Question on pulley bolted to dampner loosening up

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B3422w5

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First outing with new motor was last weekend.
I have an Innovators West dampner.
Bolted to that i have an aluminum pulley with two grooves. Using the inside groove( closest to block) for the alternator belt. Belt is lined up perfectly.
Anyhow, the bolts loosen up pretty much every pass. Tighten them back up, loose again.
Went and bought lockwashers. Now it will stay tight a couple of passes, then start to loosen up again
Next step( i guess) is to try red loctite, let it setup, and try again.. if that doesnt solve issue, not sure what will.
Ideas?
Btw the motor is balanced, runs well, etc...
Here is a picture..if it helps
EC675C29-4E22-45D6-A275-E2A1276D7096.jpeg
EC675C29-4E22-45D6-A275-E2A1276D7096.jpeg
 
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Use a good flat washer lock tite. Lock washers are a bad thing. As someone said make sure the bolts don’t bottom out but most every damper I’ve seen have open holes. But that’s a possibility.

After that...I’d start looking at the balance job or something. It doesn’t have to shake to make bolts come loose. Just spitballing.
 
The only time I’ve seen something like this, the damper wasn’t doing it’s job.
It wasn’t pulley bolts in that situation though....... it was pretty much all the other bolts.

Basically, the bolt is a spring, and needs the correct stretch to keep from coming loose.
The correct torque(stretch) will vary with the grade of bolt.
Over tighten, the bolt yields and comes loose.
Undertighten and there isn’t enough tension, the bolt comes loose.

New bolts, new hardened thick flat washers, proper tq, a drop of blue loctite....... good to go.

If the problem persists, I’d try a different damper.
 
does the pulley fit the register on the balancer correctly as in a good snug fit?
 
That's strange. I've used the 5" Moroso aluminum pulley for many years on conventional Pioneer SFI steel balancers and never had an issue. In fact, I only used 3 of the 6 allen head screws to secure it because the pulley has an offset hole for pre-'72 balancers and the Pioneer has equal spacing. I just used every other one to maintain balance, skipping the offset.

Not trying to be a smart ***, but it could be the "harmonics" produced/allowed by that harmonic balancer!
 
Is the pulley alignment right on where it's supposed to be ?
 
If you don't find the cause of this and just go with locking the bolts, look at using Nord-lock locking washers , not just split washers as your wasting your efforts with them.
 
What about using the factory style bolts with the Belleville washers?
 
Drill them both together as 1 unit and put a locator dowel or 2 .
1 for the $ 2 for the show
 
You likely have a vibration problem. I would get a different brand/style of dampner.
Similar story: engine kept cracking crank pulleys. All sorts of stupid suggestions made to remedy the problem. I told the owner he had a vibration problem.
The problem was 'fixed' sort of.....when the crank broke behind #1 main.
The engine was brought to me to rebuild. The dampner was one of those types that was multi-piece bolted together with Allen bolts. Most of the bolts were loose & this is what caused the problems.
 
It’s definitely talking to you. Not sure I would “fix” the bolts coming loose. I would probably change balancers. Coming loose that quick seems to me as a red flag.
 
Decided to go out( with fingers crossed) and check that pulley.
Its tight. Hasn't loosened up since putting lock washers on it, which includes racing all day last Sunday since putting them on.
Will continue to monitor it. If it gets loose again..new dampner is on tap
 
justinp61 said:
Don, does the hub on the damper not stick out and work as a register? I'm pretty sure mine does. It's been on for almost five years with an aluminum spacer and a aluminum pulley. I've never had any issues.

Small Block 340 Chrysler 7" Harmonic Damper #301 - Innovators West
Click to expand...

maybe it does. It was already bolted on when i picked up the motor, been years since i looked at it, payed attention to it.
Hopefully i have no further issues with it.
Hard to see with the pulley on it
 
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