bernardi Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 How critical is the balance of the harmonic balancer? It is my understanding that its primary purpose is to damp vibration or smooth the power impulses to the stuff driven off the crank up front.I raise the question as it may be necessary to use the balancer from one engine on another. If the balance is critical, how can a shade tree mechanic handle it? There are a couple of good sized holes drilled into the circumference of the meaty part. If new pistons and rings are installed, would the harmonic balancer be affected? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Didn't "we" decide in an earlier thread that the Packard V-8 is internally balanced? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> If so, then harmonic balancers are interchangeable from engine to engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_PackardV8 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Go ahead and use one from another engine. They are not difficult to change. The main purpose of the balancer is more shock absorber than balancer. It dampens the torsional wind up of the crank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Albert Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 You have to think of the crankshaft not as a sold piece of steel but as a rubber band the twists and untwists with each power stroke, the harmonic balancer dampens this effect, the holes that are drilled in the outer edge of the balancer is for the static balance of the balancer, like wheel weights on the rims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardi Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 Thank you, one and all. This is a wonderful place to learn. I'll not worry about swapping from one engine to another. The drilled holes in the circumference are so big it didn't seem logical that they could be only for static balance. I should have hung it from a wire on the centerline of the bolt hole and observed if it hung level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 As an aside to the harmonic balancer question (which everyone got right), my rubber disintegrated and I checked Steele's pri¢e and felt ill. I got the job done at under $100.00 by the Damper Doc (Dude?) in Redding, Calif. It has been installed for several years now with no problem. I was tempted to have it drilled and tapped so it could be pulled by a regular damper puller. I used a homemade one made out of angle iron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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