Reality check: timing question *update* - harmonic balancer??

[defiance]

Well, I'm getting closer to having my cooling issues under control, but I've got one thing that doesn't seem to conform to the things I thought I knew!!

Basically, I just want to make sure this seems ok.  I'm fiddling around with timing to try to keep the engine cool, and one thing I found is that the car starts easy, idles fastest, and stays coolest with the initial timing about 5* before it starts 'bucking' when you try to start it.  Here's the crazy part, though.  According to my timing light, that's at 34* btdc!!!!  Can that be right?  Should a car even be able to start at that setting??  I'm wondering if maybe my timing mark, or my harmonic balancer, or something is skewed.  I do NOT want to rev the car at all with it like that, for fear of detonation.

Anyway, what is the highest timing you'd expect to see a car start easy with?  I'd always thought they started getting tough at around 20... which, if that's true, then it confirms somethings wrong with my marks...

Thanks!

[dodge freak]

Are you sure its-timing light-is on the right wire? I would make sure it is. Sounds like its on the wire next to the right one.

[defiance]

Nope, 100% sure it's on the #1 wire, it's on it right above the plug, so it's hard to mistake that one

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I have my dizzy in my 440 curved to 22º initial.....at 24º she kicked against the starter.

34º seems excesive to me

[defiance]

Thanks, that's what I thought.  Of course, it's bad news that something's terriblly wrong with my timing marks, but now I know, so that's good at least.  Probably explains all my nasty heating issues, too!

So, time to find tdc and mark it properly.

[defiance]

Ok - I was just told that this might be a result of a somehow 'rotated' harmonic balancer outer ring.  I've never heard of such a thing, but the guy that told me this followed up by pointing out that 440s are externally balanced and not only was I going to have trouble accurately isolating TDC, but that any slippage would put my engine further out of balance and in danger of doing 'bad things'.

Is this true?

If so, I need to replace the harmonic balancer.  Ok.  But wow, 440 balancers are insane!  No less than $250 that I've found in any retailer.  If  I'm going to be replacing this thing, I'd like to stick to new items.  So I took a quick look on Ebay, and there are 'Professional Products' harmonic balancers all over the place for 440s running in the $70 range, from several different ebay stores.  Is this some kind of trash product that's going to kill my motor, or would I be ok going with it?  Keep in mind, I'm not into the drag racing or anything.  I've got the ECU set to cut spark at 5500 rpm, so it won't be high revving, either.  Any thoughts?


Actually, from what I'm reading, I want SFI approval just to be safe, so what about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/90013-PowerForce-SFI-Harmonic-Balancer-Mopar-bb-383-440_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33616QQihZ019QQitemZ8072657687QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

[TylerCharger69]

I have had one or two balancers   "spin"  around themselves so to speak.   What happens is  there is a rubber ring in the balancer that you can see.   Sometimes...age sets in   and the rubber loses it's adhesion, causing the outer portion to spin out of place.   I've seen this happen a lot on GM vehicles, but only on 1 or 2 Mopar products.

[firefighter3931]

I've seen plenty of slipped outer rings on balancers. You need to index it and verify that TDC is where it's supposed to be. The rubber seal between the hub and outer ring will vulcanize over time and cause the slippage. If it has indeed moved then replace it with a new balancer.


Ron

[TylerCharger69]

"vulcanized"...that's the word i was pondering for!!!

[Chryco Psycho]

this is why I time by ear