Harmonic Balancer
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 263
Likes: 7
From: Brownsville Texas
Harmonic Balancer
I am thinking of replacing the stock GM damper with something more reliable (while installing a new cam). I have heard ATI Superdamper makes an excellent damper but there are those that say it's overkill. What about Powerbonds' damper? Any issues? Thanks.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 793
Likes: 1
Do you have excessive wobble or something from your factory balancer? If you were going to change it I would swap it out for a under drive balancer. The two most common brands you will hear about here on the forum are ATI and Innovators West.
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 342
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
You should be able to get the stock size at a local parts house. I think O'Reilly may stock them or be able to get it fairly quickly.
Powerbond also makes under drive balancers.
Powerbond part numbers:
PB-1117-N OEM replacement for LS2
PBU-1117-SS10 - 10% under drive for LS2
PBU-1117-SS25 - 25% under drive for LS2
If you have questions, give them a call (number is listed on their site). http://powerbondparts.com
Last edited by wysiwyg; Mar 13, 2012 at 12:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 263
Likes: 7
From: Brownsville Texas
No..... no wobble. It's ok for the moment. But since I plan a cam install, I thought of upgrading the factory damper to something better and more reliable.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 793
Likes: 1
Well if you are that far into the motor anyway with the cam install and you have the extra $$$ I don't see why not to upgrade. Definitely won't hurt anything. Only thing you have to decide from there is if you want an under drive damper or factory size one. I personally can't comment on an under drive as I am supercharged and actually have an over drive damper however I know a lot of head & cam guys who switched to an under drive damper and love it.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,743
Likes: 106
From: God's Country, ID
That's a wise choice to swap it since you have it apart.
I like the ATI, it's rebuildable but is definately pricey.
I installed the PB and have to say it spins about as true as any pulley I've seen. I'm pretty impressed for the $$.
As far as timing chain failure with a UD; there was a thread or two in the past trying to relate the two...not sure what if anything was concluded. I replaced my timing chain with the Katech C5R last year when I R&R'd the heads/cam and have had no troubles.
I like the ATI, it's rebuildable but is definately pricey.
I installed the PB and have to say it spins about as true as any pulley I've seen. I'm pretty impressed for the $$.
As far as timing chain failure with a UD; there was a thread or two in the past trying to relate the two...not sure what if anything was concluded. I replaced my timing chain with the Katech C5R last year when I R&R'd the heads/cam and have had no troubles.
Last edited by DSOMC6; Mar 13, 2012 at 08:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 263
Likes: 7
From: Brownsville Texas
That's a wise choice to swap it since you have it apart.
I like the ATI, it's rebuildable but is definately pricey.
I installed the PB and have to say it spins about as true as any pulley I've seen. I'm pretty impressed for the $$.
As far as timing chain failure with a UD; there was a thread or two in the past trying to relate the two...not sure what if anything was concluded. I replaced my timing chain with the Katech C5R last year when I R&R'd the heads/cam and have had no troubles.
I like the ATI, it's rebuildable but is definately pricey.
I installed the PB and have to say it spins about as true as any pulley I've seen. I'm pretty impressed for the $$.
As far as timing chain failure with a UD; there was a thread or two in the past trying to relate the two...not sure what if anything was concluded. I replaced my timing chain with the Katech C5R last year when I R&R'd the heads/cam and have had no troubles.
I know ATI is known as an excellent damper and like I said - there are those out there that say it's overkill.
Has anyone has any issues using a C5R chain and a Powerbond damper?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
And that exactly what I was thinking - to use a Katech C5R chain with an upgraded damper.
I know ATI is known as an excellent damper and like I said - there are those out there that say it's overkill.
Has anyone has any issues using a C5R chain and a Powerbond damper?
I know ATI is known as an excellent damper and like I said - there are those out there that say it's overkill.
Has anyone has any issues using a C5R chain and a Powerbond damper?
