Help with Damper Timing Marks

[51dsoto]

Hi,

I've been picking up great info from this website for a while. I'm sure this will be an easy mystery to solve.

I'm rebuilding a 200 from a 1981 Fairmont to drop into my 65 Falcon. With cylinder 1 at TDC, the original damper didn't line up with the timing cover mark. Visually it looks like maybe the rubber has shifted. When I check the damper from the Falcon's original 170, it does line up with the timing cover mark. So, I bought a replacement from the Damper Doctor. It has the timing mark at a totally different location. There is also a wide notch that I'm not sure what it's supposed to be (at the 8:00 position). Here's a picture of the three different dampers

I'm assuming the 170 damper is correct and the others are wrong. Is there something I'm missing? Did something change with the basic engine construction over the years?

Any help here is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[bubba22349]

What front cover are you using? You would need to use a late model cover with the late model damp. The wide notch is also a timing mark it is not usally used as requires special timing equip. (IE emissions testing) and mounted to the round hole timing mark found lower (later models). Also you have to use the late style lower pulleys with the late damper too they are four bolt instead of early 3 bolt).

 

[51dsoto]

I'm using the 81 timing cover, timing tab and pulleys. My confusion is why the pulley damper mark isn't lining up with the timing tab at TDC. I'm using all the late model parts. I tested the 170 pulley because I know that pulley was correct on the 170 engine.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[bubba22349]

Do you have picture of the location of your timing tabs? On my 77 250 (should be same as the 81 200) the Round one is on the left side (used with the wide notch at 8:00) and the timing tab with TDC and advance degree marks is on the right (used with narrow mark at about 2:00.

 

[51dsoto]

The tab on the 200 is the same location as on the 170 (around 1:00). The damper that came on the 200 didn't have the big notch in it.

I know the engine is at TDC (or really close). I'm just trying to figure out any reason why the timing mark would be so far off.

 

[bubba22349]

That would be the correct on location of the timing tab on right so if the damper mark is wrong (the small mark) on that rebuilt you have a couple of chooses. You either remark the damper at the true location of TDC for your engine or send it back and get another one. They must have assembled the outer ring in wrong location when they rebuilt it.