Author Topic: harmonic balancer size ??  (Read 4549 times)

Offline jaysons

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harmonic balancer size ??
« on: November 03, 2010, 04:04:50 pm »
 So I'm i bit new here, but not to these trucks & engines.
    I've got a Freshly rebuilt 355ci. to put in my 4x4. Bought the engine already bored out, & in pieces. Had the local machine shop do the heads & put the bottom end together. Just got the exterior pieces to put on & it's ready to go in. None of the boxes of parts that came with it had a harmonic balancer in it. I've got one all cleaned & painted, ready to go on; But the one I took off the 350ci. that I took out of the truck, has a much larger one on it.
    The painted one is 6 & 3/4 inches in diameter. The one off the 350 is 8 inches in diameter. So my question is...... which one is required?

   The engine is bored .060 over, Has a Lunati 350 hp cam, beefier valve springs, new piston & rings, new wrist pins, ...126 heads, Weiand intake, Edelbrock 600 carb, & as far as I know, stock crank & connecting rods.
'87 4x4 ~10 inches of lift on 35" General Grabber MT's ~ 350 -.060 over ~ T.H.400 ~ N.P.203 ~ Dana 44 front ~ 12 bolt rear ~ 3:73's ~ Future upgrades ~Dana 60 rear ~ N.P.205 ~ 5:13's or 5:88's ~ etc.etc.etc. ~ The list seems to get longer every week or so

Offline motion427

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2010, 05:37:49 pm »
Ussually the trucks had the bigger 8".
check your timing chain cover for the location of the timing tab.
86 K10,350 Roller Cam,T350,NP205,10 bolt posi,12 bolt posi,33" tires.
85 K30,454,T400,NP205,Dana 60,14 bolt,being built now.
04 Avalanche Z71,6.0L,TVS 1900,Dynatech,Corsa,etc...
06 TBSS,AWD,6.0L,Kooks,C6 fan kit,etc...
75 Nova SS,502,T350,12 bolt

Offline reallyrusty

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2010, 07:00:36 pm »
In general... The smaller (lighter) the balancer, the higher rpm/performance, the application.

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2010, 08:53:35 pm »
For your 4x4 run the 8" balancer
,                           ___ 
                         /  _ _ _\_
              ⌠ŻŻŻŻŻ'   [☼===☼]
              `()_);-;()_)--o--)_)

74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10

Offline jaysons

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2010, 10:15:11 pm »
So what I'm gettin is that either one will work, right? The cam is supposed to help give it more bottom end torque, so the 8" would be better.
   But if I was running it in sand drags or something similar, then I should run the smaller 6 3/4" one.  Is that about right?
'87 4x4 ~10 inches of lift on 35" General Grabber MT's ~ 350 -.060 over ~ T.H.400 ~ N.P.203 ~ Dana 44 front ~ 12 bolt rear ~ 3:73's ~ Future upgrades ~Dana 60 rear ~ N.P.205 ~ 5:13's or 5:88's ~ etc.etc.etc. ~ The list seems to get longer every week or so

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2010, 06:09:12 pm »
Run the 8" balancer. Pounding on the engine other than mild stock applications you'll want the 8"
,                           ___ 
                         /  _ _ _\_
              ⌠ŻŻŻŻŻ'   [☼===☼]
              `()_);-;()_)--o--)_)

74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10

Offline reallyrusty

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Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2010, 09:19:39 pm »
i agree, run the 8 inch.


just because you can run the 6 3/4 doesn't necessarily you should.
I had a friend years ago that ran an aluminum flywheel because he could..... until he bent all his rods.

Offline jaysons

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  • Posts: 20
Re: harmonic balancer size ??
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2010, 11:04:45 pm »
Ok. Thanx for all the input guy's! The 8" is on it.

 Next question..... got a brand new distributor with a rev limiter replacing the module in it. What is a good rpm to set it at, until I get the rings seated? And then Imma guessin I'll be able to set it according to what I feel the engine is comfortable with.
'87 4x4 ~10 inches of lift on 35" General Grabber MT's ~ 350 -.060 over ~ T.H.400 ~ N.P.203 ~ Dana 44 front ~ 12 bolt rear ~ 3:73's ~ Future upgrades ~Dana 60 rear ~ N.P.205 ~ 5:13's or 5:88's ~ etc.etc.etc. ~ The list seems to get longer every week or so