Harmonic Balancer Separated when removed - Repairable?

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69DartDave

69DartDave

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Hello all. I have yanked out my sons's '69 Dart /6, and we've disassembled the block. Good times!

However, when pulling the crank pulley/harmonic balancer from the crankshaft snout, the rubber ring gave way, thereby removing only the outer half of the pulley. We went ahead and used the pulley-puller tool to remove the smaller half that had stubbornly clung to the crank snout. I did first verify that the thing wasn't bolted to the crankshaft. Sure enough, it's just a press-fit design.

But now I'm looking on-line at new replacements and they are pushing $200 (!)

I'm wondering if I can't just use my shop press to push the thing back together as one part. Maybe with some black RTV silicone carefully applied to each side of the rubber ring to ensure it stays in place. The rubber ring is in okay shape to reuse, it seems.

Problem: I didn't index the two halves so I don't know if there's a certain orientation that the two pieces mated.

I've uploaded a photo; please have a look.

On the back of the outer half of the pulley, there is an arc machined out of it (which I've outlined in red). The inner section has the crank snout key outlined in yellow. Anyone out there know the orientation of the two, when these two halves are assembled? (or willing to go peek at their motor?)

Thanks for your help!
 

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Replace it. You, your engine, and your radiator will thank you
 
Thanks for the quick replies. I'll go ahead and buy a new one.

I read a Hot Rod article a while back that mentioned something about a /6 and a 440 sharing the same harmonic balancer. I'll see if that's true -maybe it's less pricey? Either way, time to go shopping.
 
**** can it and get another one...

Welcome to FABO...
 
You should never pull a balancer by grabbing the outer ring. Always use a proper puller bolted to the center hub. Do not try to repair the balancer yourself. These people do a proper rebuild. http://www.damperdudes.net/ also here http://www.damperdoctor.com/
A 440 balancer will fit the engine, but the pulleys will not line up.
One other item, all slant six dampers will fit all slant six engines, >BUT< the timing marks are in different locations, on different years. Mopar has a different balancer listed for the cast crank and forged crank engines, but as far as I know, they can be interchanged with no ill effects. I know several people ( myself included) that have used cast crank dampers on a forged crank, with no problems.
 
I've only used SFI rated balancers from Pioneer on my race cars, but Summit has a Pioneer OEM replacement for a 225 at a reasonable price. As Charlie mentioned earlier, double-check the timing marks.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pio-da-2250/overview/year/1972/make/dodge/model/dart

It appears that all /6s were internally balanced so balancers/dampers will interchange. Mopar cast crank V8s could be internally or externally balanced and need to be checked for their own, specific neutral or counterweighted balancer/damper.
 
Yes, /6's are internally balanced (like most/all inline 6's). A 440 may FIT, BUT the outer weight and rubber thickness are 'tuned' for a specific crank & flywheel+clurtch or flexplate+TC setup. So get one for your /6 or you may well have an unexplained vibration.

Another OEM like balancer for this engine is the Dorman 594-243 in addition to the Pioneer 2250.

And if you have time, you might check into DamperDoctor to rebuild your existing one....<$100. They are down the coast from you in CA, I think. As I recall there used to be specific manual versus auto trans dampers for the /6, but you can only get the auto ones new now, so Damper Doctor is an option for a manual trans car if you want the best harmonic damping and have the original one.

BTW, FWIW that machined arc is on my '62 /2 damper too.
 
I got one from a 71 225

pay for shipping and it is yours

(provided you can use that one AND I can remove it without doing what your did)
 
Mine did that last week at 45mph while I was getting in it to pass a camper. I jumped on the throttle and the thing went and vibrated like crazy. Had to be towed home.
 
Thanks for all the information! I'm impressed by the amount of quick knowledge-sharing.

I learned a good lesson: read the shop manual. It was sitting on my dining room table, yet I ignored it when I went to pull that pulley. The shop manual clearly shows that it needs pulled from the inner ring.

