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Attention all Fluidampr users

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99gst_racer

Moderator
11,976
1,542
Apr 5, 2003
Coloma, Michigan
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EDIT: Fluidampr has made a running change on the hub thickness on these. See post# 31.
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The stock damper bolts are not long enough to use with the Fluidampr damper. I found this out the hard way by shearing 3 of them off while driving on the freeway 2 weeks ago, and I wanted to share this with everyone on this site so that you don't risk the same failure that I experienced.

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I got off the highway after hearing something loudly eject from the engine bay (turned out to be the third bolt). We pulled into a parking lot and popped the hood to find the damper wobbling badly. Turned out that I sheared 3 of the 4 damper bolts and the last one was deformed and on it's way out. These were factory grade 8's, loctited and torqued to spec. After a lengthly discussion on the Link forums, we concluded that there just wasn't enough thread engagement and this caused them to work themselves loose enough to allow them to shear with high engine loads. I was extremely lucky the damper didn't come flying off at 8000 RPMs. I had been running this damper and these bolts for the past 3 years and they were doing fine until this incident.

The Fluidampr uses a thicker hub and that only allows for roughly 8mm of thread engagement with the factory bolts. 12-16mm of thread engagement is required. The fix is to use a longer bolt, of course. The factory bolts measure out to be M8x1.25 x 25mm. The Fluidampr requires at least 10mm longer bolts.

For mine, I ordered replacements from ARP. Their part number is 661-1004.
Specs are as follows: M8 x 1.25, UHL = 35mm, 8740 chrome moly, black oxide finish, hex head.

Using these ARP's, I should be able to achieve about 18mm of thread engagement (all but 2 threads), which should be plenty to keep these bolts tightened.

Feel free to comment or ask questions.

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And here's a pic of my old sprocket next to the new one. Looks like it also chipped part of a tooth off when the third bolt went. And the centering ring is nonexistent. I remember half of it falling out when we pulled the damper off in the gas station parking lot.

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I've had my Fluidampr installed for about a year and a half and have not had this issue yet. You just made me run out and look at my dampner and the bolts are still all there and torqued. Granted I'm not pushing as as much power as you are. Thank You for the heads up and I will be getting replacement bolts ASAP. BTW did you use thread locker on the stock bolts?
 
Damn it! I don't feel like working on my car.

Thanks for the info.
 
Great info. My damper is still sitting in its box. Time to go order some bolts.
 
I'm glad you guys are finding this info useful. :) At least it's only a 5 minute job to change these bolts out for you guys. Catch it before you have to replace the sprocket and re-time the engine! I'm sure I speak for everyone, but I absolutely hate doing timing belt jobs with the engine in the car. Nothing like having the corner of the car right in the way...


BTW did you use thread locker on the stock bolts?
Yup. Red loctite.

We concluded that the only way for these to impact shear is if they became loose first. And the only way for them to become loose when loctited and torqued to spec is if there isn't enough thread engagement to maintain an accurate clamp load.
 
Glad you didn't lose your Fluidampr down the road, and good to know. I was so close to putting one on the 1g when ours seperated. $$$ held us back.
 
Nice info! I'll be sure to keep this in mind when I get a fluidampr in the future! A credit to the community!
 
I just thought of this...Does fluidampr document at all about needing longer bolts? If not I would get ahold of them and at least tell them to document it at minimum, but they should include longer bolts of equal or greater than stock.
 
I just thought of this...Does fluidampr document at all about needing longer bolts? If not I would get ahold of them and at least tell them to document it at minimum, but they should include longer bolts of equal or greater than stock.
I have the installation instructions in front of me right now, and it makes no mention of using longer bolts with it, nor does it mention any bolt length in general. Just thread size and a torque spec.

I just tried calling and I fired off an e-mail. Nobody answered the phone at either number that I tried (probably too late in the day) and the e-mail came back "undeliverable". I guess I'll try again tomorrow.
 
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I have the installation instructions in front of me right now, and it makes no mention of using longer bolts with it, not does it mention any bolt length in general. Just thread size and a torque spec.

Sounds like someone owes you $$$ for four bolts and a new crank sprocket. Are you sure you didn't sprain your neck or something? LOL
 
Sounds like someone owes you $$$ for four bolts and a new crank sprocket. Are you sure you didn't sprain your neck or something? LOL
ROFL Not a bad idea. I wonder if I can score a new damper now that mine is all banged up on the backside... Maybe I should get a little aggressive on the phone tomorrow. ;)
 
I'm not into that whole frivolous law suit BS... but they should definitely comp you on the bolts and any other out-of-pocket costs due to that little detail they left out.

They should be thankful it was discovered the way it was before someone did get injured and hit them with a valid law suit. (And I would be sure to remind them of that if they try to blow smoke up your ass over a few bucks. :D)
 
I'm not into that whole frivolous law suit BS... but they should definitely comp you on the bolts and any other out-of-pocket costs due to that little detail they left out.

They should be thankful it was discovered the way it was before someone did get injured and hit them with a valid law suit. (And I would be sure to remind them of that if they try to blow smoke up your ass over a few bucks. :D)

Hell yea. It could have flown off and hit a pedestrian or jacked up a tire on his car or someone else's. Lawsuits have too much freedom. I've been cringing lately reading about all these complaints to Apple, and the phone has been out for only like a week!
 
Is this the first case? Are there any other documented incidents? I have ran mine for about 2000 miles and also well over 35 passes down the track. I will however take this into consideration and replace with longer bolts. Just interested to see how many times this has actually happened.
 
Is this the first case? Are there any documented incidents? I have ran mine for about 2000 miles and also well over 35 passes down the track. I will however take this into consideration and replace with longer bolts. Just interested to see how many times this has actually happened.
I first brought this up on the Link forums, and a few guys there mentioned that they have seen this same failure before. It's not common to shear the factory damper bolts, but I'm definitely not the first to have this happen.
 
I'm wondering if fluidampr changed the hub thickness because I ordered a set of ARP 661-1004 bolts for mine but they are a bit too long. I ordered my dampener through extreme psi about 2 weeks ago and have been using the stock bolts since I couldn't get the arp's to keep it tight in place. My solution would be adding an extra washer thick enough to hold it in place. You can also see where the harmonic balancer rubbed against my timing belt cover.:notgood:

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