Harmonic Balancer Bottoms Out

[Bill O'Brien]

I have a Bulltear timing cover and a Professional Products harmonic balancer. When fully torqued down and after being installed with the proper installing tool the balancer is abt 1/4 inch out and the belts won't line up. Stock crank shaft.. it was not touched in the engine work I have done.

The distance from the oil slinger on the bottom timing gear to the outside of the main seal is only about 7/16 of and inch. The 'snout' on the balancer is about 1/4 of an inch too long.

Could the timing gear be wrong and it is too thick?? Can the balancer just be machined down and it will be ok? Really odd issue..... any help would be appreciated!!

[tufcj]

Do you have the old balancer? I'd measure the old one against the new one. I would suspect the new balancer is not machined correctly. You could have it machined to fit. Does the Professional Products harmonic use the stock pulley or a GM pulley? Some of the aftermarket balancers use a GM lower pulley.

I have a couple of balancers around. If you don't have the original balancer, maybe I have one to get a measurement off of.

Bob
tufcj

[Bill O'Brien]

Thanks for the reply! I had a guy on EarlyCJ5.com check the length of the 'snout' on his balancer and it appears to be the same as mine. Stock pulley on the balancer.

I am now trying to find out the length of the end of the crank shaft from where the 'oil slinger' (butts up against the lower timing gear) to the end of the crank. I think someone over on that web site will get me the measurements. If they are off I am perplexed.

I did use an aftermarket timing chain set but I don't see how the lower timing gear could be wider than stock.. ??? The chain looked to be in a good position when I closed up the timing cover.

[Bill O'Brien]

Another guy with a 304 gave me his measurements. If anyone has different measurements please let me know.

From the end of the crank to the face of the slinger (flat portion toward the center, not cupped part) is about 1 11/16".

From the end of the crank to the front of the timing chain cover is about 7/8".

Also, the 'snout' on my balancer is about 7/8".

These match what the other guy has.....

I really thought my balancer was bottoming out due to seeing marks on the slinger that looked to be from the end of the balancer.

So... the distance from the slinger on both of ours to the outside of the timing cover is only about 7/16 of an inch..... while the snout on the balancer is about 7/8 inch long. How can that be???? Should the length of the snout just about match the distance from the slinger to the outside of the timing cover???

[Bill O'Brien]

Any thoughts out there?? Thank you!

[tufcj]

Did you possibly replace the water pump and /or pulleys? There are a couple of different water pump/pulley sets out there. You need pulleys matched to the water pump. The problem may not be the harmonic balancer, but the water pump.

Bob
tufcj

[Bill O'Brien]

Good thought... pulleys are in the stock spots. It just makes no sense that there is 7/16 of space from the slingervto the edge of the main seal but the snout on the balancer is around 7/8...

Any one have a 304 with the balancer off to measure?? Thank you

[tufcj]

Haven't had a 304 in over 20 years.

Bob
tufcj