Harmonic Balancer Replacement
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: West Virginia
Harmonic Balancer Replacement
The factory repair manual goes into detail about making sure a replacement damper goes on the crank at exactly the same position as the factory installed damper. And that any balance weights need to be exactly moved over to the replacement damper. But can this be done when replacing with a non-OEM damper, like the ATI, or Dayco SS?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Western NY
I can't say about the Dayco, but I installed an ATI on my C-5, and there's no provision to transfer the weights that the factory installs, assuming that you could accurately determine where they'd need to be placed. One thing to keep in mind, is that the extra weights are used only on the stick shift cars.
Safety Car
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I can tell you there's no weighs on my Summit balancer, but I didn't install it so I don't know if it was indexed or clocked in any particular way.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
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The GM field service manual is a good read. These engines with manuals are externally balanced at the factory weights added to the damper and flywheel. If it was my car would add the weights back to the damper in the exact location removed from. Aftermarket dampers have no provision for balance weights.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: West Virginia
Thatnks to all. I will probably use an OEM damper and go "by the book". They are also the cheapest.
Oh, and "used only on the stick shift cars." Are there any other kind?
Although I have to say the 'box on the C8 is very nice indeed.
Oh, and "used only on the stick shift cars." Are there any other kind?
Although I have to say the 'box on the C8 is very nice indeed.
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Too labor intensive to put the unit that has already proven it's a failure. I didn't feel like ever doing it again, so I went ATI and an ARP bolt.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: West Virginia
The GM field service manual is a good read. These engines with manuals are externally balanced at the factory weights added to the damper and flywheel. If it was my car would add the weights back to the damper in the exact location removed from. Aftermarket dampers have no provision for balance weights.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Chicago
n Just saying i think there are 10' of thousands people putting on aftermarket balancers. If it was an issue i don't think these companies will be able to sell them. Just a though. I lost track on how many of friend i know changed to aftermarket. Maybe all of them got lucky but ,yes ur right there are people that had problems . But i haven't seen anybody on here with this problem.?jmo
And another thing is back then the martial and quality was better. These balaceners are not the same material and quality control these days like the other gm part hence LS7 lifters and other parts
And another thing is back then the martial and quality was better. These balaceners are not the same material and quality control these days like the other gm part hence LS7 lifters and other parts
Last edited by 666lisa; Apr 22, 2023 at 02:59 PM.
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Le Mans Master
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From: South Dakota
My original balancer failed at about 30k miles. There are numerous examples of the stock balancer failing on C5's. In short, the original is not very good and I would not recommend the original for replacement.
I went with a powerbond balancer with ARP bolt. On my 6 speed car I did not try to transfer any weights and there is no provision for it on this balancer.
Pretty inexpensive replacement and it worked well.
Good luck.
I went with a powerbond balancer with ARP bolt. On my 6 speed car I did not try to transfer any weights and there is no provision for it on this balancer.
Pretty inexpensive replacement and it worked well.
Good luck.
Le Mans Master
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We read about these GM balancer failing all the time, yet I have not read a post where an ATI, Summit, or PowerBond failed.
All, nearly all, of these balancers are made out two pieces of steel connected by rubber. Evidently GMs fall short in either design or material, where the aftermarket models seem to be very reliable.
In any case, I wish you the best…
All, nearly all, of these balancers are made out two pieces of steel connected by rubber. Evidently GMs fall short in either design or material, where the aftermarket models seem to be very reliable.
In any case, I wish you the best…
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,292
Likes: 1,578
From: Western NY
The GM field service manual is a good read. These engines with manuals are externally balanced at the factory weights added to the damper and flywheel. If it was my car would add the weights back to the damper in the exact location removed from. Aftermarket dampers have no provision for balance weights.
Just saying.........................
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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Please see post #5. It doesn't make any difference where the balancer is indexed!!! It is a balanced assembly! The same as your wheel/tire assembly. Clocking a balancer is like clocking your balanced wheel/tire assembly. If you remove a wheel for any reason, do you mark it so it goes back on EXACTLY where it was before, and not "off" a stud??!!! Of course not, would be the answer for 99% of us!!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,738
Likes: 4,587
We read about these GM balancer failing all the time, yet I have not read a post where an ATI, Summit, or PowerBond failed.
All, nearly all, of these balancers are made out two pieces of steel connected by rubber. Evidently GMs fall short in either design or material, where the aftermarket models seem to be very reliable.
In any case, I wish you the best…
All, nearly all, of these balancers are made out two pieces of steel connected by rubber. Evidently GMs fall short in either design or material, where the aftermarket models seem to be very reliable.
In any case, I wish you the best…