I have a 1998 Honda CRV and while driving i lost the power steering and the dash lights came on. I had the vehicle towed to a shop and it was diagnosed as a broken harmonic ballancer bolt. They were able to remove the broken bolt and replaced the harmonic ballancer, harmonic ballancer bolt and harmonic ballancer key way. I picked up the vehicle and everything was ok for a few day and then the same thing happened again except the bolt was not broken this time. The shop said that the key way was stripped and warned me that if it happened again i would need to replace the crankshaft. Did the key way strip because of something the shop did?
No. It was worn when they got the car. A mechanic could try to “square off” the Woodruff key-way in the crankshaft, use a larger Woodruff key (filed to fit the crankshaft groove, and to fit the harmonic balancer slot). Finding a mechanic willing to do this…?
When the shop replaced the broken crankshaft bolt did they use the old harmonic ballancer? If they did your problem may be in the harmonic ballancer. If they replaced it then I would do as hellokit suggest.
Have you had any previous work done in that area, before this original broken bolt occurred, in which someone may have removed that bolt; timing belt, crank seal, etc.? If so, how long a time frame between this and the original broken bolt problem?
The last shop would not be responsible for the original problem, but they may have erred by even putting a new key/bolt/balancer on it. If the new key was installed in the keyway in anything other than a perfectly tight fit then it will not last.
This means either a new crankshaft or possibly tack welding the balancer in place; with the latter of course ending any future work in that area without a great deal of difficulty being involved.