Reasons for a Harmonic Balancer to be messed up

[Jordon90]

So I bought a 300zx and about a month after I had it, the aformentioned messed up. It wasn't giving the alternator enough power to charge the battery. Being not the well versed in car work, the only thing I know of that sounds wrong with the car is in first gear on take off sometimes it sounds almost like it is a light grind. After the car warms up though, I don't hear it afterwards. Any ideas? The engine is a 30DET with 11x,xxx miles on it. Only thing changed is the air intake.

[twinturbozxtacy]

i had an old, 92, corolla that the rubber between the outer and inner parts broke down and the two pieces came apart... but you might just have a loose belt, its got a sep belt for the alt, power steering and water pump and the ac compressor. light grind when put into first or when you start to take off?

[Jordon90]

Ok because I know that the balancer is pure steel so if its getting warped it would have to be outside forces or just got one made on a friday afternoon.

The grind is when I take off in 1st. Its not all the time but normally in the morning and/or the engine is cold. Its light and short but loud enough to hear it.

[twinturbozxtacy]

Wrong, the harmonic balancer is not solid steel, it is two pieces with a rubber section in the middle dampening the forces in between the two and is a vital part of all harmonic balancers(some use fluid instead of rubber, but not the 300zx).

on the other problem sounds like first gear might have some chipped teeth or debris in the fluid floating around. how well/smooth does it shift when completely cold?

[Jordon90]

Oh well learn something new every day!

Very rarely does it not like to go into first but otherwise its as smooth as far as I can tell. None of the other gears give trouble or grind while I drive.