Symptoms of a Failing Harmonic Balancer on a BMW M57 Diesel

How to diagnose a faulty harmonic balancer on a BMW M57 engine. This particular vehicle I’m working with is a 2010 BMW 335d, this engine was also found on other models such as the X5 and 5 series of the same generation. #bmwm57 #bmw335d #bmwe90
Teslong Borescope
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Procedure:
I’m at about 170,000km or 105,000 miles on the original harmonic balancer. How long these last will vary between vehicles, both age, heat, and usage can affect their lifespan. Mine hasn’t failed yet but it’s most likely due for a replacement. The replacement ahead of time is great to prevent maintenance and will keep your vehicle reliable.
It can be extremely hard to gain access to the harmonic balance with everything in place so I would highly recommend using a borescope for such an inspection. For this, I’m using my Teslong NTS700 inspection camera. It has a triple-lens to maximize viewing angles, 7” screen, is waterproof, and has 16.5” of reach. A link to this will be included in the video description as well as a coupon code for their website.
As a visual inspection, we are looking for any cracking or separation in the rubber damper between the center bolt-up port and the outside pulley. The cracking on mine is very mild, however, you can find extreme cases online.
Beyond the cracking stage, the rubber can eventually separate from the steel not allowing the pulley to properly rotate. This will prevent any belt accessories from working, not allowing you to drive your vehicle. The AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all driven by the belts. If the pulley doesn’t rotate, the first error that will pop up on the gauge cluster is a charging-related light.
You may also feel excessive vibrations while the engine is running. After replacing mine even with it not being as bad as compared to others, the engine vibrations were noticeably less.
As for replacement, OEM and aftermarket replacements are available. I opted out for an aftermarket replacement, based on the reviews it is a stronger option than compared to the OEM replacement and is especially beneficial if paired with an alternator clutch pulley.
Replacement does involve removing the electric fan, and intake tube, disconnecting the boost tube, stretch and serpentine belt removal, and some other random small components. This is a good time to replace belts if needed as well as the tensioner and idler pulleys.
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[@WillerZ]

Thank you for putting in the effort to make these videos my man, it's helped so much.

[@4DIYers]

You're very welcome and thank you so much for the kind words!