and it's worked loose. There's a lot of vibration through the crank on any engine, more on a diesel. The vibration would contribute to shaking it loose.

 

[SNLC]

I think you need to do a full tear down and have the crank crack tested.
A new OEM crank for a 1fz-fe cost me $1500-ish AUD recently. $1000USD.

I highly doubt your impact driver caused damaged. More likely the lack of proper torque on the crank bolt.
I think OEM spec on the crank pulley bolt is 300lb-ft of torque. (1fz-fe is 306lb-ft, memory says the 1hdt is similar but not the same).
The crank snout is tapered and relies on a friction fit and correct torque to prevent it spinning.
Keyway is more for ensuring correct orientation.

I think you had movement in the interface between harmonic balancer and crank and it's worked loose. There's a lot of vibration through the crank on any engine, more on a diesel. The vibration would contribute to shaking it loose.

365ftlbs on the diesels.

New crank is $1,000 plus shipping from overseas. OP send me a pm if you want a link.

This is why it is extremely important to torque the HB correctly. Yes you can leave pistons in place with con rods but why? Save a few bucks I guess but I would suggest dropping them out and checking specs on everything. I would get it hauled home and find a Cruiser shop that knows diesels or do the work yourself.

Bummer.

Cheers

 

[Loober]

365ftlbs on the diesels.

New crank is $1,000 plus shipping from overseas. OP send me a pm if you want a link.

This is why it is extremely important to torque the HB correctly. Yes you can leave pistons in place with con rods but why? Save a few bucks I guess but I would suggest dropping them out and checking specs on everything. I would get it hauled home and find a Cruiser shop that knows diesels or do the work yourself.

Bummer.

Cheers

And some blue lock tite for good measure right?