Look up Taken19, he just had a timing chin failure using an underdrive pulley AND he was using a C5R chain.
If it was left stock you'd probably be ok, but modded, I wouldn't do it.
I'd also look into the Cloyes TC set
ATI makes an UD pulley, if that small extra power at the top is important.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,743
Likes: 106
From: God's Country, ID
The pulley isn't just about 'spinning true', it's about cancelling crank vibrations and not transfering them throughtout the valvetrain.
Look up Taken19, he just had a timing chin failure using an underdrive pulley AND he was using a C5R chain.
If it was left stock you'd probably be ok, but modded, I wouldn't do it.
Look up Taken19, he just had a timing chin failure using an underdrive pulley AND he was using a C5R chain.
If it was left stock you'd probably be ok, but modded, I wouldn't do it.
Taken19 was on a roadrace course when his chain broke where the engine spends the majority of the time in the 4-6k RPM range.
There is no factual information to base the UD/timing chain failure theory. Far too many people run this set-up without failure to show any real correlation.
Last edited by DSOMC6; Mar 14, 2012 at 10:36 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,972
Likes: 47
From: NCM Lifetime#2195 Bulverde, Texas 78163
St. Jude Donor '13
I recently had my harmonic balancer replaced under warranty due to excessive wobble; however, if I had not been able to replace it under warranty, I planned on going with the Powerbond. In my research, people seemed very pleased with them, and they are reasonably priced.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
From: South Central Kansas
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-for-cure.html
At the above link a pretty good discussion on timing chain failure and damper issues.
At the above link a pretty good discussion on timing chain failure and damper issues.
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 342
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
I installed this one under warranty and have another one to to tomorrow evening out of warranty. Both of them wobbling. On both of these I am using factor parts. I have installed a couple of the Powerbonds with no issues. After reading about the failures on race tracks, I am not sure I would install any more of them. At least not on Vettes that really drive there car hard. I would look at the ATI unit or the IW.
I'm not sure how much of an impact it makes on the performance of the balancer.
Thanks for the excellent work you did on the replacement!
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Atoka OK
Taken had an Asp balancer during his timing chain failure. Why are you guys second guessing the Powerbonds? It seems like there are more PB's on c6's than any other balancer. Have there been many failures with powerbond balancers?
Last edited by ramairroughneck; Mar 15, 2012 at 10:13 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,022
Likes: 16
From: Tampa FL (formerly Justinjor)
Tech Contributor
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14
I have a powerbond UDP on my car and have not had any issues. With that said, after reading of my buddy's(taken19) timing chain failure, I would not hesitate to buy an ATI dampener in the future.
The powerbond unit is just a pulley, it doesn't do anything to reduce engine harmonics--the ATI does.
That alone is worth peace of mind to me, even if it is overkill.
The powerbond unit is just a pulley, it doesn't do anything to reduce engine harmonics--the ATI does.
That alone is worth peace of mind to me, even if it is overkill.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 38
From: Houston TX
St. Jude Donor '11
I got this one but have yet to run it yet. Anything is better than stock.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PFS-80033/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PFS-80033/
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Atoka OK
I have a powerbond UDP on my car and have not had any issues. With that said, after reading of my buddy's(taken19) timing chain failure, I would not hesitate to buy an ATI dampener in the future.
The powerbond unit is just a pulley, it doesn't do anything to reduce engine harmonics--the ATI does.
That alone is worth peace of mind to me, even if it is overkill.
The powerbond unit is just a pulley, it doesn't do anything to reduce engine harmonics--the ATI does.
That alone is worth peace of mind to me, even if it is overkill.
POWERBOND balancers eliminate common failures in standard and performance balancers by positively bonding the dampening rubber to the metal components under extreme heat and pressure. The state of the art bonding process used on all POWERBOND models eliminates spinning of the inertia ring and separation of the dampening material in even the most highly stressed applications. Offered in standard diameter, 10% underdrive, 25% underdrive.