Driving with seized stabilizer

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Dario Moreno, Apr 7, 2006.

  1. Dario Moreno

    Dario Moreno Guest

    The stabilizer in the engine (192K kms) of my 92 Accord
    seized after an unexplained oil pressure failure. It was rather
    costly to get the engine apart to find out the cause of the
    problem thus my mechanic removed the gear that engages
    the stabilizer and put a new belt. The old one was stripped
    badly. The engine is louder and feels a bit rough.
    Is it OK to drive like this?
     
    Dario Moreno, Apr 7, 2006
    #1
  2. --------------------------

    I think you're taking about the balance shaft, right? It's not
    absolutely necessary, as far as I can tell.

    'Curly'
     
    'Curly Q. Links', Apr 7, 2006
    #2
  3. Dario Moreno

    Dario Moreno Guest

    Thanks for your reply. Yes, I was referring to the balance shaft.
    I forgot what it was called but knew that it helped the engine not
    to vibrate thus I called it stabilizer !!!
     
    Dario Moreno, Apr 8, 2006
    #3
  4. Dario Moreno

    Eric Guest

    If I remember correctly, the '92 Accord has two balance shafts. Did both
    seize or just one? Did your mechanic completely remove the belt or did he
    find a shorter one to drive the other balance shaft? Did your mechanic
    discover why it seized? I would be worried about possible oil starvation
    problems popping up elsewhere in the engine at some point in the future.
    One thing to check would be to pull the oil pan and make sure that the oil
    pump pick-up screen was not clogged up.
    On another note, driving with the engine shaking around more than normal
    will accelerate the wear on the engine mounts and perhaps some of the hoses
    since they'll be flexing more than normal.

    Eric
     
    Eric, Apr 8, 2006
    #4
  5. Dario Moreno

    Dario Moreno Guest

    You are right it has two balance shafts. I did not go to the route of diagnosing
    further whether both seized or only one and why. He did not remove the belt but
    removed a gear that engages the shaft(s). I am not sure whether he disabled
    both.
    He quoted me up to $1200 if he removed the oil pan and other stuff to
    access the shaft. He said if it were the bearings it is cheap to fix but if the
    shaft(s) were bent than he suggested to put a new engine for $1400 plus labor.
    I like this car but there is some rust on it and I do not feel like to revive it
    ..
    If I can drive it like this for another 2 years hopefully I will be able to
    buy a new one by then. You have a good point about any debris in the oil
    pump pick-up screen. If it got clogged for some reason it explains my
    unexplained
    oil pressure light failure a month ago that started these problems. My mechanic
    did not mention this as a possible cause at the time.
     
    Dario Moreno, Apr 10, 2006
    #5
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