balancer needed?

[XFlow_Fairlane]

I was wondering if it is manditory to run a balancer or could I run a solid pulley without bad problems? reason I ask is have access to large chunks of billet and a lathe and was thinking of making some micro rib pulleys

 

[rmt]

I don't think it would be very wise to run with no harmonic balancer. It would probably seem fine at first, right up to the point when the crank breaks or some other catastrophic failure. Even if the engine is fully balanced I don't think it would be a good idea. They are actually quite important.

 

[Anonymous]

Alot of people run underdrive pulleys(smaller/lighter) whatever floats your boat.

I've read enough information for me not to run an underdrive pulley, but at the same time, it seems like alot of the damage comes from the accessories being run slower for the sacrifice of horsepower.

I would however, run a pulley that was the same size as the stocker just lighter. No accessories are underdriven at all and it stays constant. I do not see why it would not work. I doubt it would break your crank, but crazier things have happened before.

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

I thought the aussie crossflows didn't have one? my 2.3L motor didn't have one either....just a solid pulley. I wasn't looking for underdrives as much as lighter pulleys for a flat belt.

 

[MustangSix]

There have been many successful engine designs that had no damper. You "could" run a small six with no damper, but in the long run the harmonics would probably reduce engine life and you may even notice an increase in noise.

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

as far as shorter life it just wouldn't be a 100K motor then right? the other option I am looking at is turning down the stock pulley and bolting a new one onto the balancer puller holes.

 

[MustangSix]

Are you thinking of a serpentine belt arrangement? Maybe one of the damper rebuilders could remove the pulleys and bond a serpentine drive onto the damper.

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

hmmm...I guess I could turn down the v grooves (leaving a steel flat behind) and have a press fit AL sleeve to put over it? I kinda would like to avoid driving the acessories off the dampner they way they do putting all the load on teh rubber and would rather have a solid drive off the crank

 

[Junk-Falcon]

ppp

 

[MustangSix]

If you want to drive a serpentine off the center of the balancer, you could leave the pulley intact so that it still acts as a harmonic damper, but add a machined "hat" over it which would bolt to the center. Imagine a water pump puller that was large enough to fit over the balancer and you get the idea. The diameter would be slightly larger but that shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[63redtudor]

Going along MustangSix's idea, many vehicles with A/C had such an add-on for the A/C pump. My '79 300 came out of a truck with A/C & had such an add-on, it bolted onto the front of the balancer & used a standard V-belt.
Edwin

 

[xzerokidx]

you could always run a smaller lighter pulley on the crank and a bigger pulley on the alternator to compensate the loss, so you would still have less roational mass on the crank and add some HP...