Four Four Tony

A number of years ago I bought what was supposed to be a 1968 350 short block off a friend of mine. Somewhere along the line I noticed the harmonic balancer was larger than a typical Olds balancer. Luckily, I took a few pictures of it back then because now I haven't been able to lay my hands on it. I could swear my friend needed it back but he has no recollection of that so I'm not sure where it went. Anyway, it's always been in the back of my mind to post a pic to see if anyone knew what it was. It was larger than normal but not "W-31 large".

I've recently started to rebuild that engine and found it's a 1970 350 (by the VIN stamping) with the lower compression pistons offered that year. So it wasn't any sort of performance engine from the factory. I believe there was a thicker harmonic balancer installed on 350 standard transmission models around the 1972 model year (I had one of those balancers a long time ago) but this isn't one of those. This one was normal thickness but larger OD than typical. I vaguely recall reading that there was a larger OD balancer used in 1968 on non-W31's but I could be hallucinating.

The picture isn't the best but it's the only one I can find of it. Anyone recognize this thing?

Octania

std issue 68-70 pretty much all Olds V8 I believe. Stepped OD.

Four Four Tony

Really? This is the only 68-70 350 I've seen in years so I can't say for sure but I've had a few big blocks and none of them had a balancer that large. Maybe only the 68-70 350 had the stepped balancer?

Octania

Database from out back says

PN 406541
Balancer, HarBal
68-69 400 Eng.; 68-70 4400 S.T. or O.A.I.; 68-72 455;

This must be the STEPPED-OD unit often seen on 1968-69-70 Engines -RS

And a fine unit to be sporting!

Funkwagon455

All of my '70 455s have not had this stepped balancer, my spare disassembled '70 350 has a stepped balancer, just my experience.

Four Four Tony

Here's the balancer on my 69 400. No step there. I'm beginning to believe the stepped ones were for 350 engines only.

jensenracing77

This style was only on the small block.