In refreshing everything on my 155K mile, new to me Mini I read the posts regarding the OEM balancers disintegrating. So, as I really want to do all this once I ordered an OEM type[with a 10 year warranty, for whatever that's worth] as at this point I couldn't see $300 plus for a really good one.

I pulled mine off and not only did it look good there isn't one drop of oil from the seal. The P.O. tossed all his receipts and has little recollection as to what's been done to the car.
I have the feeling this is a fairly new replacement pulley and oil seal. Looking at the photos can anyone tell if this is OEM or a replacement?



In addition, although I have the new seal, as this one isn't leaking, if this is a replacement pulley, I'm thinking the seal was done at the same time and I'm tempted not to mess with it.
Thanks,
rob

 

I wouldn't touch the seal if it isn't leaking. Not touching seals like that are always gamble but that's usually my preference.

 

My guess would be if the balancer and seal look that good then perhaps it has been replaced fault recently. When it does need replacing, the ATI or PRW balancers are worth the money.

 

There was no way I was putting that poorly designed factory garbage back on my car just to fail again, regardless of difference in price.

 

Well my hand was forced with the seal when I realized I had bought the seal for a later model. Maybe fate was telling me, "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

I did put the new balancer on even though the one I took off looked like it was pretty new. The OEM type I put on has a 10 year warranty so maybe it's made a little better.

Anyway, I paid $500 for the car and am up to about 3K in parts. I figure the balancer is pretty easy to get to so no big deal if it needs another, but with 155,000 miles on it now it might not end up my problem anyway.

robj

 

Those items are...NOT...balancers..!
They are..."dampers".

They do not balance anything on this engine, not what so ever, at any engine rpm or load.
BUT...they do dampen "harmonic" vibration that builds in the crankshaft.

Mike

 

"Traditionally", at least on domestically manufactured vehicles they were known as "Harmonic Balancers". After messing with cars for 55 years I went with what I had known them to be called for most of that time. I'm pretty sure the terms are interchangeable and their use depends on what shop manual you're looking at.

A harmonic balancer is a front end accessory drive component that is connected to the crankshaft of an engine. The purpose of the harmonic balancer is to reduce engine vibration and in many cases, serve as a pulley for drive belts.

A harmonic damper is a device fitted to the free (accessory drive) end of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to counter torsional and resonance vibrations from the crankshaft. ... It is essential on engines with long crankshafts (such as straight-6, straight-8 engines) and V8 engines with cross plane cranks.

But on Mini's I'll assume they are referred to as "Dampers".

thanks,
robj