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Fluidampr noise

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Nayr747

15+ Year Contributor
248
1
Feb 10, 2004
somwhere, Nevada
I just installed a Fluidampr after my stock harmonic damper completely separated and now there's a noise that sounds sort of like the noise from polyester/synthetic pant legs rubbing together, except really fast and constant. It's a somewhat high-pitched noise that's not really noticeable from inside the car at idle but gets louder as the RPMs go up and can easily be heard above 1,500 RPM.

I figured it was rubbing on the plastic timing cover so I removed it and found a ring of score marks around the inside of the damper from the ring that sticks up from the cover. So I dremeled the ring down to where there's a good amount of clearance between the two. Reinstalled and the noise is still there.

Only other change was Goodyear Gatorback belts on the A/C and alt. But all accessory belts are tensioned to spec, so I don't think it's that.

Does the Fluidampr just normally make a noise?

Edit: Just wanted to update this. The noise was caused by part of the a/c compressor pulley being bent in and the belt not seating completely in the grooves.
 
Last edited:
Mine makes no noise.
Try removing your acc belts, and firing the car up. see if it still makes the noise. (not for too long the water pump is not spinning)
If it is still there pull the fluidampr unit, and start, and listen if the noise is still there.
 
Yeah, I've noticed 3 problems with the fluidamper.
1. Bigger diameter than stock. I'm 99% sure this causes belt problems, cooling problems (high rpm cavitation), and charging system problems.
2. They rub the timing cover.
3. If you over tighten the crank sprocket bolt, it cracks the little register and the damper won't sit correctly, but neither would a stock one.

I don't know if the ATI has these problems, but I do know that these issues are definatly worth the security that you won't have a failed damper.
 
Try removing your acc belts, and firing the car up. see if it still makes the noise. (not for too long the water pump is not spinning)

Good idea. How safe is that for the engine though? Would it be safe to rev it up to around 3k RPM a couple times?

Make sure your not using the old damper bolts, the stock bolts are not long enough.

I think they solved that issue when they replaced the aluminum version with the steel one with the thinner mounting surface. I put red Loctite on the bolts and they seemed to have a lot of thread engagement.

2. They rub the timing cover.

What noise did yours make when it was rubbing? Did is sound similar to what I'm describing? I trimmed the ring so I just don't understand where it could be rubbing.
 
I know this is an old thread but I'm so sick of the noise in my timing area. I never had this issue prior to the fluidampr. I've trimmed it twice but I guess I keep underestimating the area on the pulley that could be contacting the timing cover. Any thoughts?
 
I know this is an old thread but I'm so sick of the noise in my timing area. I never had this issue prior to the fluidampr. I've trimmed it twice but I guess I keep underestimating the area on the pulley that could be contacting the timing cover. Any thoughts?
Is there visual evidence that it's rubbing on the timing cover? Are you absolutely certain that the drive belts are straight and not rubbing on anything? Sorry, I know these are things you have likely already checked. You could pull the timing cover off and do more clearancing on it but it would suck to do all that work only to find that it was something else, like the OP of this thread found out.
 
I have used a couple of Fluidampr with the timing cover on 6 bolt and 7 bolt but I have never had any contact issue.
If the noise is kind of whining noise, maybe it's related to the water pump/alternator belt tension due to the larger diameter outer lane on Fluidampr.

Left, Fluidampr. Right, Stock.
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Yeah, I've noticed 3 problems with the fluidamper.
1. Bigger diameter than stock. I'm 99% sure this causes belt problems, cooling problems (high rpm cavitation), and charging system problems.
2. They rub the timing cover. .

1. Yeah it's bigger....all that after that is WRONG
2. uuuuhhhn no


I have 2 on two different cars and they are fine, there is a user error issue some where.
 
My Fluidampr on my 7-bolt rubbed on the timing cover even after I trimmed it. Eventually it pulled enough material away from the timing cover that it no longer rubs, but mine has never made noise even when it was rubbing. I actually didn't know it rubbed until almost a year later when I was doing my spring startup maintenance.

Btw, mine was a newer revision (purchased 2019) that used the factory damper bolts. I've heard there are issues with the older version that didn't fully clamp the damper to the crank gear when using the factory damper bolts?
 
I just installled my new one i trimmed a bit, used oem bolts, and ill see if it makes any noise in that area, i have friends h ave run the same one. No rubbing or other sounds, so mmmm.
 
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