I have been driving my 60 around town quite a bit lately. Drove about 100+ miles today and pulled into the back yard to get under a shade tree to look things over. I shut it off, checked the oil and was going to check the refrigerant pressure. I started it up, the belt squealed and it started to make a hell of a racket. I shut it off to find the crankshaft damper (harmonic balancer) in two pieces. The power steering pulley kept it from coming all the way apart or I might of had a radiator to repair as well.

I took the belts off and zip tied the loose pulley to the power steering pulley and put it back in the garage. Not a good way to end an otherwise enjoyable Saturday.

I guess I will start looking for a new one, not something you pick up at the discount stores.

 

New ones aren't easy to find either. I got mine through Falcon Global, they have an Ebay store. It's a nice Australian made piece but they aren't cheap. I think John Mummert sells the same one.
They are the only suppliers I know of.

 

Yep. They are excellent, nicely made. About $225 bones, delivered. At least it failed gracefully in your driveway, don't complain! It wasn't damping any vibrations for quite some time however. Can lead to broken crankshaft!

There are damper rebuilding services too but don't know how that pencils out. You may have to go this route if you have the dual pulley damper? Not sure on that. Here's a stock single pulley:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=171119313455

 

It is the single and I have the power steering pulley that bolts on the front. Mummert has never steered me wrong, so I will likely go that route. Many Thanks.

 

Wow!! That could have been real ugly. Good that you made it home safely.

 

That was a close one. Here's the one previously mentioned:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F100-car-292-damper-balancer-1955-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-63-64-Mercury-312-/171119313455?hash=item27d781822f&vxp=mtr

 

Having the power steering pulley on there kind of kept everything from coming completely apart.

I pulled the radiator today and took the old one off. Sure am glad I used the never seize back in 2005.

I plan to call John Mummert tomorrow and either order it from him or the guys on Ebay. Seems it is the same part.

 

check damper dudes and damper doctor

 

Here is what I learned talking to John Mummert. The damper used in 1960 was only used for one year. It was abandon due to inherent design problems. The weight and the pulley were made in one piece instead of two and that made them more susceptible to failure. I will post a picture of mine. The other design is much better, so I chose to buy one of the new ones from John instead of having my old one rebuilt. John assures me that the "better design" works fine on the 1960 Y-Block.

 

Pictures of the old one. I will post pics of the new one when I get it.

 

I'm a bit confused. That looks like a typical 2 piece that comes apart when the rubber deteriorates.

Glad you bought the new one, you will be happy with it. I have one on my 57 and another on a 61 engine.

 

Here are photo's of the two side by side. I much prefer the new design as it can't come apart. Driving again!!! Engine seems smoother. AC and alternator also see happier.

 

C3TZ-6312-E .. Single Sheave Harmonic Balancer 1957/63 / Obsolete

Scroll down to 6312 to see parts catalog description.

GRIESEL MOTOR CO. in Okarche OK has 1 = 405-263-7242.

 

 

If you are doing the exact same thing, replacing one where the pulley itself is the damper with the one where the pulley is actually a part of the hub, with a mass behind it, then you will need a different timing pointer. If yours is more or less the same as the replacement, then the current pointer should work, assuming it is correct.
Pulley as the damper requires a pointer with multiple points and the pointer has the timing marks. The damper itself will have only 1 mark.
Pulley a part of hub with mass behind requires a single point pointer and the marks will be on the damping mass.