Part 14 Install The Harmonic Balancer On The Big Block Chevy

[@geraldbasford6713]

this has to be the best video ever also great music. Job well done.

[@Steve38781]

John, I have a similar BBC and Weiand 6-71 blower settup, in a 56 Chevy sedan. I too run a Fluidamper and the thick washer. Five years and no problem. I like the Cloyes two piece timing cover....good idea. Keep making the videos, especially the blower stuff, interesting to see how others are making it work. Thanks SD

[@johnnykcarsnguitars]

Hey Steve38781, Thanks for taking the time to post and the insightful comments. Are you running an auto or manual trans? Have a great day! Johnny K

[@Steve38781]

John Kinslow Jr John, In my 56 i am running a Richmond super T10 4 speed now, but was using a Muncie 4 speed. If i win the lottery i would like to move up to a 5 or 6 speed. I love shifting gears, especially with a blown big block. 3" exhaust and flowmasters make a real throaty sound. I am running dual Edelbrock 800 cfm carbs, hyd roller cam and roller rockers. Very smooth at idle. Question, what is your thought on zero gap piston rings? I am running them, but seem to be blowing some oil smoke, Just watched your video on cyl comp testing, maybe i should check it out. Thanks for the videos.... Steve

[@jmench1097]

Working on my Chevy big block I replaced my Harmonic balancer with a Summit Racing® Bracket Racer SFI, and when installing it, when it seemed to be at the end, then the tool backed it self out. Everything I have looked at, this does not happen. They Show it getting to the point were you can not turn it any further and you know your done. Any ideas, thank you for any help.

[@jonp8604]

Good series to watch, learned alot of tips and tricks....I have a couple questions, this summer I will be building my first 496 BB using a hyd roller cam. I see on your timing cover, you have a built in cam button. What have you found to be a easy way of calibrating a cam button if I dont have same cover you have, (I have a one piece). Also what is your thoughts on installing a thrust washer behind the timing set?

[@johnnykcarsnguitars]

Hey Jon P, Thanks for taking the time to post. Thoughts on the thrust washer: I always bought the standard cloyes double timing chain set(no thrust washer) no issues ever. I bought a more expensive cloyes timing chain set that came with it. That's about all I can say on that topic. As I use a flat tappet mechanical cam I do not need one. However in your case to best answer your question go here www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/49161_set_roller_cam_endplay/ Hope this helps, Johnny K

[@busterworley1507]

Get your good self some Nitrile gloves at Costco God wants you to live. Thanks for the great info.

[@dxguy]

Hi John: Nice video! Did you verify the proper interference fit between the hub and crank? Why v-belts? You'll gain 20 hp by going to serpentine. V-belts whip and add nasty vibration and tend to throw themselves off the pulleys. ALWAYS run a damper. The blower belt is a long way from the stress point where the crank meets the block and belt is not designed to limit high frequency vibs that cause failure. Think of it this way: without a damper you've got the belts whipping away putting random vibs into the crank snout moving it up & down & side to side, while the engine is adding it's own vibs. Add the damper and you have a well balanced inertia that will convert much of the vib energy into heat and will resist the tendency to move about (due t gyro effect). I prefer ATI but Fluidampr is fine. I have all my hubs specially made with locating ring built in, relief machined to allow stock length bolt to fully engage threads and mount square. Bad idea to sandwich aluminum and steel, temperature expansion will cause the bolts to overstress at high temps - leads to failure. On my custom hubs I match the 6 blower drive bolts through the hub - crank trigger wheel - oil pump drive adaptor - serpentine adaptor - shim - blower pulley. I use 3/8 Grade 8 or better. Compare this with three 5/16 bolts! Did it really come with plated star-washers? Ugh. I always use Grade 8 hardened flat washers with removable Lok-tite. The sequence of assy you showed is OK if the cover is pinned to the block (as yours is), but for general application I always mount the cover loosely, install the hub into the seal, then finally tighten the cover bolts. This ensures the seal is concentric with the crank snout. Hope I don't sound like I'm ragging you, just giving some of the tips I had to invent (the hard way) as I went through several of these. Am a retired aerospace engineer, and the current project is a Pro-street 66 Fairlane with a Robert Pond 482 inch aluminum 427, 8-71 blower from Superchargers USA. Had to engineer the entire drive from scratch due to lack of good knowledge about blown 427 Fords. I got much contradictory advice. BB Chev has lots of goodies and history. So, how'd it turn out? I'm betting pretty well from the vides I've seen. Don

[@johnnykcarsnguitars]

Hey dxguy, Thanks for the compliment! Thank you for taking the time to post and share your experience with other gear heads!! I like people like you that are willing to help out others, you rock!! So here goes answering your questions. No verification needed between the hub and crank because I had the motor built 20 years ago and that's what the engine builder used. (still a snug fit so to speak) I've been running V-belts for 20 years, they work fine for me. Personal taste, I don't care for the serpentine belt look. I was unaware you can gain hp from switching from v-belts to a serpentine belt I've talked to several blower rebuilders and they say, "Just run a hub, there is absolutely no need to run a damper. The blower belt picks up all the vibrations." Well, I've see guys run em, and I've talked to them, they all say the same thing, no issues. So I can't knock the guys (old timers) that build and sell blowers for a living and recommend hubs over dampers. I use a Fluidampr, same one over 20 years no issues. I've heard great thing about ATI too! I like that you came up with a great idea with your custom hubs!! I always thought the same,"dang. 3 little bolts keep this thing together?" Your new project sounds baaaadddddasssssss!!! My rebuild went good. I'm looking to purchase some AFR heads and a 5 speed tranny that will hold up to 3800# car with 31 X 18.5 rear tires, and a 5500 rpm launch. I like to bang gears so no automatic for this guy... Thanks again for your great post! Have a great day Johnny K