Harmonic balancer, what are the differences

[Paul G]

Harmonic balancers are listed at Summit Racing from $77 to over $400 for an externally balanced LA 360. What I am after is to get timing marks all the way around the damper so I can actually see where the total timing is. I have a stock damper right now. What do the more expensive dampers do that the others dont do? 

Summit brand cheap damper, $76.95
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-163318/

Trick Flow more expensive one, $159.95
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-19011/

ATI very expensive one, $422.54
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATI-918605E/

[John_Kunkel]

If all you want is the timing marks tape is a whole lot cheaper.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-4529070/

[Paul G]

If all you want is the timing marks tape is a whole lot cheaper.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-4529070/

Ive done the dance with timing tape. I am a bad dancer    . Cant get it on straight, keeps coming off, cant get it to stick, etc. Seems like I keep taking something apart and put it back together, ready to re set the timing and the tape is gone. Want something more permanent.

[Chryco Psycho]

cut a line into the damper 2 3/8" clockwise from TDC & you have 36*

[Fred]

If all you want is the timing marks tape is a whole lot cheaper.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-4529070/

Ive done the dance with timing tape. I am a bad dancer    . Cant get it on straight, keeps coming off, cant get it to stick, etc. Seems like I keep taking something apart and put it back together, ready to re set the timing and the tape is gone. Want something more permanent.

I had the same problem with the tapes coming off. I lost 3 in a row, drove me nuts. So I bought the timing light from Summit (see below) and now all my problems are solved.


Summit Racing SUM-G1059 - Summit Racing® Timing Lights

Timing Light, Advance Dial, Adjusts 0 to 60 Degrees, Xenon Bulb, Inductive Pickup, Detachable Leads, Each

Part Number:SUM-G1059

[adauto]

I lost a bunch of timing tape myself. I got a used snap-on lite at the pawn shop of all places. No more probs now! 

[Paul G]

I had the same problem with the tapes coming off. I lost 3 in a row, drove me nuts. So I bought the timing light from Summit (see below) and now all my problems are solved.


Summit Racing SUM-G1059 - Summit Racing® Timing Lights

Timing Light, Advance Dial, Adjusts 0 to 60 Degrees, Xenon Bulb, Inductive Pickup, Detachable Leads, Each

Part Number:SUM-G1059

Advance lights dont work with MSD ignition boxes. Tried that. Cutting a line like Neal says is probably my simplest option. I like simple!

[BSB67]

Properly prep the balancer and the tape will not come off.  I butt the tape ends ( not overlap) and spray clear over it . Lasted 20 years on one and 30 years on the other.

[Fred]

I had the same problem with the tapes coming off. I lost 3 in a row, drove me nuts. So I bought the timing light from Summit (see below) and now all my problems are solved.


Summit Racing SUM-G1059 - Summit Racing® Timing Lights

Timing Light, Advance Dial, Adjusts 0 to 60 Degrees, Xenon Bulb, Inductive Pickup, Detachable Leads, Each

Part Number:SUM-G1059

Advance lights dont work with MSD ignition boxes. Tried that. Cutting a line like Neal says is probably my simplest option. I like simple!

No worries mate 

[Paul G]

I am still curious what a $400 damper can do that a $75 one cant do?

[Chryco Psycho]

A rubber damper will absorb vibration , Billet ones are a stronger material & are less likely to explode with shock load , Clutch drops etc where the damper can drop 2000 rpm in a split second , the fluid type damper has an inertia ring inside a gel & will still absorb the vibration but will accelerate faster , the outer shell will spin up @ crank speed but the inner ring spins up slower allowing the engine to change speed quicker without dragging 100% of the weight instantainiously .

[Paul G]

cut a line into the damper 2 3/8" clockwise from TDC & you have 36*

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. And I did scribe a line 2 3/8" on the damper like you suggested Neal. Works great.

I cut a piece of masking tape about 4" long, squared up one end and drew a line on it at 2 3/8" away. Stuck the tape to the damper at the stock timing mark. Scribed a line through my mark in to the damper with an exacto knife. Then made the line deeper with a utility knife. Worked well.

I found that I had the base timing around 12, total to be around 26. Re adjusted the total to my newly scribed line of 36 and the engine seemed to really like it. Reset idle mixture and curb idle. Went for a drive, no knocking or pinging. So I left lots of new black marks on the back roads around here . Don't know where the base timing is now. Cant see the stock timing mark any more. If I added about 10 to the total timing, then base must have picked up 10, right? Any problem with that?

I just got to say. I leave my share of burn out rubber on the back roads around here. I know which ones are mine. There are a ton more of them on the roads. I guess it's kind of like a dog peeing on a tree. It gets marked, other dogs can tell it's marked, but dont know who did it. 

[Chryco Psycho]

the engine spend 90% of its time in the max advance area , as long as it starts & idles well I don't really care where the idle ends up .