N52 harmonic balancer wobble. Normal?

Yamadogggy · 02-24-2020, 01:22 PM

Been trying to track my source of belt wobble and intermittent chirping down. 2011 328i with 70k miles. Used mech steth on all the pulleys and cant see or feel anything wrong with them. I do have a bad OFHG leak and parts will be in Wednesday along with a new belt. Thinking I should do the gasket, clean up engine and pulleys and try a new belt first. You can see in video tensioner had to have been replaced recently. I noted my harmonic balancer has a slight wobble in it, but reading on here people are saying it's normal. Would hate to spend 400+ to change on only to do the same thing because of my paranoia. Engine doesnt seem to idle rough and drives very smooth at speed and I would think that would exaggerate the wobble at higher RS and I would definitely notice it. Hopefully someone can help because none of my other threads have had any responses. Thanks.

nhhiep · 02-24-2020, 02:07 PM

it seems normal to me. mine 80k and 150k miles cars do the same. I did ask the tech when replacing the belt and he said it's pretty normal.

Yamadogggy · 02-24-2020, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhhiep

it seems normal to me. mine 80k and 150k miles cars do the same. I did ask the tech when replacing the belt and he said it's pretty normal.

Ok cool. Gonna try belt and the gasket first then. If not next step is pulleys even though they all sounded good with steth. It's not in that video but I do have chirp sometimes that quiets with water on belt so I'm guessing it's just worn.

ctuna · 02-24-2020, 04:30 PM

Looked good to me the belt tensioneer looked like it wobbles a little
bit but not to bad.

Yamadogggy · 02-24-2020, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctuna

Looked good to me the belt tensioneer looked like it wobbles a little
bit but not to bad.

I thought about changing it with the new belt but it looks brand new compared to the rest of my engine. If I put stethoscope on the tensioner itself I do get a slight tapping noise if that means anything.

fortywater · 02-25-2020, 09:31 AM

Is your chirping on cold starts and goes away when the car is warmed up and at full operating temp? I had the same issue. New belt, new tensioner, etc. My Harmonic balancer wobbles just as much as yours so I was dreading replacing it.

Turns out it was an idler pulley and the harm is fine. I would just do a tensioner and pulley kit with a new belt and you should be fine.

02-24-2020, 01:22 PM	#1
Yamadogggy Enlisted Member 4 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 328xi Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	N52 harmonic balancer wobble. Normal? Been trying to track my source of belt wobble and intermittent chirping down. 2011 328i with 70k miles. Used mech steth on all the pulleys and cant see or feel anything wrong with them. I do have a bad OFHG leak and parts will be in Wednesday along with a new belt. Thinking I should do the gasket, clean up engine and pulleys and try a new belt first. You can see in video tensioner had to have been replaced recently. I noted my harmonic balancer has a slight wobble in it, but reading on here people are saying it's normal. Would hate to spend 400+ to change on only to do the same thing because of my paranoia. Engine doesnt seem to idle rough and drives very smooth at speed and I would think that would exaggerate the wobble at higher RS and I would definitely notice it. Hopefully someone can help because none of my other threads have had any responses. Thanks.
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02-24-2020, 02:07 PM	#2
nhhiep Captain 88 Rep 863 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	it seems normal to me. mine 80k and 150k miles cars do the same. I did ask the tech when replacing the belt and he said it's pretty normal.
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02-24-2020, 04:30 PM	#4
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,103 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	Looked good to me the belt tensioneer looked like it wobbles a little bit but not to bad.
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02-25-2020, 09:31 AM	#6
fortywater Private 14 Rep 86 Posts Drives: E90 335i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Is your chirping on cold starts and goes away when the car is warmed up and at full operating temp? I had the same issue. New belt, new tensioner, etc. My Harmonic balancer wobbles just as much as yours so I was dreading replacing it. Turns out it was an idler pulley and the harm is fine. I would just do a tensioner and pulley kit with a new belt and you should be fine.
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