Thread: Cam recommendations for 355 SBC

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Originally Posted by techinspector1

If the unit has an offset hunk of metal on the hub to aid in balancing the rotating assembly, like on a small block 400 or a big block 454, then the unit is called a damper/balancer. These units serve 2 purposes; to aid in balancing the rotating assembly and to cancel harmonics that were created by the springing back and forth (twisting) of the rod journals in relation to the centerline of the crankshaft. If the motor is balanced internally, like a 350, then the unit is called simply a harmonic damper and serves no purpose for balancing the rotating assembly.

The thing about dampers/damper-balancers is that the outer inertia ring is what we use to time the motor with a light. Age, ozone, lubricants and so forth can allow the inertia ring to slip circumferentially in relation to the hub due to degradation of the elastomeric material that separates them and the TDC notch on the ring no longer indicates TDC, so timing the motor with a light is fruitless.

Problem #2 is that you must use the timing tab that was meant to be used with that particular damper/damper-balancer assembly. Small block Chevies use 3 different combinations, 12 Noon, 2:00 O'Clock and 2:30 O'Clock, so unless you bought this motor new from the factory, you have no idea if it's the damper/damper-balancer that was meant to work with the timing tab that's on the timing cover now. Some other hot rodder may have changed either the damper or the cover or both during a rebuild and used the improper damper for the tab that's there or the improper cover for the damper that's there.

Problem #3 is that the company that manufactured that brand new whiz-bang damper that you just bought on the aftermarket may not have used the proper I.D. on the hub that will allow a close press fit. It may be too tight and you'll never get it onto the crank snout or it may be too loose and will not make the mechanical connection that will allow crankshaft harmonics to be transferred to the inertia ring to be eliminated. The damper/damper-balancer hub MUST-MUST-MUST be a press fit onto the crank snout.

Although there are well-respected members on this forum who don't exactly agree with me, I contend that the best unit to press onto the crank snout is an original OEM unit that has been rebuilt. The fact that it is an OEM unit means that the I.D. of the hub is the proper dimension because that particular unit left the factory on a running Chevy engine. Since the only thing that really goes wrong with a damper/damper-balancer is the elastomeric material that separates the hub from the inertia ring, it makes sense to me to pay someone to disassemble the unit, clock the hub to the ring and press in new elastomeric material. Sounds like a job for....
Damper Doctor Online - Your source for Harmonic Balancers, Motor Mounts, & Drive Shaft Supports
Once that's done and you clock the TDC notch on the ring to the TDC position of #1 piston by using a strap if you have a short block or with a piston stop tool if the heads are on and you use the proper timing tab for the ring, you're back in business same as the factory did it.

with all do respect here is some points i would like you to think about .why i do not agree .if not me that ok.. but i post them any ways .. damper at one time could of been beat on dents in face and outer ring . many times been on and off so many times its lost some press . damper is seal cut will need a speed sleeve. damper oem are not the best made out of iron . in time screw holes get striped and damper can crack threw key way .after market cranks or rebuilt cranks and OEM can have under size crank nose so a stock on and off damper could have lost some press then the only way to fix this is a new damper under size or hard chrome then hone for press . or send crank out to have the nose built up then ground to size or buy a new crank .i been here done all of them at one time. your looking at a chunk of cheap iron that could been on and off many times beat with a hammer many times .drop on the ring . with weak thread bolt holes or a key way that cracked or waiting to?.. ever see the front of a engine after a damper came apart ? new damper can come with a lock ring if more then mild built engine buy a better damper like this.box up a old POS wait for it to be rebuilt i am sure at will come back looking new . they may put a speed sleeve on seal cut . and re bond it but it is still a used chuck of iron that hangs off the end of a crank . or make a call have a new damper that will be there the next day or parts store in town may stocks one? .i use many new damper a year most all of the OEM damper fit fine with no issues a RACE damper need some times to be fitted this is fine some thing going 8000+ on the end of the crank is nice to have it right .you do need to check press so you may need to see a guy like me with a machine shop. guy.s like..me.. i know a few we all love to screw guys over and get all of your money?? most all the time this is not the case but there always a bad apple in the bunch .you must under stand auto machines and tooling cost alot of money .most of us like what we do and take alot of pride in what we do .but we still need to pay bills . if your new damper is undersize .. will not fit.. few strokes on the sunne hone will fix this .the only time i would ever think about send a old damper in would be a very hard to find damper or you just can not get a new one .or a better used one ..So when is it time for a new damper ?? if your old damper is heavy seal cut and rubber guts are hanging out or cracked or chunks missing . dent mark s in iron . striped screw hole . your dealing with a part that is made every day for a engine that not hard to find . buy a new one or find a better one. take the old one a keep it for a door stop

Thank you Pat, for making a valid argument. You're one of the "well-respected members" that I referred to.