mercruiser i/o 4.3 harmonic balancer question... please advise (nooB here)

[SflSurfRider]

hello, guys and gals. new member to the forum here, with a quick question. first, a brief history:
i just purchased a 1997 bayliner capri 2052 LS cuddy with a mercruiser 4.3. the boat is in VERY nice condition, inside and out. i took it out for the first time on saturday, everything was okay for the first hour, or so, and then i heard a strange clanking sound coming from the engine. the weight on the harmonic balancer came loose and the rubber band was laying right beneath it. i noticed the water pump was extremely rusty under the shaft, so its probably been leaking water onto the balancer, causing it to deteriorate. i went to west marine and purchased and installed a new water pump. they didnt have a harmonic balancer. its not even in their system, so i went to autozone and purchased a balancer for a 1997 chevy blazer and installed it. the install went smooth and everything lines up perfectly. it starts, runs, idles and revs flawlessly.

my question: is it okay to use an automotive harmonic balancer on this marine engine?

thank you!

 

[Rick Stephens]

A balancer is a balancer. Your fix sounds golden. Water pump needs to be marine, so you're good there too.

Now you get to go have fun on the water. Congrats on the new 2 U boat!

Rick

 

[SflSurfRider]

great! thats what i thought and wanted to hear. THANKS!!