A harmonic balancer prevents the powerful forces produced by the engine from rattling the engine apart. Honda Civic balancers also transfer a portion of the engine’s energy to the engine’s external components, such as the alternator and power steering system. The balancer is relatively durable, but the timing chain behind the balancer commonly requires replacement every few years. Removing the Civic balancer can be time-consuming, and the bolt that secures the balancer to the crankshaft can be challenging to pull out.
Honda Civic engines use two drive belts, both of which wrap around the bottom of the harmonic balancer. Before you can remove the balancer, you must loosen and remove these two belts. Loosen one belt at the alternator and the other at the power steering pump. There is a single adjustment bolt at the bottom of each component, which is used to either tighten or loosen the tension of the component’s belt. Loosen both adjusting bolts with a wrench until the belts are slack.
Unlike most engines, the Civic’s engine rests sideways in the engine bay, with the front of the engine facing the back of the driver’s side tire. Therefore, you must remove the driver’s side tire to access the balancer. Raise the front of the Civic with a jack, then lower it onto a pair of jack stands positioned underneath the frame. Remove the front driver’s side tire and set it aside. To protect the engine from water and road debris, a protective shield covers the front of the engine in the wheel well. Pry the two fasteners, called tapping screws, that hold the shield in place, using a standard screwdriver; then pull the shield out of the wheel well to access the harmonic balancer.
Pull the two loosened drive belts away from the harmonic balancer. A large bolt holds the balancer against the engine. This bolt is notoriously difficult to remove, because it is tightly installed from the factory. The easiest way to pull out it is with a powerful impact wrench. An alternative is to buy a crankshaft pulley tool, sometimes referred to as a crankshaft holder, from a Honda dealer or auto parts store. The pulley tool slides onto the harmonic balancer’s bolt and features an extension arm that stops the crankshaft from spinning as you turn the tool with a wrench. Chances are good that if you're using a wrench in conjunction with a crankshaft pulley tool, you'll need a breaker bar with the wrench to remove the bolt.
Once you have conquered the bolt, the balancer may slide off easily. If it does not, attach a claw-style harmonic balancer puller to the balancer. The claws on the puller grasp the back of the balancer, and a threaded rod runs through the center of the tool. Turn the threaded rod with a wrench. As the rod is turned, it will push against the tip of the crankshaft, and the claws will pull the balancer off the crankshaft.
