Soldiers marching in lockstep can cause a wooden bridge to collapse. It happens when the rhythm or frequency of the marching is in tune with the natural frequency of the bridge. Resonant frequencies can also harm a vehicle. The harmonic balancer is the device in your 1993 Cutlass Ciera to defeat engine resonance at particular engine speeds and keep your engine from self-destructing. The harmonic balancer is a wheel-shaped device attached to the front of the crankshaft and it uses its mass to absorb the resonant forces. It is made of rubber, metal and liquids that eventually deteriorate and need replacing.
Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery using a socket or box wrench.
Loosen the lug nuts on the right front wheel with the lug wrench. Raise the vehicle and let it rest on jack stands. Remove the front right wheel.
Remove the engine splash shield on the right front side by undoing the clips and screws that fasten it to the body.
Find the main drive belt and loosen one of the accessories driven by this belt with a socket wrench to remove tension. Remove the belt by hand.
Install the flywheel holding tool to keep the crankshaft from moving during this repair.
Loosen the crankshaft bolt with a socket wrench. Attach the balancer puller tool to the balancer by attaching its three bolts. Remove the harmonic balancer using the harmonic balancer pulling tool.
Place the tensioner pulley tool over the end of the tensioner pulley axis bolt. Rotate the tool counterclockwise and allow the serpentine belt to loosen. Remove the belt by hand. Release the tensioner pulley and remove the tensioner pulley tool.
Loosen the bolts on the flywheel cover, manual transaxle or torque converter cover on the automatic transaxle with a socket wrench and remove the cover. Use the flywheel holding tool to keep the flywheel from moving during removal of the harmonic balancer.
Loosen the center bolt from the harmonic balancer with a socket wrench. Remove the bolt and washer. Attach the balancer puller tool to the balancer by attaching its three bolts to the balancer. Remove the harmonic balancer using the harmonic balancer pulling tool. Remove the key from the crankshaft. The key is a small piece of metal that fits in a channel on the crankshaft to keep the harmonic balancer in the right position.
