Car destroyed a belt - peeled the front rib right off, we've had a good look at it and it appears the balancer has a lot of run-out in it. So far we've pulled the bolt off the balancer and it appears the pins aren't broken and it hasn't come loose.

Has anyone had problems like this with the standard balancer ?

Thanks,

Dave.

 

What procedure did you use to replace the dampner, what torque settings, and did you replace with a new (not used) factory balancer bolt?

 

I sheared my Balancer pins and it loosened my bolt which wobbled my balancer, which threw my A/C belt :crazy: :crazy: The pins on the Vortech kit are no bigger than a watch strap pin. My tuner replaced those pins with a big meaty ATI pin and put in one of those new ARP 12 point Harmonic Balancer bolts. So far so good. :cheers: If your pins are alright then, not sure. How many miles on it before this happened? Are you talking about the Alternator belt? A/C belt? :cheers:

 

Just to clarify - this is the original balancer, never been removed. As part of installation of balancer kit we removed the bolt, fitted the tiny vortech pins and put a new bolt on. Cars done 3500 miles, had a lot of problems with tuning due to standard fuel pump being inadequate which was difficult to diagnose and car ended doing around 50 dyno pulls before tune was finally sorted out with ls1edit and the racetronix fuel pump. Its also been to the drags and done a few runs. So its probably had a fairly hard time for the milage its done.

It was the alternator belt which was damaged. We actually replaced it but car only did around 60 miles of normal no high rpm driving before it destroyed the belt again. So it seems it started off with a belt alignment which was fine but has now developed a problem. All looks good except the balancer which now runs quite wonky, so for the moment I'm assuming its the balancer which is the problem. I have a April 2003 kit which has the updated alternator brackets BTW.

From posts here on the forum I was aware people have had problems with the vortech pins breaking and I thought these may have broken and the balancer may have started coming off. On first inspection looks like the pins are OK so I assume the rubber in the balancer itself has gone with the result the balancer is no longer running true.

I've spoken to Vortech and they have new bigger pins which they've sent me so I'll update them while the cars apart and I'll put a new balancer and bolt on (and I know to torque the balancer with the old bolt and then remove it and torque with new bolt). But what I'm wondering is if other people running supercharged cars have had problems with the standard GM balancer failing or if I'm just unlucky ? I don't want to be changing balancers every 3500 miles !

Dyno systems in Australia read different to the US but in terms of your numbers the cars pulling about 510 RWHP.

 

I have an early Vortech kit and have gone through alt spacers and belt issues. Early on I took out # 7 piston and when we took apart the engine apart the balancer had spun, the pins had sheared. For me the fix was pinning the crank and balancer. I have heard that using ATIs method of pinning is better than Vortechs. I have not seen Vortechs update. Good luck, hopefully no belt chirping issues when it goes back together. Try the Gatorback belt when you put it back together. 4061045 :cheers:

 

Just to add to the discussion, I have not heard of anyone or read of anyone with the Magnasson and pined crank having a problem with balancer sliping or wobbleing. There might be an issolated case as almost all do it your selfers do a very good job installing their Magnassons but this is not a cronic problem. Mag. uses two large, approx quarter of an inch, steel pins; half in the crank and half in the balancer and a new bolt. I know you will get it repaired once and for all.

:smash: :smash: :smash:

 

Steve -

Do you know of any online vendors where I can get the gatorback from - its hard to get stuff like that in Australia.

Dave.

 

This is a 5.0 Mustang belt. Summit has them in stock. :D