1990 MK2 GTI harmonic balancer replacement

[Augustine9000]

Hey all, I had the harmonic balancer go out on my 90 GTI. Its an eight valve equipped with power steering and no air conditioning. I've done some digging and I know that eight valve non A/C balancers are no longer available new but I can get a new balancer for an A/C equipped eight valve.

The problem with the A/C equipped balancer is that the pulleys offset is further out from the crankshaft and thus will not line up with the existing alternator pulley. What are my options? Can I shim the alternator pulley further out or is there an alternator pulley that will make this combination possible?

[TDCTDI]

You should be able to source just the stamped steel crank pulley from an earlier car.

I don't suggest trying to space it out, the inner surface of the pulley acts the outer guide for the timing belt (although most of that is determined by the tensioner.), spacing it out could allow the belt to ride over the edge of the toothed pulley & eventually chew up the belt.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Augustine9000]

alright, so just find an older (non balanced) pulley? I'm assuming the offset should be the same if it comes off a non A/C model? Did the balancer make that much of a difference on these cars? Thanks for the quick response BTW.

[TDCTDI]

No problem, others will surely also chime in too with other possibilities.
You probably wont see any difference.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.