Is my crank pulley a harmonic/torsional/vibration damper or a harmonic balancer?
People are getting their crank pulleys confused with the harmonic dampers found on some domestic V6 & V8 engines. “Harmonic Balancer” is a term used loosely in the automotive industry. Technically, this type of device does not exist. The “balancer” part comes from engines that are externally balanced and have a counterweight cast into the damper. None of the applications we offer use a counterweight as part of the pulley, as these engines are all internally balanced. The pulleys on most of the new import and smaller domestic engines have an elastomer (rubber ring) incorporated into the pulley making them look similar to a harmonic damper. The elastomer in the OEM pulley serves as an isolator, which is there to suppress noise from the engine accessories; the A/C compressor, P/S pump, and alternator. This is what the manufacturers call NVH (Noise Vibration & Harshness) when referring to noticeable noise and vibration in the passenger compartment. It is important to realize in these appli
