Need a new harmonic balancer vt v6

[Turtl3]

could u not swap the pulse rings from the old one onto the new one?

 

[Jxfwsf]

May 1996 - Aug 2004 is the dayco listing for HB1434

Someones playing funny buggers marking things wrong for sure


And yes Turtl3 it makes a huge difference, different counter weight size and location isn't going to be dampening the harmonics and balance the engine correctly (and there is differences on the crank snouts over the years and require a specific bolt to suit the hb)
Hence why the old style hb won't fit on a newer engine, stops really bad ####ups.

 

[Turtl3]

Someones playing funny buggers marking things wrong for sure


And yes Turtl3 it makes a huge difference, different counter weight size and location isn't going to be dampening the harmonics and balance the engine correctly (and there is differences on the crank snouts over the years and require a specific bolt to suit the hb)
Hence why the old style hb won't fit on a newer engine, stops really bad ####ups.

i still dont completely understand how the balancer is/or can be 100% accurately produced to perform its duty. no engine is balanced exactly the same internally - sure theyre all within a certain spec/limit, but theyre not identical. so how can it be that 1 specific mass produced hb with a certain counter weight will suit the 1000's of engines made between 198X and 200X, and then another with a smaller counter weight will suit certain other virtually identical engines between 198X and 200X? i thought most hb's had a rubber lining between the inner and outer rings to allow for the absorption engine harmonics/balancing. in my mind, having a fixed weight spinning around on the front of the crank would make things worse...not better lol

 

[Jxfwsf]

Although the crank is used to take meat out to balance they require the external balance weights (see next post and read the article linked), balancing requires the flywheel/flexplate, hb and bob weights attached to the crank.

So the earlier buicks had a 1" higher deck with longer conrod and heavier pistons compared to an ecotec, both are externally balanced mass produced engines for the average consumer so perfect balance doesn't even come into the equation.

The flywheel/flex plate also differs between them, if you want a race engine then you'd get it re-balanced, for the average family car that won't hit 6,000 rpm it's fine.

They are a similar engine in that they are v6's and that's about where it ends, also the earlier buicks were a slip fit instead of interference fit and this is where using the correct bolt came into it for the correct balancer, you could change them in the earlier buick 3800's but not go backwards in the sII aka ecotec, also why you can't use ecotec flywheels on a buick and vice-versa without having them mirror balanced to the original.

Same stroke and bore but big differences
Left is vn/vp, right is vx that got a tad hot

 

[Jxfwsf]

Eagle Specialty Products, Inc.

Internal Balance & External Balance Explained
When the counterweights alone can be made to balance the crankshaft, the crank is said to be "internally balanced". If the counterweights are too light by themselves to balance the crankshaft and more weight is needed, an "external balance" can be used. This involves a harmonic dampener or flywheel that has a weight on it in the same position as the counterweight that effectively "adds" to the weight of the counterweight on the crankshaft. Since the harmonic dampener (front) or flywheel (rear) play a part in the balancing of the assembly, they must be installed on the crankshaft when it is balanced. This is unlike an internal balance configuration where the harmonic dampener or flywheel do not contribute to the balance of the crankshaft and are not required to be installed when the crankshaft if balanced. Both methods are used from the manufacturer. An example of some factory internally balanced engines are Chevy 305 and 350 (2 piece rear seal only!), Chevy 396/427, GM LS-series, and Ford "modular"
4.6. Some examples of factory externally balanced engines are Chevy 400 and 454, Ford 302 and 351W. Some engines are even a combination of both: being internally balanced in the front and externally balanced in the rear! The most common example of this is the Chevy 350 (1 piece rear seal) including LT1. Regardless of how an engine is balanced from the factory any balancing method is acceptable as long as the required harmonic dampener and/or flywheel is available.

So essentially anyone making a harmonic balancer is given the specs and are made to suit.
Then there's the balance shaft taking out some more harmonics and the sloppy fluid filled engine mounts making imperfections less noticeable.

 

[Turtl3]

Really good info there. Cheers jxw. Big difference in rod length and piston heights between the early and late v6's