Balancer/ timing cover

[Scott Warner]

So my late 1968 318..yes it's in a B body but theres more small block knowledge over here. Anyway..numbers matching block in a 1969 car. I was swapping cams tonight and realized I have a 70 and up timing cover (drivers side scale) which I knew...and my forged crank balancer is keyed to work with it which i didnt realize till now. There is evidence the motor was removed and rebuilt back in around 1984 (by the date I found on the cam sprocket and the corporate blue instead of red paint on the engine). I thought the 70 and up 318s were generally cast crank....could there have been a kit back then of a cover/balancer to go with the newer design? Or do yall think it was just a mish mosh of parts? I ask cause the scale is behind the lower radiator hose...so basicly unusable. Thanks yall.

 

[Plymouth 65]

Miss mash of parts. You can change it back if you want to, you'll need the old style bolt on timing tab. 65'

 

[Scott Warner]

I actually have one....but that wouldn't help. The balancer is actually correct for the cover. I'd need the 67-69 balancer.
Let me find the numbers on the balancer...that may help.

 

[yellow rose]

Lots of later 318's came with forged cranks. I'm old enough to have been able to walk through wrecking yards when the stuff was virtually untouched. I've taken apart more 318's with forged cranks than cast.

Many people ditched that early water pump/radiator/timing cover because the pump wasn't that good and it was an idiotic design. No reason to put the timing marks on the passenger side.

 

[Scott Warner]

Except..to see them! Lol like I said I've got a driver side lower hosed HD radiator (26" )..and power steering.

 

[Marcohotrod]

318 cast and forged crank dampers and 340 forged are all neutral balance. 1969 and earlier are timing groove on pass. side and 1 pulley bolt offset. 1970-71 groove on driver side and 1 pulley bolt offset. 1972+ 318 and 1972 340 steel forged crank= driver side groove, neutral balance, symmetric pulley 6 bolt pattern. do the math and mark your damper on the passenger side with bolt on tab

 

[nm9stheham]

I am not aware of any early dampers being made new... you would have to get an old one and have it rebuilt with the damper mark on the passenger side AND change the timing cover. IMHO, only worth it is you want ot all period correct. Easiest to do as said: Mount up a new pointer tab on the passenger side where you can see it, find TDC on #1, and then mark the damper 0 to the new tab. Then put on a timing tape on the damper so you have a good wide range timing scale for setting ignition timing.

BTW cast cranks started in '68 in 273's and 318's.... can't comment how many were cast or forged, but I understood that the cast was standard for passenger car 318's from the get-go. (But YR's observations make me question that now....)

Based on my observations, the crank keyway position did not change pre-70 to post-70.

 

[Scott Warner]

I'll measure...and render a guess that when it got yanked and worked on in the early mid eighties, they put on a later cover and balancer.

 

[nm9stheham]

Very probably....

 

[krazykuda]

So my late 1968 318..yes it's in a B body but theres more small block knowledge over here. Anyway..numbers matching block in a 1969 car. I was swapping cams tonight and realized I have a 70 and up timing cover (drivers side scale) which I knew...and my forged crank balancer is keyed to work with it which i didnt realize till now. There is evidence the motor was removed and rebuilt back in around 1984 (by the date I found on the cam sprocket and the corporate blue instead of red paint on the engine). I thought the 70 and up 318s were generally cast crank....could there have been a kit back then of a cover/balancer to go with the newer design? Or do yall think it was just a mish mosh of parts? I ask cause the scale is behind the lower radiator hose...so basicly unusable. Thanks yall.

Keep the current balancer if that is the correct one for the engine...

Then put the late 60's style timing chain cover and cast iron water pump on...

Then find TDC and mark the balancer where the late 60's timing marks are for 0°...

 

[furrystump]

You can see the marks, I could, power steering and all. Not easy but doable, how many times are you going to time it? Not a race car, so you would set it and forget it.

 

[Scott Warner]

so you would set it and forget it.

True...and that there is the first time I had to think to view my lil 318 as a Ronco Showtime Rotisserie Grill.....(audience hollers) " Set it and forget it"...lol

 

[pishta]

IIRC all 318 LA cranks had their woodruff key pointing to #1, so any 318 (all of 'em were neutral balanced) will fit but the mark will move. Bummer, I had an early balancer hanging on the wall forever that I could have sent you but I must have given it away already. If you got the wrong balancer, just TDC the crank and remark it to your TDC mark with whiteout.

 

[Kendog 170]

I think all the new balancers are set up for drivers side . I'd stay with the later cover. JMO My 68 340 I had to remark my balancer (New) for passenger side timing marks.

 

[Scott Warner]

It has a newer cover and balancer...key points up to #1...still need to check the casting numbers

 

[Marcohotrod]

what casting numbers? bolt on the old pass. side tab, at tdc mark damper to line up

 

[Scott Warner]

That right there....the K. I .S. S. method....I'm having a duh moment right now....

Thanks for that Marco...lol