How important are harmonic dampers/balancers?

[Boma]

For those who have experience building modified engines, how important are these? So far I've seen only 2 companies that make them for our cars (fluidampr/ATI), it seems to me that they emphasize on torsional vibrations from the crankshafts and how its an essential to have their products to have on modified engines. Is this really necessary or is this merely a marketing diversion? If they are indeed really that important, what degree of modification would most likely an engine should have this? This is out of curiosity but I've only had 4 years of experience with DSM's and I've yet to see or hear major discussions about this. I see a lot of highly modified EVO's and eclipses and yet to mention about dampers/balancers and from time to time if ever, I would see them mentioned or hear about it on drag cars. I do know that the OEM has a really poor design and ALWAYS has been known to split in 2 parts but of course it is mostly due to old age.

NOTE: To moderators, I apologize if this should be in another part of the forums. Feel free to direct it to a proper one if you see fit. Thanks in advance.

 

[minimoose]

The car will run without the hb and i doubt you would notice a differance but it, overtime, can cause premature wear of crank bearing and all kinds of bad stuff usually to the bottom end. I have alwyas been told to run a hb. The fluidampr and ati are both nice so i have heard but they do not add horsepower and actually in some cases rob a little but its a good investment as youll be able to run the motor at a higher rpm tham the factory hb can and safer, i think factory tops around 8k and fluidampr/ATI will go much further.

 

[Rideit636]

In the case of running an aftermarket one, I have never seen the need. I'm sure they accomplish something though. I would never run without at least the stock one though. I believe those lightweight crank pulleys are the cause of a lot of premature engine failures.

 

[red_devil]

Buy a oem one or get the Fluidampr. Mine just failed and I am replacing it with a new stock one. They are designed to reduce torsional vibration, and is why they fail over time, you could just buy a light weight pulley and save 1/3 of a hp and have those vibrations in your crankshaft.

 

[superpenguin]

i would never go with out it, the light weight pulley are the cause of alot broken cranks

 

[Boma]

Thanks for the input guys, really appreciate it. I really would like to invest in the ATI one but its close to 500 bucks and by the looks of it, I guess there would be no need if my goal is only to have a D/D close to 300whp.

 

[minimoose]

Yea for 300 whp i would just stick with the factory rubber balancer they work fine and will save you alot of money.

 

[91mits]

i just ordered mine last week, noticed minor wobbling on the oem one, this time went for a fluidampr, from what i heard the oem ones will wear out faster on a more modified motor since it was designed on a stock motor, obviously with power above 450+ the oem one won't hold up for long ..a fluidampr is a better investment imo.

 

[evan1170]

i have a aftermarket and pulley set.. and wish i had the stock ones and harmonic balancer.. engine problems and it is rough idling

 

[91mits]

i have a aftermarket and pulley set.. and wish i had the stock ones and harmonic balancer.. engine problems and it is rough idling

id get at least a oem one asap. those lightweight crank pulley tend to damage the crankshaft...you don't wanna do that

 

[thomcasey]

They are important for v-8 and V-6 motors. Since we have a crank pulley rather than a harmonic balancer, they are not important to us. Though, the OEM pulley is the best.

 

[91mits]

They are important for v-8 and V-6 motors. Since we have a crank pulley rather than a harmonic balancer, they are not important to us. Though, the OEM pulley is the best.

the oem pulley is the harmonic balancer

 

[red_devil]

They are important for v-8 and V-6 motors. Since we have a crank pulley rather than a harmonic balancer, they are not important to us. Though, the OEM pulley is the best.

Again this has been beaten to death, we HAVE a harmonic balancer

Do you think a crank pulley would do this?

 

[99gst_racer]

the oem pulley is the harmonic balancer

Again this has been beaten to death, we HAVE a harmonic balancer

DAMPER! We have a harmonic damper. Balancers are counterweighted to balance out the rotating assembly. Ours are neutrally balanced because we have internally balanced engines.

 

[Calan]

Mrrrreeeeowwwww!

Pull your claws back in man.

 

[thomcasey]

Thank you. I was incorrect stating it was just a pulley, but I knew it wasn't a balancer.

 

[99gst_racer]

For those who have experience building modified engines, how important are these? So far I've seen only 2 companies that make them for our cars (fluidampr/ATI), it seems to me that they emphasize on torsional vibrations from the crankshafts and how its an essential to have their products to have on modified engines. Is this really necessary or is this merely a marketing diversion?

Our factory damper does the exact same thing - it dampens torsional vibrations of the rotating assembly. The aftermarket companies are just claiming to do it better, and their products don't deteriorate like our OEM damper.

Mrrrreeeeowwwww!

Pull your claws back in man.

End of the workday. Need beer...

 

[underradar92]

And don't forget the all important SFI sticker!

 

[DSM1G90]

(.....but, that inner part of that pulley makes a good crank holder when you wrap a chain wrench around it to aid in putting the torque wrench to that crank sprocket bolt to torque it down to the needed 100 FT Lbs ...)

 

[motomattx]

Thought this would be a good read on the subject:

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/harmonic-damper-a-key-source-for-lost-horsepower/