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nevdos Member

Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 137 Location: DENVER
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:34 am Post subject: FLUIDDAMPERS GOOD OR BAD |
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Just wondering what some of you more experienced engine builders think of fluidampers? ive got one on small block 355, sees 7000 regularly. just wondering ,cause i hear lotsa bad about them , and then others have run them for years with no complaints. any input greatly appreciated.
thanks all  |
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andyf Expert

Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Posts: 558 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:24 am Post subject: |
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I've used them for years without any problems. GM Performance has used them on crate motors and carries them in their catalog so that tells you that the engineers there have some confidence in them. Mopar Performance also sells them. _________________ Andy F.
AR Engineering |
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melsie68 Pro

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 282 Location: MD
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:36 am Post subject: |
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Had one on a crank that broke. I should say it wasn't a total failure. Just had violent shaking and vibration. Took the crank out and threw it in the shed. A couple years later I was going to use it in a truck motor and when they fluxed it, they saw it was cracked. I was pushing the limits of the crank but who knows- there are so many variables. It was a 3.48o stroke in a 360cid SBC regularly turning 7500. It ran a long time before the trouble. I know guys that have used them for years as well without troubles.
On another note: it is to my limited knowledge that Nascar teams use mainly ATI dampers. It is hard not to do what they do...  _________________ 1968 Camaro, tagged, insured
pump gas LS stroker 404cid
th400, 3.89 gear, drag radial, footbrake
10.110 @ 133.49, 1.455 60' |
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jacksoni Pro

Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 434 Location: Maryland
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nevdos Member

Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 137 Location: DENVER
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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| i guess im wondering if anyone here can directly attribute a direct failure to the balancer in any way? |
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bigjoe1 Show Guest

Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 2758 Location: santa ana calif-92703
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject: balancer |
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| I took a 2500 dollar L A Billet crank out of the box, there was a bright yellow paper in there with it. It said " under NO circumstances should a fluid type balancer be used with the crankshaft". I have NEVER used one since. Enough said. JOE SHERMAN RACING |
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modifiedracer New Member

Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 36
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| When I was talking to Scat about there cranks. They told me not to put a fluid dampners on there crank. I know alot of guys use them. |
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JuicedBu New Member

Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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| What ATI Superdampers made out of? They aren't filled with fluid right? |
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EngineTech1 Expert

Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 621
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| ATI is the way to go if you are serious. They use elastomer rings that you can get with different durometer ratings depending on the application. They can also be rebuilt. Go to a NHRA event sometime and look what kind of dampers you see on the high end cars. |
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highVE Expert

Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 793 Location: Woonsocket, RI
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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Fluid dampners blow A$$!!
Don't use them!! If their not in a controlled envirement, and they get cold, the fluid will crystalize and reak havack on the motor. I wouldn't pay $5 for one. Use an ATI and never think twice!
Mike Theroux
www.mikesportingservice.com _________________ There is never enough time!! |
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Robert Kane Pro

Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 264
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| highVE wrote: | Fluid dampners blow A$$!!
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Mike, could you be a little more emphatic in making your point please? Lol.
I have primarily used ATI damper, but in a few engines where the customer supplied it have used a Fluidamper, and in one instance did have a cold weather vibration, and some premature front main wear. I didn't flux the crank because it wasn't being reused. I also recently read the disclaimer with a new crank regarding dampers. If I am not mistaken, I believe Reher-Morrison recommend using an ATI balance.
Robert |
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nevdos Member

Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 137 Location: DENVER
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:05 am Post subject: |
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| i have a pro race sfi all steel balancer for a 400/350 with removable counterweight(unbolts out of center) if i remove this is there any any problem with those to anyones knowledge?thanks |
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Barbapapa Pro

Joined: 12 Nov 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Dacula, GA
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:23 am Post subject: |
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| modifiedracer wrote: | | When I was talking to Scat about there cranks. They told me not to put a fluid dampners on there crank. I know alot of guys use them. |
Moldex also recommends against fluid dampers. I wonder what these crank manufacturers have seen? |
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RW TECH Guru

Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 1579 Location: DETROIT, MI
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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Copy/pasted from my earlier post:
Ford FRT (aka SVO or Motorsport) has a 3-bolt damper that comes with a removable weight. It's a decent piece and cost is fair.
Ford may have more offerings than the one I'm suggesting, but the one I have in mind is the P/N M-6316-C351. A few years ago I was able to participate in damper testing at Ford, and this piece performed well.
I've had a couple of these in a severe application for longer than I care to admit with zero problems.
ATI was good above 5K RPM (it was exceptional once it started to really work), but the SVO part seemed to do a little better at lower speed & was good up high too.
Viscous fluid type damper would not repeat (function of temperature), clutch-style dampers were horrible, and a popular elastometer damper (as received from the supplier-their recommendation) fell apart during testing.
Failed part was actually too light & did not have enough mass to do it's job. Ball bearing style seemed to do well in near steady state conditions but had traumas during RPM sweeps.
Speculations were that no failure would've occurred had the damper been properly matched to the application, which in this case was a typical short oval track engine. |
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