Wrapping up the swap, I went to install the balancer and crank pulley last night and noticed....

I put the balancer on the crank and used the bolt to slide it into position. Well, when the bolt stopped (now flush with the front edge of the crank shaft, it's not fully into the timing cover. Looking at the back of the balancer, there's about 1/4 inch of travel left to go, but like I said, the bolt has stopped. The pulley and crank shaft are flush inside where the bolt goes. The bolt can't go anymore.

The crank CAN'T be 1/4 inch FORWARD can it? I don't think so. The timing cover is NEW from Jegs. I don't have the old one to measure off of. (Thinking the cover might not be right.)

Could I maybe have mixed up the parts and I'm using the old I-6 harmonic balancer? Is that even possible? And that's why it's to short?

 

The harnonic balancer for the V8's has a cutout in the back of it in one spot. It's inbalanced to balance the engine.

You have a very early style with 3 bolt holes that holds the pulley on with a 28oz inbalance.

You have a 28oz inbalance with 4 bolt holes for the pulley.

Then you have the later (after about 1983) 50oz inbalance damper with 4 bolt holes.

 

Just checked. I have the exact same balancer that we removed for the rebuild. It's the 4 bolt.

Basically, it's the same block, crank, and balancer from the start. I can't figure out why it doesn't fit correctly.

The only thing different here is the timing cover.

 

Can you find something and push the damper on a little bit more? It should bottom out on the slinger in front of the timing chain lower sprocket. If it won't go in anymore, it must be home. So long as the seal surface on the damper is inside the cover seal, it shouldn't leak. You could also trial fit some of the pulleys to see if it's home.