Slipped harmonic balancer

[Mercury Mike]

So I figured out my acceleration hesitation, but my harmonic balancer slipped. My distributor doesn't wanna move anymore clockwise, however. I was thinking about putting the #1 wire in the #4 wire slot on the dizzy, so that I could adjust the timing that way, so that I could have transportation until I get that new balancer. Would I hurt anything by doing this? Or should I totally reset the timing if I'm going to do it that way? Should I reset TDC and then put the #1 spot on the dizzy back to where it's supposed to be? I just need her to run good for awhile until I get a new balancer. Also, is it cheaper to get the old balancer rebuilt, or get a new one? This is the first time this has ever happened to me, and I'm bummed about it! =( Thanks guys.

 

[cfmustang]

Either way works. If you want to do it fast and dirty till you get the new one, moving the wires around the cap is fine. I ended up remarking my balancer for top dead center, but I have been running it that way for about a year now (actually, I am planning on finally ordering a new one this week).

As for rebuilding? Don't know. I was planning on usig Damper Doctor. I believe that a newly rebuilt damper for the 200 is about $115 plus there is a $50 core rebate... Can't beat that with a stick.

 

[Mercury Mike]

You're right about that. Do I have to pull the dizzy to move the wires, or just move them? I just need to be able to move the timing dizzy wise a little bit more clockwise. Thanks for your help!

 

[cfmustang]

You don't even have to take off the cap. Just move all the wires one post around the cap. Make sure you don't get them mixed up. They need to stay in the correct order.

 

[Mercury Mike]

Cool. Do I move #1 towards #5 or #4? The engine sped up when the timing jumped.

 

[Mercury Mike]

Update:

I messed around with it a bit today. Starts good, but I can't get the timing down at all. Once the timing is low and I can set the idle screws, the throttle has very little response. I can get her to sound real nice, though. Once I put her in reverse, she shifts smooth as always, but then once I let off the brakes she takes off like I'm giving her throttle. Same in drive. But when I give her gas in gear, she wants to die. The timing keeps jumping around, too, so until I get that new balancer I probably won't mess with her too much. This old balancer just gave up completely.

I also noticed something new. No matter what the dizzy is set at, as soon as I tighten the hold down on it, the engine speeds up. It seems like all the parts that I didn't replace at the time of the engine replacement are going bad all at once. (I'm using the old Autolite 1100, but I rebuilt it and it's in greaaaaat shape, I didn't change the distributor, but I changed the cap/wires/rotor/condenser/points, and I didn't change the harmonic balancer, and that's the only things I'm using from the old engine). I'm getting really frustrated! If funds weren't such an issue at this point I'd get a rebuilt 2100, 2 bbl adapter, new duraspark II system, and a new high performance balancer. Oh well. One thing at a time. I'm glad my mom's got two POS cars that I can use one for getting around while I work on Sally. (I know, I know.)

 

[cfmustang]

The correct procedure is described here better than I could do it:

http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35308