Technical Determining if Harmonic Balancer is Properly Seated?

First time doing this, obviously. I read through the instructions, watched a half dozen videos, and went it. The old one came off fine, and I'm trying to figure out if I've tightened it down enough. I was expecting to feel a hard bottom out once I got close, but didn't so I stopped before I stripped the crank. It did start getting harder to ratchet down, so about a quarter turn later I stopped I believe. The threads are still good. I also compared the painted visible portion of the old one to what's visible on the new one. Any advice? Look good? SBC 305 btw....





And the shop helper.....

 

I don't think it's quite on all the way.
If you can hold the flywheel, put a torque wrench on the bolt and bring it down to spec.
If that won't do it, you've got other issues.

 

it's not on all the way. Get a damper installer tool....you can "rent" them from the chain parts stores if you don't want to spend the money for one.

 

Get the insall tool and you wont pull the threads out of your crank!!!!

 

Yeah I have the installer tool and was using it correctly. I got it close to what I thought should be bottoming out, but then it kept moving but more slowly. I just wanted to get some input before I Hulk smashed the whole thing up

 

Good advice for others but I don't believe he could pull the threads out at this point.

 

Stick your water pump up there and see how far off the pulleys are.

 

Id put a dab of never-seize on the tool's threads and on the crank snout's surface. Make sure the balancer isn't getting hung-up on the key too.
after you get the balancer on all the way, I'd use brake kleen to clean the threads in the crank and dry them....use some blue loc-tite [not RED!] on the crank bolt and torque it to specs. Done!
It's always worked for me.

 

Whatchutryintasay????

 

Ok, that was not obvious from what you wrote. Use the installer tool to install it all the way, you'll know when it stops moving.

 

If you take out the bolt and look at the inside of the balancer hole the end of the crank should be flush with the machined area of the balancer where the bolt and washer tighten down. As others said, clean all of the parts, use anti seize lube and use an install tool.

 

If this is an aftermarket balancer , it's not unusual for the bore to be undersize . Pull it back off , look in the bore , you'll be able to tell if it's "pushing " metal..... also check that the key & keyway are not burred. If you're careful , you can dress the bore w/a file if neccesary ...
dave

 

This is a small block Chevy, the end of the damper sits an inch or two past the end of the crank....

 

Pull it, measure it ,then install. I always measure balancers unless the pan is off.

 

go more, its not seated yet

 

That may be in all the the way. I just did this myself and broke two install tools trying to get it flush. Finally took some measurements and realized that was as close as it gets. Some sbc balancers will sit out a tad like that.

 

Pullit and measure with a depth gauge of some sort...safest way. Also only way to short-circuit your worry cycle.
Threaded installer tool is smooth and powerful enough to get you past tight, which would not be good. That takes you back to the classic formula..."Tighten until it breaks, then back off 1/2 turn..."

 

After reapplication of force with the installer tool, I tightened it until it started turning over the crank, which was about 1/16-1/8" closer. Looks better now. Just out of curiosity, would the threads strip first or would it damage the crank somehow? I hate going Hulk smash on things!

Bruce! Did you ever go get that RPU???

 

Personally I throw a stud in the crankshaft and run it on with a nut, never stripped one that way. If you do strip it do like I had to do on my last build and drill and tap it for a big block bolt instead

 

I'm always worried about blowin bolts out too. The balancer goes on so tight that you can move the motor both directions with the bolt. Put in a piston stop and crank it til it seats. Also when a balancer gets that groove on it put one of those shims on it so the seal doesn't leak. Id never even seen one of those shim kits before but I learned to use one the hard way...

 

Just to satisfy your curiosity, you'll have to break one to ever know the feeling.

With a good tool, the crank will remain unharmed should the tool break. If you are just using the crank bolt you can do some damage to the crank as well as the bolt. With the installer tool the threads within the crank won't gual, pull, or see any rotational energy pulling the balancer on. The energy/work is on the threads of the tool. The bearing helps the rotation energy transfer to a push without adding friction to be overcome by additional rotation force. They are supposed to be really hard threads on the tool.

 

Not that familiar with SBC's, but if the key is half-moon, there's the possibility that the key has dislodged and is partly pushed out of the keyway. If that's the case, it will jam up on the leading edge of the harmonic balancer and not allow it to bottom out on the crank....in fact, it can crack the boss if more pressure is exerted trying to get it on.
Can be hard to see but worthwhile to take the HB off and check.

 

measure from the front of the block where the timing cover goes on to the front of the balancer without a pulley....what do you have?

 

With a good quality tool you will have a generous fillet at the end of the crank threads. The cheap tools will just be machined square at that spot. So depending on your installer tool, you will have different torque limits