Balancer Assembly question - Alignment question
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Jake,
The damper was already on the engine and the engine in the car. I had a mechanic, obviously a crappy one, install the engine. Unfortunately, I did not work on it myself.
Yes, I was trying to tighten using only the center bolt. I guess I will need some help and another tool. Will I have room to pull this off with the engine in the car? I could use a recommendation on a tool to use for this task.
The damper was already on the engine and the engine in the car. I had a mechanic, obviously a crappy one, install the engine. Unfortunately, I did not work on it myself.
Yes, I was trying to tighten using only the center bolt. I guess I will need some help and another tool. Will I have room to pull this off with the engine in the car? I could use a recommendation on a tool to use for this task.
As to whether you'll have room, I don't really know. I never had to address that on a LT1/4.
I know that on the L98 that's in my 86 Vette, I can pull the damper without jacking the engine or anything like that. I only have to unbolt one steering rack metal line for clearance.
On the ATI Super Damper I installed on my 96, no way would it clear. So I'll have to jack the engine if I ever have to pull it.
Maybe someone familar with your specific setup can chime in.
Jake
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
The LT-1 has limited space for a standard puller due to the proximity of the steering rack. Kent Moore makes a special "shorty" puller/installer that works very well but it is expensive; around $250 new I think but sometimes can be found on eBay for around $100. I think some of the guys here have made commonly available pullers work by trimming them down to fit so it is possible; or you can raise the engine to get room for a puller. The Kent Moore puller will work in the limited space without raising the engine, however, but I think you have to disconnect the power steering line. It sounds like something is not right with your damper hub positioning. Either it is the incorrect hub for your 1994 engine or something prevented it from pressing on all the way.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
Corvettes are tightly packaged and aren't engineered with an abundance of room. If you look closely before you start jacking you will find wiring harness connectors clipped between the transmission tunnel and the bellhousing. Jacking even a small amount will break them.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Another possibility could be the key in the crankshaft snout that positions the crankshaft timing gear. There are two different LT-1 keys and both are notched to clear the hub. The 96 key has about .150 less notch which provides additional key material to drive the 96's OBD-2 c/shaft position sensor trigger wheel. If a 96 key was installed in a 95 and earlier LT-1 it would prevent the hub from seating. Also, a standard replacement key with no notch might have been installed which would cause more of an issue.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
The notch is there because the damper hub is not grooved and would otherwise interfere with the end of the hub as it was being pressed on and seated up against the timing gear. Aftermarket dampers might be grooved to accept a standard key and in this case you would actually need two keys but the LT-1/ LT-4 has only one for positioning the timing gear. The 2nd key close to the end of the snout all earlier small block Chevys had was omitted for the LT-1. The FSM advises you to mark the hub position relative to the crankshaft to aid installation but it isn't critical. The key slot in the snout always makes a mark inside the hub bore which can be used to referrence it back in the original position.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
The notch is there because the damper hub is not grooved and would otherwise interfere with the end of the hub as it was being pressed on and seated up against the timing gear. Aftermarket dampers might be grooved to accept a standard key and in this case you would actually need two keys but the LT-1/ LT-4 has only one for positioning the timing gear. The 2nd key close to the end of the snout all earlier small block Chevys had was omitted for the LT-1. The FSM advises you to mark the hub position relative to the crankshaft to aid installation but it isn't critical. The key slot in the snout always makes a mark inside the hub bore which can be used to referrence it back in the original position.
So when installing a ATI Superdamper to a factory crank no issues or reason that the ATI hub key slot needs to be aligned to the factory crank slot? No key to be used?
