OEM balancer or fluid damper?

[Mopar to ya]

It's a moot point at this time since my motor has a fluid damper on it, but I was wondering what the opinion is. Is fluid damper a better way to go, or stay stock. My thoughts are that the harmonics have been disturbed when the engine is built and the OEM balancer is no longer tuned to the engine and won't work as well. I'd be very interested to hear different opinions.

 

[metallidart]

Me too. I got a Fluidamper for my 421. When I worked at Summit, we had a company come in and give a sales pitch for their balancer, and they said it was superior to the Fluidamper because the Fluidamper only really controlled vibrations above a certain RPM. How true that is, I don't know, I never really looked into it, but they were saying it was no good for the street. Sounded like BS to me at the time, but...

 

[805moparkid]

well i think its more about not having a stock one fly apart lol...

but when you balancer a motor they should have the balancer, and flywheel/flexplate on it... so it wont matter...

but i just got a new Romac for the slant cuz my stock one was spinning and the timing marks were different from run to run lol....

 

[1970Duster]

Fluid Dampeners are not designed for cold weather. I have a solid SFI rated one on mine (I'm pretty sure its an ATI unit, but its been so long I've forgotten) so it won't fall apart. I think I've spent way more money on this 400~425 HP 340 street build motor but hopefully I'll never have a problem.

 

[Mopar to ya]

Fluid Dampeners are not designed for cold weather. I have a solid SFI rated one on mine (I'm pretty sure its an ATI unit, but its been so long I've forgotten) so it won't fall apart. I think I've spent way more money on this 400~425 HP 340 street build motor but hopefully I'll never have a problem.

The silicone fluid flows at very low temps. I have heard this argument before, but I just don't buy it. It's not like it is full of 50W oil. And there is very little fluid in it as well. Regardless, my car only sees the road in the summer, so it won't be an issue.