I'm gearing up to finish my 302 build and have found myself in a dilemma.

I removed my old balancer from the tired old 302, and it's shot. The elastomer is squeezed out nearly 1/4" on both sides. It's not going in this rebuild. My other 302 balancer from the Mustang is slightly different appearance. It also has a chip broken off one of the ears. What idea has anyone got for this Mustang balancer. I have the pics of the 2 balancers and you see the diference.

Mustang balancer, notice chip broken off lower mounting ear


Truck 302 balancer, notice difference of casting holes.


My other question just involves finding a suitable replacement. I was going to order the Ford Racing balancer, which includes the timing pointer, but states that it does NOT have degree markings. Why is that? Can someone clear that up by saying it really does and it's a Summit Racing misprint? Even the Dorman balancers state they don't have degree markings either. Summit Racings' balancer does, and it's more than Ford Racing balancer. That's just plain weird.

I guess long story short is this..What worked for you? I would love to reuse old stuff, even the one off my current engine, but I can't afford it to be down while I finish this rebuild. I need it to be drop in ready. The new water pump installed in October of 2011 is already leaking out the plate side of the pump, where those thin head 17 MM bolts are, which is the 2nd pump, 1st was reman and 2nd was new and they both have done this.

 

I don't see the problem with the truck balancer in that picture. The broken ear ? Not sure I'd use that if I had a better balancer available. If I did, I'd make sure to loctite that bolt. The balancers without timing marks are intended to fit multiple applications, between 69 and 70, Ford changed the waterpump inlet from passenger side to drivers side, that required moving the timing marks on the balancer. To use one of these, you'll need to find TDC, then apply timing tape to the balancer. As for your waterpump leaks, I've never had one leak there, might need to look at your install technique ? You need two gaskets there, one on each side of the backing plate to seal it. I also apply a thin film of RTV to both sides of the gaskets before assembly to insure they seal the impefections in the sealing surfaces. And make sure the gasket fits the pump and timing cover. Also that the pump fits the cover used. Some pumps can be bolted up to most covers, but the sealing flanges do not match up.

 

Truck balancer has 6 casting holes, that don't go through the balancer and the Mustang only has one. It looks like I'm gonna have to do more on Ebay or Summit as the current truck balancer is not gonna work since the elastomer is squeezed out nearly a 1/4" on each side and my other 2 are flush with sides of the balancer.

thanks baddad457 for your help.

 

Those holes are there to fine tune the imbalance of the counterweight. They don't affect the performance of the part.

 

Hey timbersteel do you have a u pullit yard near you maybe you could find a decent balancer there maybe just a thought brother.

 

Ford has come out with technical bulletins saying that a fair bit of cracking and/or extruding of the rubber in the dampers is acceptable.

If you do decide to replace it, try to find an identical stock unit. There are a lot of variations with distance of pulley mounting surface to timing cover, location of timing marks, bolt count, and imbalance weight (and probably more that I haven't thought of).

 

X 2 on this. But as far as pulley offset, there are only two, one for the 4 bolt, another for the three bolt. Imbalance changed for the 302/5.0 in 1981 from 28 to 50 oz/in. Timing marks ? Again, one set for the 3 bolt, a different location for the 4 bolt. There is also another variation for the Maverick/Comet unit that I've heard, never seen it myself though, had to do with the different timing pointer used in these cars