how to you make the crank shaft not turn when your replacing the harmonic balancer.

 

Use a impact gun or some people bump the starter with your cheater bar against the frame rail, i would be scared to bump the starter!

 

Run a screwdriver through one of the slots in the balancer and use that to hold it while removing the bolt.
Attach the puller and use to remove the balancer.

 

i'd bump the starter. you'll be kinda scared your first time but its fairly common practis amongst mechanics. when i worked at import. a old guy named ron showed me that trick i've been doing them that way ever since.

if the rigs a five speed put it in gear and pull the e-brake. then you can muscle it off by hand or with a impact.

 

I read the Haynes Manuel and it shows you how to do it.

 

Jason, you will need a crows foot puller to get the Vibration Dampener off. It comes with bolts of various sizes to attach it to your Dampner. When you look at the Dampner you will see three threaded holes to attach the bolts for your puller. take two of the bolts from the puller kit and thread them into two of the holes in the Dampner. Now, you can use a pry bar between these two bolts to hold the dampner in place as you use a ratchet and socket to remove the center bolt.

 

Is it normal that my old harmonic balancer left a groove on the motor

 

How about a picture of the front of the motor so I can see what you are talking about. The quick answer to your question is, nothing is normal that happens with the Vibration Dampner once it starts separating on you. It walks out and shreads the serpantine belt or if it starts walking in toward the motor bad things happen too.

 

here is a pic of the front of my motor

 

When the outter portion of the balancer seperates (the rubber inner sleeve fails) the piece can move forward/aft. Yes, it's normal to move back and hit the timing cover.

How bad is the timing cover?

 

Bilo is a very fitting name for you, Jason...LOL. I meant a picture of the timing cover on the front of your motor so I could see where the Vibration Dampner was hitting it.

 

yeah the harmonic balancers will groove into the timing cover if they are bad and have beenneglected to be changed, just make sure it didnt eat to far into the cover you will be okay.