Ugh....What did I possibly hurt???.....

Pull that engine out and go 350

 

You laugh Mark, if I would've sprung for the power adder version of the fitech, I'd be tempted to throw a few hair driers on an SBB....

 

I would very carefully inspect the balancer hub. That unit is a press fit, unless someone honed the id of the hub too big. If you asked me out of the blue, I would tell you that the bolt is just there for looks.. but if the hub breaks, or, and this is likely, the snout of the crank is worn, then you have a different issue here. Yes, a 2" long 3/4-16 bolt with your OE washer is required. That engagement matches the stock balancer/bolt combo.

If the hub is not broken, then the balancer should be fine for re-use. You need to know the numbers, of both the crank snout od, and the balancer ID, to figure out why it just slipped off, that is not at all something I would expect, if all was as it should be.

JW

 

Thanks for all the input fellas.

Jim,

I had a helluva time getting the balancer on, used an install tool and broke the (albeit cheap) roller bearing that came with the tool. I'll inspect the hub for cracks and mic the crank snout and balancer bore to see where I'm at. Again, thanks for the help.

 

On mine the roller bearing looks like it should fit inside the hub lip, but it doesn't sit all the way down and when I went to.pull mine on it got all deformed. Now I us spacer there or a larger washer so if doesn't go in. If you have some old torrentin bearing from a transfer they can work too

 

I found it interesting that the installer is essentially a 3/4"-16 threaded rod and a nut and Torrington bearing. I would be interested in locating the Torrington bearing as I can find the threaded rod and was thinking I would get a rod coupler for more thread engagement. Any one have a source for the bearing?

Yeah, sorry to hijack.

 

The Romac balancer has a slight press fit- no where near a sbc. Using a couple washers with a liberal coating of grease would be more than sufficient.

 

Check McMaster.

 

Sounds good. I believe that is how I did the last 3.1 gm engine we fooled with.
I will search up the McMaster carr catalog too. If it is cheap maybe but sounds like a pair of washers as I'm not doing it everyday.