Shadow Wolf
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2026
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My 2002 Liberty Limited had dropped a valve seat. I replaced the head, started her up and she ran beautifully, nice smooth idle. While idling, I started looking around to insure no leaks when there was suddenly a loud 'crack' sound and the engine immediately shut down. Upon tearing it back down I found the primary tensioner guide broken and the woodruf key on the crankshaft sheared. After pulling the chains, guides, and tensioners if reached in to turn the balance shaft mark to 6 o'clock only to find it seized to its mounting plate, and the mounting plate broken down the middle.
With no other options available at the time, but having a lathe, I removed the gear from the shaft and and cut the fused mounting plate metal from the gear. Then welded the mounting plate back together and ground it flat and smooth and re-assembled the shaft..
The plate showed that the gear had been tightly rubbing on the plate for quite some time leading to this failure.
Has anyone experienced this issue? It this a common problem or did I win a Murphy lottery?
With no other options available at the time, but having a lathe, I removed the gear from the shaft and and cut the fused mounting plate metal from the gear. Then welded the mounting plate back together and ground it flat and smooth and re-assembled the shaft..
The plate showed that the gear had been tightly rubbing on the plate for quite some time leading to this failure.
Has anyone experienced this issue? It this a common problem or did I win a Murphy lottery?
