Harmonic Balancer

[calel1]

Hi, I have a 99 camry 4cyl and I have a oil leak some where on the front of the engine.I pulled the harmonic balancer and the timing belt cover to access the area.The leak only happens when the engine is running and my question is.Can I crank the engine and run it at an idle speed without the harmonic balancer being on the crank shaft without doing any damage.I cannot visibly see the leak without doing this because it needs to build up pressue before it starts to leak.
Thanks for any help you can give.

[curry.style]

It's probably leaking from the oil pump seal. I'd go ahead and replace all the crank and cam seals as well. Those parts are all pretty cheap.

[calel1]

Thank you for the reply but I would still like to know about cranking the engine without the harmonic balancer.

[71Corolla]

Don't run the engine without the crank pulley, oil will piss out of the engine at a high rate. The sealing surface for the crankshaft seal is on the harmonic balancer.

BTW, your leak is probably coming from the oil pump spaghetti gasket.

[JohnGD]

I thought the sealing surface of the crank seal is at the spring loaded area of the shaft seal.

Anyways never run the engine without the balancer. The engine will run rough and the crankshaft can snap.

[71Corolla]

Originally Posted by JohnGD

I thought the sealing surface of the crank seal is at the spring loaded area of the shaft seal.

What I posted is wrong, I'll just back out of this thread now.

[calel1]

Thanks to all of you for the responses..

[GA-Guy]

Somewhat irrelevant but mr2/celica 5S-FEs did not have the balance shafts.