I suspect my 54 year old damper has slipped enough that I can't set timing using a gun, just go by sound, idle and no detonation. Is there any harm running this old original damper since the car rarely gets driven and never very hard? L36 engine.

My understanding is the balancer functions by absorbing crank shock during acceleration. My cushion material is likely not doing the job anymore.

 

Why not just get it rebuilt by "Damper Dudes" like I did. Otherwise, you may continue to wonder if it will slip right off one day when you least expect it and take out some expensive parts. Just a thought. Dennis

 

I agree fix it, it could turn loose and cause some front damage, radiator,belts etc. 66racer

 

Do you know for sure it slipped? It is pretty easy to check to see if it did.
Joe

 

I agree. I would find out if the ring actually did rotate on the hub before removing the damper.

 

Agree with the above. IF it really is slipped, it may not do it’s purpose and you could break a crank if it continues to slip back and forth, not to mention coming off.

 

Dude, if you're reluctant to repair a 50 year old car then you really need to move on to a newer car/corvette with an extended warranty. Dampner is a great place to start to learn if you really want keep your car in running condition. Just remove the accessory belts and unbolt the pulleys. You will need a dampner puller or as I use a big gear puller with 3 legs (mine Craftsman) but don't forget to remove the center bolt out of the crankshaft snout first. A replacement dampner is less than 50 bucks. Now reverse the order to restore the belts. If you want to be more accurate you can look up/Google the torque values for the size of bolts you are going to tighten but you will need a torque wrench also.

Okay you can drive the car with a dampner that has moved or will move but once it starts to slip other parts will start to become damaged until something catistrophic happens - it's your choice. And you can set your idle timing/advance by ear as some owners be!ieve that is best method . Just turn the distributor until you get the smoothest idle but you may need to change the idle RPM and readjust timing again several times to get what you want.

Well your just a Google search from answering your question on what a dampner is for as I'm sure you find a better answer than mine. But my concept is that the dampner counter reacts to the pulses generated by the piston and rids onto the crankshaft.. It is dampner but frequently called a balancer even by some of it's own manufacturer. I don't think it has anything at all to do with harmonics.

But if you still need help most large cities have corvette specialty shops that I'm sure would love a to work on a C2. If not able to find a good shop then contact your nearest corvette club.

 

You can check it by running #1 to TDC on the compression stroke. I have a homemade tool made from an old spark plug and a 3/8" bolt. Turn the crank by hand each way until it contacts the bolt. Mark the centerline on the harmonic balancer or damper if you so call it. If it doesn't match the mark on the balancer within 3 or 4 degrees (Chevy wasn't perfect), you probably need to act NOW.
I had one take out a fan and radiator. Got lucky and didn't damage the crank.

 

As Bluestripe said, remove the balancer and send it out to Damper Dudes. They did both of mine on my L-79 engines.They turned them around in less than a week. Since you are in Tampa, you can come on over and borrow my puller. PM me if needed. Jerry

 

I have a 1974 MCI 5B (Greyhound bus) that had a slipping balancer on it.
The shaft was keyed and quite worn that allowed the balancer to rotate back and forth, unbeknownst to me.
One day it rotated and tightened the 3/4" grade 8 bolt so tight that it snapped the head right off the bolt. I could hear the bang way up in the driver's seat!

A new key and an application of loctite shaft and key sealer is holding it in place today.

 

I'd think it prudent to find the problem before prescribing the fix.

 

Thanks Mike for the short and sweet advice. Replies indicate implications serious enough to warrant verification of TDC versus mark on balancer.

 

If you aren't worried about the outer hub flying off in the future, check the balancer at TDC. No. 1 at tdc with a stop in the plug hole, rotate both ways, mark, split the space between and that's your true tdc. Now at least you can set the timing with a light. UNLESS your timing chain is stretched?....then go back to your seat of the pants method and thing about rebuilding your motor.

 

How can this happen? The balancer is behind and captured by the pulley bolted to the crank.

 

I read it as some had your balancer dead and buried before they even knew if it was ill.

 

Not all SBCs have the bolt to secure the harmonic damper to the crank.

 

This is more of an extreme example: I had a 66 Mustang in high school/college years...nice 289...car began to run rough with a vibration but I couldn't figure out why...I kept driving and one day put my foot into it and ended up with the crankshaft snapped in half...post mortem showed the balancer had failed...no more original engine.

Just go and replace the balancer.

 

For what this is worth:

Now i am not judging what people do. Mainly because the number of Corvettes I get in my shop every few years that when I go and use my timing light. It is useless due to the notch on the outer ring of the balance has spun. So I use a vacuum gauge and get it to where it runs great.

YES..I also use a tool I made as a piston stop to kinda get the number one firing position marked on the balancer. And it does kinda depend on how much movement the flywheel area makes before I can see the distributor begin to move.

But...heck. What are I going to do when someone does not want to put a new balancer on their engine The best I can with what I am given. I had one balancers outer ring that was so loose...it was scraping against the timing chain cover and the owner was fine with it even after it showed it to him.

So..In your particular situation., Like I tell many of my customer show barely put 500 miles of easy driving on their Corvettes. "I guess it will be OK due to I do not have a crystal ball. And in a month or two...who knows what will happen. And if it is easy driving and you are NOW aware of the issue. I leave it up to you due to it is you car and your money and who am I to decide."

So..whatever a person decides is up to them. I know it goes against logic and how many of us think. But I have gotten past that a long time ago. Some of my stories would make your skin crawl.

And lets not confuse doing a butchered repair job versus that of NOT doing a repair that is noticed that a customer does not want to pay for. I do not butcher Corvettes....becasue I have handed keys right back to some people who have safety issues that need repair and they want a cheap sub standard repair.

For what this is worth:

L36 engine is what is he has. Thus his engine is a big block. And being a 1966. I have always seen them with a bolt in the end of the crankshaft. Correct me if I am wrong...but I doubt it.

DUB

 

I remain amazed that everyone is zero'd in on his balbancer has "slipped" just because the OP thinks it might have.

 

I asked if he knew fo sure if it slipped days ago and so far he has not responded to that question.
Joe