Crank Pulley Wobble (H22)

[Srt]

I got a 99 prelude with an H22A4 - just rolled over 150k miles.
I pulled into work and noticed a very subtle sound like a vacuum leak.
Popped the hood with the car running and notice my crank (underdrive) pulley is wobbling a bit. It's making the engine vibrate a bit, but not too bad.
With a bad wobble will this mean I will have crankshaft damage?
Will I just have to replace the defective pulley?
Or will I need to get the bottom end pulled apart to do this?
What should I expect with this problem?
Is there a bearing behind the pulley that I need to replace/will I be able to replace it without pulling the motor apart?

Need help!

I am not going to drive the car as I just noticed the noise and just drove it home from work and it will be parked until I fix it, because if i'm not mistaken, if the pulley falls off/breaks off my timing belt will go with it. The previous owner probably overtightened the bolt, or something.

[jcs]

is it actually wobbling or is it like walking back and forth..i personally say a thrust washer...

[Tech5]

can you post a vid

[Srt]

ill make a vid tomorrow, as its dark as hell out atm.
its actually wobbling, not really back and forth, its very slight though

[h22 jones]

I doubt you could see if it was a thrust washer unless someone was pushing in the clucth . Odds are either your crank pulley bolt is lose or your pullley is damaged . If it drove home i doubt its anytbhing any more serious then that . There is no bearing to replace if you pull the pulley off . Just check to see if crank pulley bolt is tight and if it is change pulley see if that helps.

[TattooedFish]

This probably is nothing like whats happened in your situation but when I had a guy work on my vr4 I used to have after I got the car back my car had similar symptoms of yours the whole car shook, and the crank pulley had insane wobble to it. Found out later he had put the pulley on slightly cocked and torqued the bolt down. Pulled the pulley off and it was damaged. Had it replaced and was as right as rain. Im with h22 jones most likely the bolt may have just come loose should be a quick and easy fix

[Srt]

Thanks a ton for the input guys, I'll post a vid tomorrow, and am going to run it by my friends shop since I don't have any breaker bars/torque wrenches. Whats the torque specs on that bolt? 180 i think?

And if I have to get a new pulley, should I get an aftermarket one? Like OBX?

And one more thing, since its not vibrating/shaking the engine/car too bad is it safe to drive? I got an exhaust system I was looking forward to installing tomorrow =P

[Srt]

Alright here's a video. The sound quality isn't to great.
COLD START
I just used my digital camera.
As you can see its got 150K, starts up fine, idles perfect, etc.
I put my finger on the clutch fork towards the end thinking the video would pick the throw out bearing squeal (new clutch/tob in the mail) and just wanted to make sure you all knew the squeal was from the throw out bearing.

Hopefully this helps. You can't quite see too much but maybe will this give a few of you an idea, and it makes a sorta vacuum sounding noice because I think the wobble is causing it to hit something. And BTW: there is a HUGE mark on the bottom of my hood like a belt had broken once before and slung up on the bottom of the hood - it's the PS belt I believe. Just saying that in case it may help diagnose something that wasn't done right. (yes im sure it's not the timing belt as its a perfectly straight rash that lines up perfectly with the PS belt)


http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v738/BlackM0nday/?action=view&current=DSCN0674.mp4

[Srt]

Taking the Prelude to this shop thats like 2 miles from me, as I don't have any tools for this job, plus it's too damn hot! I'll keep you all updated.

[justnprsh07]

Wow deff looks like its moving in and out on the video... Make sure its tight if it is u may have some issues. Ive seen the end of a crank be bent bad enought to where the crank timming gearwas hitting the crank pos sensor and causing it to break up around 5500 & it was a 98 prelude that had been ran for years and we have no clue how it got bent

[NEMO]

take a pry bar with the car not running and wedge in behind the crank pulley and see iff you car move crank shaft in and out

[Srt]

Good news! It was just the balancer, $200 installed. Let's hope they're right! Thanks for all the input everyone! I would give reps if I could!

[00Civic]

Good to hear.

[RBS]

200 bucks? ouch... good to hear its getting fixed though

[justnprsh07]

Good news! It was just the balancer, $200 installed. Let's hope they're right! Thanks for all the input everyone! I would give reps if I could!

$200 wow I think I got like five laying around... Want to buy some extras lol

[Srt]

Well they found more issues, turning the bill from $200 - $340, but it should be all good now. Thank god for credit cards.

[Srt]

Got the harmonic balancer & pulley replaced and it's still wobbling. I read everywhere that this is extremely common and people drive on it for thousands of miles with no issues.
Should I keep trying to fix it? Give up? Otherwise the car is decent, just needs a clutch and runs a bit rich, which is another issue. Get tiny specs of black soot on the rear bumper, not thick at all, have to look close to see it. Anyone know what it might be? I only use 1/2 a quart between changes, it doesn't burn oil and it's always a nice brown oil. (stays clean) Might try checking the primary O2 sensor, replace the fuel filter, and clean up the IACV/throttle body. Seafoam maybe

[Black4DrEK]

Wow

[Srt]

Wow

Eh?

[97_luder]

i had the same problem with my prelude, and the problem was the key in the groove was worn and allowed the pulley to move back and forth. did they replace the pulley and keep the old key or did they replace the key also?

[Srt]

I went back a few days later and they said there isn't a keyway, when I insisted that there was.. More or less he wasnt the guy working on it so he said he wasn't too sure... I'll go back there tomorrow since you said that. It's been a month and I spent $375 with them and the problem persists.
I got to daily this thing, and it seems just fine to drive, nothing out of the ordinary, I should be alright, right?

[hondaxpurt]

Your doing well on a h22 if your just burning 1/2 quart per oil change. H22 are notorious for oil burning.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

[Srt]

Yeah man for 150k miles it's awesome! I consider it using oil, haha. Thirsty vtec.

[97_luder]

i drove with mine for awhile before it keep throwing off the belts. I was driving on the highway and ith threw off the alternator belt and the battery dies and i changed both the pulley and key the next day.