Anyone used this balancer?

[Recharger]

Has anyone ever used one of these balancers?   http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/440-383-MOPAR-SFI-FLUID-DAMPER-HARMONIC-BALANCER-JZ5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33616QQitemZ8002074391QQrdZ1     I’m looking for a little positive or negative feedback about it, if possible.  Looks like a good deal, but I’m usually a little skeptical of ebay parts.  I’ve got a 383 (1968) with power steering and A/C…any idea if this will fit or will it throw the pullys out of alignment?  FYI, my application will be for a street driven/rarely raced 434 stroker in the neighborhood of 450-500h.p. (guessing)  The engine has been completely internally balanced. 

If no one has any experience with this balancer, are there any others you’d recommend?  Since I’m not really going to be racing (much) I’m a bit reluctant to pay $200-300 for a Rattler or Fluidampr or whatever.  Thanks in advance for the input.

[cudaken]

 I would stay a way from it, smell's like something from C.A.T. Funny they never listed who made it, I wonder why? Thanks to CAT I have 8 ash trays from Sagnasty's 69 440-6 Charger with only 600 miles on it. He bought CAT roller rockers, with in 20 minutes he made me ash trays.

A good fluid damper will run $300.00 +. I was looking at the buy it now ones like you linked here. All most bought it. But why would all the name brands's cost $300.00 plus and this one was $90.00.

Want a $45.00 forged ash tray? I don't need 8 of them.

Fluid dampers do work and will make the engine live longer. How much to you have in your engine? Want to trust a $90.00 part?

                                 Cuda Ken

                                     

[John_Kunkel]

The auction text clearly states it's a CAT product.

How did the CAT balancers fail?

[firefighter3931]

No personal experience with fluid dampers but i've heard of some. The failures resulted from the silicone fluid going solid and collecting on one side which threw the balance off and tore up the bottom end of the engine. When the car sits for a brief period, the fluid in the balancer drains down to the bottom. When the motor starts the fluid is pushed to the perimiter of the balancer by centrifugal force. What would happen if the fluid (silicone) went solid ? The balance would be thrown way off....

A trusted friend and engine builder told me that he'd never run a balancer that he could not verify neutral balance on....sounds reasonable to me. I went with a romac elastomer sfi unit from summit racing. Same bolt pattern and thickness as stock so pulley alignment is not an issue. Just had to elongate one hole in the crank pulley and that was it....very simple installation.  

Ron

[Recharger]

Thanks for the info guys.  Ron, is this the damper you're referring to?

http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=partdetail.asp&part=DCC-3830183

[firefighter3931]

The balancer i went with is : SUM-B64279

This is an sfi 18,000 rpm unit for internally balanced BB mopar applications. It has an engraved scale on the outer ring to help dial in your timing. Built by Romac in Australia.

Ron