Lonestarcorduan
Member
Looking fo a new harmonic balancer for my 225, and I'm finding ones that say AT, or automatic transmission. Is there a difference between the automatic and the manual transmission balancer? Maybe the balance is different?
Harmonic balancer
- Thread starter Lonestarcorduan
- Start date
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No.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
The main difference you need to be aware of is the location of the timing mark. It did vary on different years. It is nothing to worry about, If the mark is not in the correct location, just make a new mark with a die grinder or hacksaw blade.
What I noticed over the years on mopars is , Balancers on stick cars were solid also heavier , The auto cars were hollowed out in the back and lighter. This was done for inertia for pulling out with a stick car so its heavier. Automatics were lighter for torque reasons.
I am not saying this for six cars but on older V8's I see this all the time. I never payed much attention to the six's but it could be the same.,
I am not saying this for six cars but on older V8's I see this all the time. I never payed much attention to the six's but it could be the same.,
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
Not that I have ever seen
Lonestarcorduan
Member
As long as I'm not looking at a vibration issue, I can deal with the rest. I have never even been close to a Slant 6 before owning this one. I almost just scrapped it and swapped in a V8, but curiosity got the better of me.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
There are many different factory part numbers. Some differences were due to the different timing mark locations, some due to forged or cast crank, and as stated stick or automatic trans. Also there were several variations with trucks, farm equipment, and industrial applicaton (multiple shives in a one piece cast damper), instead of bolted on stamped shives.
Several years ago someone did a test with slant six vibration dampers. The person took a forged crank, and put it on a crank balancer, and tried a few different balancers, and could find no difference. Even the total weight of the balancer was basically the same.
My personal thoughts (and I really don't have anything to base this on) are that the difference is the durometer rating of the rubber. That consideration is out the window after all these years on a stock used damper. I personally have used cast crank dampers on forged crank engines, and vice/versa.
This post pertains to the slant six only
EDIT: All the aftermarket replacement dampers I have seen applications for don't list as being different.
PS: Factory slant six dampers (car) for a forged crank have three wide "spokes". The cast crank dampers have six narrow "spokes."
Several years ago someone did a test with slant six vibration dampers. The person took a forged crank, and put it on a crank balancer, and tried a few different balancers, and could find no difference. Even the total weight of the balancer was basically the same.
My personal thoughts (and I really don't have anything to base this on) are that the difference is the durometer rating of the rubber. That consideration is out the window after all these years on a stock used damper. I personally have used cast crank dampers on forged crank engines, and vice/versa.
This post pertains to the slant six only
EDIT: All the aftermarket replacement dampers I have seen applications for don't list as being different.
PS: Factory slant six dampers (car) for a forged crank have three wide "spokes". The cast crank dampers have six narrow "spokes."
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