300m Timing Belt questions

A) it IS something you can borrow at a parts store, and
B) you don't actually have to pull the balancer to get the covers and
belt off on a 3.5 if the balancer is the spoked type (mine was) instead
of a solid disk. I've never seen a solid disk balancer on a 3.5, but
I've heard (read) that they did in fact use it on some models. That
would require the puller.

 

If I still had our old 3.5, I'd show you ;-) I did it both times I
changed the T-belt on that car during the ~260k miles we owned it. But
as I said, the "harmonic balancer" on that car was a spoked pulley with
big openings that allowed getting a wrench on the timing belt cover
bolts to remove them.

 

So is ours -- maybe I'll try it next time!

Actually, the harmonic balancer needed to be replaced anyway...

 

I just looked at the Chrysler parts pdf's for all '98 thru '04 LH cars -
all show the identical part number (4663176 - no suffixes) for the 3.5L
damper pulley. I'm willing to bet that means all have the same (spoked)
damper. But I could be wrong.

 

Even with the spokes, you have to clench your tongue between your teeth
JUUUUST right to get that lower cover off and work the belt out from
behind the pulley, then the new one in and the lower cover back on. But
it was much easier in the long run than pulling the damper. Unless you
have to replace those O-rings behind the timing case- then its all gotta
come off. Cam pulleys too. But that's one thing our old 3.5 never needed
in 260k miles. I understand it was the exception, not the rule.