I'm looking at a 1983 Turbodiesel that had it's harmonic balancer come loose and break. That's how the owner explained it to me.

My question is when that happens will the crankshaft or anything else be damaged that should make me steer clear of the car?

A new balancer was installed and I was told it was sent out to a machince shop to be balanced, like the old one, before it was installed.