Harmonic balancer problems

I have a fairly typical Small block 350 in my Plymouth , When I had the engine balanced the machine took and repaired the harmonic balancer. I have not been able to put a timing light to it and get the correct advance. The car wont run. I have racked my brain trying to figure out why, I dont think the double roller timing chain has skipped. Can someone post a pic of their 8 inch balancer so I can compare it to mine. I'm thinking they did not put it back together right. Thanks.

 

Quick check #1: Remove the balancer bolt so that you can see the key slot. When you have the key slot straight up the timing mark should be at about 2 O'clock and lined up on the timing pointer.
Quick check #2: Is there rubber peeling out of the back side of the balancer? This would indicate a slipped balancer.

I've never heard of a factory GM balancer being repaired.

 

there are some different balancers and timing pointers, the two older designs are near 1:30 (45 degrees to the right), some later models have the pointer straight up. If you have a balancer from one stye with a pointer from another style you'll be all messed up!

Verifying the timing pointer is something I do pretty early when ***embling an engine....like before I put the heads on....

 

what I did on my 454 chevy was to make a homemade tdc tool by putting a rod in a sparkplug with the center removed I put it in the number 1 plug and found compression on number one and had my boy move the flywheel till the rod in the plug was at full extension equals tdc. marked that on the damper puller. I then timed the truck and then rechecked the timing and it was differant, the outer part of the damper was moving around the center portion and then it just fell off while we were testing. That answered why I was getting weird readings when timing(even bought a new advance timing light) and I ended up timing by ear. All is now ok since I put on a new damper pulley (puller bolts were metiric ) a couple of days prior to going on vacation that would of been a bad situation,. Ed ke6bnl

 

it's unlikely the double roller timimg chain has skipped...unless it was installed wrong. your timing marks are probabilly off. as squrirel said , the time to check timing marks is in ***embly

you could be 180 degrees off. pull the right valve cover , turn the motor over until the valves on number 6 are rocking...that will put #1 close to tdc of the compression stroke. redo you distributor so the rotor is pointing at the number 1 terminal on the cap and the points just open..it should fire

 

I will check it out and let you know, Thanks

 

Well, I pulled the engine and my first thought was the balancer is bad. But upon further review I am not sure. I photoshopped the pic to show the key way straight up. I would hate to spend the money on a new balancer and not need it.

Thanks

 

Easy...pull the number one spark plug, bring the piston up to top dead center by hand (stick a screwdriver in the hole if you have to, to be able to feel when it comes up if you can't see it or determine it otherwise), and see how far off your balancer is.

Remove/replace as necessary.

Brad

 

or just read one of my thread on the same issue for lots more post on how to fix !!! H.A.M.B rulz

 

The keyway should point to the #1 rod journal, so when the key is at 1:30 then cyl #1 should be at tdc.

This is ***uming there is a key in the crankshaft keyway!