While taking off my harmonic balancer on my 1972 455, I did not have one of the H.B. puller's screws far enough into the balancer and the bolt chipped off alittle piece of the balencer. It was a chip, with the first set of hole threads. I can still screw the bolts back into it with no problem, but I was just wondering if that will have any ill affects on the balancer, or should I just get a new one. And if so, does anyone have any recommendations on which to get? I looked around and saw them ranging anywhere from $50.00 to $500.00! Quite a range.

 

I hate to be a rigger, but your crank is balanced to the HB and/or vice versa. My HB looked like it was beat on with a hammer so I replace it with one off ebay for a totol of about $15 before the rebuild. I thought I would replace my crank pully for the same reasion. After being sold the wrong one I just put my old one on. Moral to that story - I would just bolt it up and let it ride.

 

I'd just run it if it's not spun. I slapped a non matching balancer and a non degreed cam in my daily driver, and it ran 14.7's all summer with the points distributor.
No big deal in my opinion if it's just a regular ol' motor.
Oh yeah, the flex plate isn't right either. Boo hoo. (can you tell I'm not sad?)

 

P.S.
My DD is a stock 72 BB as well.

On my other non stock drag strip motor, I was swearing up a storm when I put a little crack in the flexplate after the machine shop had already balanced it.

 

you removed a tiny amount of metal from the hub, right? not the balancer ring?

if so, don't even give it a second thought-run it.


bill

 

Awesome, thanks for all the input. Just one last thing I don't have to spend money on!

 

O.k. another question...once I got everything off and checked out the timing set, I noticed that (facing the engine) the left side of the chain is very taught, while the right side is very flimsy. Is that correct? My first venture into this stuff, and I want to make sure before I put everything back on. The gears themselves look very good, no cracked teeth or anything, I am just concerned about the chain itself.

 

If it's that stupid p.o.s. nylon gear, go get a new set.
Those things suck. Make sure you note where the 2 dots are on your gears before removing, and line them up on your new set as well.

 

as j said, if the timing set has any nylon parts, replace the whole set, since you're in there anyway. one side of the chain will have more load on it than the other, usually. too much play is a sign of impending disaster. use a good quality timing set. you could spin the engine over so the timing marks are straight in the vertical plane before you remove the chain.


bill