Also, thanks for the generosity! I have one bit of quick research to do before I decide on replacing it. Since I am installing Classic Air's A/C kit for this car (probably in Spring), I may very well need some specialized crank pulley - one that provides a second groove to run the belt to the A/C compressor. I've sent their techs an e-mail, and will see what they say needs to be done. If I need a specialized harmonic balancer, I'll preemptively buy theirs, I suppose.
 
69DartDave said:
Thanks for all the information! I'm impressed by the amount of quick knowledge-sharing.

I learned a good lesson: read the shop manual. It was sitting on my dining room table, yet I ignored it when I went to pull that pulley. The shop manual clearly shows that it needs pulled from the inner ring.
Click to expand...

Lol, well you know what they say about guys and directions.
 
A/C has a pulley that bolts behind the damper. youll need to pull the damper to get the 3 bolt pulley bolted on anyway. You need to pull the damper using a damper puller threaded into the center, that is always the case. And they are on tight. You must press on the damper with a jackscrew, either a bolt or a better way to do it is to use a Lisle puller jack screw, a big washer and a big nut. Run the damper over the snout and tap it on with a mallet just so it wont fall off. Run the bare jackscrew (same thread pitch and size as Mopars!) into the crank snout until it bottoms. slide on a big washer and then the nut. Use the 9/16 hex end of the jackscrew to hold the crank steady and turn the nut with a large crescent or 1 1/4 open end. keep turning until you cant turn it anymore, F'n tight as you can. run nut loose and unscrew jackscrew, voila. Oh, and just get another damper from here, there are loads of /6 users, or if you cant find one from your year (just to keep your timing marks) slantsix.org has a huge pool of slant owners. The scallop is the balance point. its either on the inner or outer edge, seen them both sides.
 
well, my offer still stands...and the car it came from has A/C
 
nm9stheham said:
Custom made! That is very generous, Mirage.
Click to expand...

nah, don't give me too much credit, ive had that engine sitting in my driveway for 6 months now and I cant GIVE it away

(I'm off to hunt down a puller tool now)
 
Follow-up, with a happy ending.

So these Harmonic balancers are actually easy to remove and replace if you use the correct tool for the job. After I chose to use a gear puller to remove the stock unit (ripping the outer ring off of the rubber layer), I swear I heard my grandfather's voice in my head: "you gotta use the right tool for the job".

So I went out of my way to install the replacement harmonic balancer 'properly' (which was so generously donated to me by fellow ABodiesOnly member diymirage). I bought the 3/4" fine-threaded bolt, finding one that was 1/4" longer than spec . The other option was one that was 1/4" too short.

Therein was the problem. I tapped on the balancer just enough to get it started, and then screwed on that massive bolt, with a washer contacting the front of the balancer. Tighten it up, and on it goes! So far, so good.

Then it stopped before the crank pulley lined up with the water pump pulley! It needed another 0.2" to line up. Nope!

It turns out that the bolt had run out of threads in the crankshaft snout, since it was too long of a bolt. Which took me a while to realize. A stack-up of washers between the bolt and the balancer provided the fix; I was able to get the pulleys to line up just fine.

Note to others: buy the 2" long , 3/4"-16 bolt if you can't find a 2.25" long one (not the 2.5" long version!)
 

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69DartDave said:
It turns out that the bolt had run out of threads in the crankshaft snout, since it was too long of a bolt. Which took me a while to realize. A stack-up of washers between the bolt and the balancer provided the fix; I was able to get the pulleys to line up just fine.

Note to others: buy the 2" long , 3/4"-16 bolt if you can't find a 2.25" long one (not the 2.5" long version!)
Click to expand...
Which is why you buy both a 2" AND a 2.5"... the 2.5" gets well threaded before it starts pulling the damper onto the interference fit; The 2" barely gets threaded before it puts force on the threads and it might possibly pull some threads out trying to get the damper started on. Then you finish up with the 2".... or a stack o' washers, like you did.
 
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