Built a 302 for the '72 Comet and was ready to fire it up today. Installing the dizzy, I set the balancer timing mark to the timing plate on what I thought was top-dead-center of compression stroke. Would not fire. Long story short. When #1 piston is "accually" at top-dead-center, the timing mark on the balancer is at 5 O'clock position, 180 degrees from the marker on the block. Did Ford make harmonic balancers with the key slot in 2 different position? I've never ran into this kind of problem before. Key slot is in 6 O'clock position when #1 piston is at top-dead-center. Shouldn't the key slot be at 12 O'clock position?????? Hope I explained this well enough. Sopp
"180 degrees from the marker on the block." could be the piston wasn't on compression stroke but exhaust stroke.... ......
Ford made small block balancers with 3 different sets of timing marks (A,B &C) . Most if not all aftermarket balancers only include 2 sets (A&B), so if you are trying to use the factory "Maverick/Comet" timing pointer (on the passenger side of the engine, it will not line up.
No offense (not knowing your knowledge/skill level) but which cylinder are you looking at as number one? Coming from GM's in my past I have to force myself to remember that Ford numbers their cylinders in a different order.
I'll try to respond in propper order: coolvettes: I've owned 3 Corvettes, 1956, 2 1962s, and 25 other chevies. The balancer is a stock Ford item, but may have come from another Ford engine. I have several laying around. It does not show any signs of slipping. 71gold: that's not the problem. According to the balancer I'm getting compression on the downward stroke of the engine. DDB: now we're on to something. I have always used the orriginal balancer with each engine I have rebuilt----all my life----, but this time I'm working on several SBFs at one time. Balancer could be from another engine ( like a dumb $$s, I painted them all Ford blue ). Rick: I have lots of experiences rebuilding SBFs, SBCs, Ford Kents, Ford Flatheads, MGs, Austin Healeys and others over the last 50 years. Big problem is that 5 heart attacks has left me with a bad case of short term memory loss. I can honestly say that I have forgot more about cars than most people will ever know. So it's very possible that I've got the wrong balancer with the wrong engine. NOW THEN, how do I figure out which balancer goes with which engine? I also realize that there are 3 different weighted balancers; 0 0unces, 28 ounces and 50 ounces. I "used to know" all of this, but in searching the deep crevases of my mind------I can't remember which is which. I really appreciate the responses. Hopefully someday I'll be answering questions instead of asking them. I'd have lots of answers if I could Google my brain. Sopp
when you say the key way on the crank is at the 6 o clock position when the pistion is at the top of the bore, something is not right. you are either looking at the wrong piston (should be looking at the front one on the passenger side of the block) or the crank has had the key way cut into the wrong side of it. the balancer is not your problem if the key way is not at 12 o clock when the #1 piston is at tdc.
Bryant, I miss-spoke, or typed. Either way, you are correct, the keyway was at 12 O'clock when #1 is up. I had turned and checked in so many different patterns that I got confused. Anyway, found the correct balancer, put it on, set the dizzy to the propper spot, and she fired right up and sat there and idled:bananaman. I would still like to know all the whys and wherefores of this "better idea". What goes with what and why. If I'm ever able to put all this together, I will post the info. Thanks again for the responses, Sopp
its is inexpensive to externally balance a motor compared to an internally balanced motor. the 28oz was comes from the 60s when these motors were first developed. then in the 80s the 302 was revised. im not sure why they went to 50oz imbalance, maybe it made the crank lighter. the 0 weight balance is for when you have your motor internally balanced. this is best because it addresses the dynamics of weight forces on the crank closer to there source than the balance and flywheel do.
Next time if you're in a bind(and you know the balancer hasn't slipped) You can set up the engine at TDC, bolt up your pointer and apply one of those timing decal that they sell. Just put it so the pointer lines up with the TDC mark on the decal. I believe Mr. Gasket and MSD both make a SBF tape, just double check the balancer diameter to get the correct one.
I had the entire rotating assembly balance, including the balancer and flexplate. If I remember correctly, it was off by only a fraction of an ounce ( a few grams? ). Then for some unknown reason, I took the balancer off and it got miss-placed. I need to remember to only work on 1 engine at a time. This CRS is driving me:bananaman. Those tape-on timing marks would certainly be easier for these old eyes to read. Especially down in a dark engine bay. O'reilly's here I come. Thanks again for all the replies, Sopp
