No problem being a new guy, glad to know up front.
“OE” is Original Equipment & OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Yes! You can do this yourself. NO problem.
Just a quick word on damper/balancers.
The fit should be an interference fit of a minor minor amount. Super small. If you can shove the balancer half way on the snout almost 1/2 way down to its seat, it’s junk. If you see the runner between the two balancer rings looking a little bit frayed, splitting, it’s junk. Throw it out and be miles ahead of the game in longevity with a new unit.
About balancers;
The 5.9 is an externally balance engine. The damper is weighted for its specific engine. The 5.2 in an internal balanced engine. You can not swap balancers between the engines.
Earlier 360 engines are also externally balanced but the weights are different than the 5.9. This is because the rods and pistons are lighter. These balancers can not be swapped.
The earlier engines do not have a built into it pulley. Some of the Magnums have this on there balancer.
Below is a Magnum damper you will need to have for use with the older V belt style pulley set up. Notice the he area up top that has some metal missing not allowing a completely flat surface. This provides the balance needed for the 5.9. If there was metal there, or more missing, the engine will not sit steady in the engine bay and rumble on he engine and car as you drive down the road.
Below is a 318 internal balanced damper. It is solid all the way around. You don’t want this one.
You’ll have to go to Summit to see there selection on a balancer for the small block. The one I used goes under the “Pro Parts” brand. I’m comes with 2 weights and screw caps to attach it to the damper. One is for the LA engine and the other is for the Magnum engine. Sorry I can not get a picture of it. It’s on the car and there is no hood picture angle to get. It’s a bright steel color that is painted/powder coated in clear.
VERIFY THIS BEFORE ORDERING
How is the job done?
In order to get the damper off, the required DIY tools are a damper/balancer puller. Also what ever size wrench you need to turn the screw caps to attach it and turn the big main bolt of the tool so run the balancer/damper off the crank.
Below is the style you’ll need to pull the non removable cast in pulley damper/balancer off the crank. The “Claws” will grab the pulley.
(My 2003 - 5.9 has this pulley cast into the balancer.)
On the other damper/balancers, this style below is used.
On this style, simple select one of the attaching screws size to hold it the metal part on the damper face, then run the long screw in. Use a cap, flat or pointed to be installed on its end. This will sit on the crank and not damage it. This one happens to use a 5/8 wrench/socked, what ever to turn it. Make sure the contour part faces inwards so the attaching screws sit flat and flush on the backside.
Installing the damper/balancer can be done several ways and the best one is with a tool that is basically a much longer crank bolt. Others (and myself) have made use of a 2X4 block of wood and a dead blow hammer. The wood is forgiving as well as the dead blow hammer. It should not damage the balancer/damper.
