Need to know why

drtbird

Registered User
I have a 1990 SC. I have broken 3 balancers, could someone tell me why. I'm also looking for a reman., rebuilt or used engine can anyone help.

Thanks
Eric
 
Some reasons for broken balancers...

I broke a few before I got my BHJ... Here are the main reasons you keep breaking them (in my opinion):
1) Ford stock balancers are poorly designed (that's a polite way of saying they're a piece of $h!t)
2) Stock balancers are meant to be installed once. If you remove it and reinstall, or if you install a used balancer (junkyard, bought cheap from someone, etc.) it will fail. The aluminum "sleeve" distorts and weakens when removed and reinstalled. (Been there, done that...)
3) Balancer bolt not torqued properly. Requires 110ft/lbs, best to do in three steps (90, 100, 110).
4) Installation of balancer with used bolt. The bolt will distort when torqued. Used bolts will either break or come loose over time and allow the balancer to "walk" on the crankshaft.

It is worth every penny to get a BHJ balancer. They don't break, and they can be removed and reinstalled if necessary. Just remember to always use a new bolt (BHJ balancers require a slightly longer bolt than stock), and torque it to the proper spec.
 
I will add to what Larry said.

Some SC motors are more prone to problems with balancers than others. I believe that if the internal balance of the motor happens to be poor, it will go through balancers quicker than others.

A balancer performs the function of absorbing harmonics. It does this through the rubber ring that seperates the hub from the balancing ring. The more the motor is out of balance from the factory, the more the crank will "work" at the rubber. The rubber will become work hardened eventually and lose it's ability to absorb harmonics. At this point the balancer becomes solid and ceases to function as a balancer. It now becomes a flywheel which instead of reducing stresses on the crankshaft it amplifies them.

If a car is driven with a bad balancer, and particularly if the balancer actually breaks and comes off, then the crankshaft is subject to severe stress and stands a good chance of breaking.

Used balancers are usually no good from the moment you put them on. If you put on a GOOD used balancer it will usually perform as well as a new OE balancer, the problem is most people don't know how to recognize a good used balancer, and secondly most are not good anyway. The way to tell is to press a small screwdriver into the rubber ring. If it is hard, brittle, cracked or falling apart, it is definitely no good. 90% of all SC dampers fall into this category.

You can buy reman'd balancers for about $150 exchange. I've not heard of any of them failing and they come with a 3 yr warranty.
 
Back
Top