Do you notice your car's engine getting louder and louder each day? Is the hood vibrating over all of that noise? Well, if it isn't caused by worn engine mounts, then it has got to be the harmonic balancer. There's no doubt about it. The only moving force that can cause your engine to shudder is the crankshaft. To top it off, as tremendous amounts of torque is delivered from the pistons, your engine's crank can actually twist up to two degrees. So both those problems-vibration and twisting-can eventually mean doom for your crank. The only thing that stands between those and the crankshaft is the harmonic balancer. It's an assembly of two component materials: a mass and an energy dissipater. The mass stops vibrations from accelerating any faster, while energy-dissipating material eliminates twisting of the crank, altogether reducing engine noise and shudder. The only problem is the energy dissipater doesn't last. It's only made of rubber, usually, although there are clutch and fluid typesWhat's important is that once the dissipater wears out and you notice the engine starting to whine, it's time for a replacement. Whatever you do, don't let your car's engine run without the harmonic balancer. It's what keeps your engine's crank stable. Don't listen to performance freaks who don't know any better than to make wild, uncalculated guesses. Should you ever need a replacement balancer, just visit Car Stuff.