Harmonic balancer question
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Harmonic balancer question
I am in the process of turning my 351M into a 400. Will the balancer off the 351M work? The motor is from a 1979 Ford F150 4x4. It has 4 speed Trans. Thanks in advance for any info.
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From: Franklin, GA
If my memory is correct, the engines came from the factory with different dampners. Everything I have seen lately in the aftermarket parts world offers one type dampner for both engines. If it was mine I would look for a 400 dampner if an original is what is wanted. Or I would get a good quality new aftermarket "multifit" unit. I don't think I would chance installing an original 351M dampner on a 400 engine.
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From: Okla.
I have went though 4 of these things and now have one that is SFI certifed. As lone as you get a 28oz you will be fine, they come in 50oz they are for efi motors. the 28oz from a 302,351w,351c,351m,400 are all some. If you want the bearings to wear the some have it balanced. It will make the motor last 3 times as long.
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Jegs Balancer
I called Jegs and they sell the same balancer for the 351M and the 400. If I use an aftermarket do I have to balance the engine? I did not want to spend the extra money. The cam I am going to use is the Comp EX256. It is good from 1200 to 5200. I plan on running a rev limiter to keep the engine from turning more than 5000. Thanks for any info.
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From: Okla.
You do not have to balance the motor but it would make the motor last longer. That sounds like a good cam. I have a 265/275 in my 351m it works good. I have ARP boilts in the mains and rods, this is a good investment if you don't want to though a rod,or even take that chance. If you send the money on boilts you do not need a rev limiter, mine has been to 6500rpm with no problems. I have ran this motor for about 6 years, with two new sets rering kits, not that it needed it I just like to make sure its ok.
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From: L O U I S I A N A
OK, so what if you would get the crank and everything balanced................. what harmonic balancer would you have to use?
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From: Okla.
You have to have a harmonic balancer to get everything balanced, I have a professional products sfi aproved fluid balancer. You can find them on ebay about 115.-135.00 if you go to a parts store they can run around 275.00 that is what I've seen.
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Engines are semi balanced from the factory. When the parts come down the line they are in matched sets. A lot of reman engines do not have matched parts in them. That is one of the reasons a reman engine never seems to run as well as a factory engine. A balanced engine runs smoother, rev's quicker, and lasts longer.
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Thanks for all the info. All the enternal parts should be in next week. Then off to the machine shop. Will post just as soon as I get it fired up and running. Looking forward to seeing how the 400 runs. Long live Fords.
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From: Eastern Pa
If you balance the rotating assy and you do it with the damper and flywheel/flexplate then you will be limited should you ever have to change either of those parts for any reason. If you get the assy balanced without the damper and flywheel, then you shoud have them spun separately to make them nuetral. That way if you ever replace one you can just get a nuetral balance part and still be in balance.. Caution on the fluid dampers, if this is for street driver that you plan to use for a number of years without having to tear down don't use one unless you replace it every year or two. They use a silicone like substance inside which in time will begin to coagulate (spelling?) and stay in one spot, then you will be out of balance in a bad way. I looked into to one during my build and talked to one of the manufacturers and that was what they reluctantly told me as well. They are the best for racing engines but not for the long haus on a street engine.
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From: Rodeo, Ca.
Originally Posted by tastyklair
If you balance the rotating assy and you do it with the damper and flywheel/flexplate then you will be limited should you ever have to change either of those parts for any reason. If you get the assy balanced without the damper and flywheel, then you shoud have them spun separately to make them nuetral. That way if you ever replace one you can just get a nuetral balance part and still be in balance.. Caution on the fluid dampers, if this is for street driver that you plan to use for a number of years without having to tear down don't use one unless you replace it every year or two. They use a silicone like substance inside which in time will begin to coagulate (spelling?) and stay in one spot, then you will be out of balance in a bad way. I looked into to one during my build and talked to one of the manufacturers and that was what they reluctantly told me as well. They are the best for racing engines but not for the long haus on a street engine.
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From: iowa
thats a good point switching a external balanced engine to internal balance will cost you 4 times as much, and with the current price of mallory metal, it might even be more than that. when I had my cleveland balanced last year I had the added weight done internal but used external balance flexplate, and balancer that weigh if one of them failed I didn't have to rebalance the engine, but if you let them weld on the flexplate or flywheel it has to be rebalanced to replace it, the difference in cost was $100 more, but to go full internal balance it would have cost me $600 more.