Possible to install ‘wrong’ balancer?

[///Matt]

been searching but can’t find an answer...

Is it possible to install a “for cast crank only” balancer onto a forged crank (440), and vice versa?

Not that I want to install a ‘wrong’ one, I just want to rule out or find possibility that my car has the “wrong” damper on it.

I’m also finding vague and conflicting information about 76+ RV motors as possibly having one crank or the other, though still using a “cast only” balancer. It’s confusing.

 

[ridgerunner962]

been searching but can’t find an answer...

Is it possible to install a “for cast crank only” balancer onto a forged crank (440), and vice versa?

Not that I want to install a ‘wrong’ one, I just want to rule out or find possibility that my car has the “wrong” damper on it.

I’m also finding vague and conflicting information about 76+ RV motors as possibly having one crank or the other, though still using a “cast only” balancer. It’s confusing.

Yes it is possible. I bought a charger years ago. It had just a slight vibration when you rev it up. I checked the numbers. It was a 69 383 with steel crank "internal balance" but it had cast crank balancer. I changed the balancer to a internal balance. Problem solved. Smooth as silk when revved up.

 

[///Matt]

Perfect.

I found some more info suggesting that RV motors (which i’m pretty certain mine is) generally had forged cranks and “6-pack rods”... guess I’m boogered into pulling the oil pan and being sure. I hate breaking seals that don’t leak, haha.

But if it’s a forged crank, I’d rather put a forgrd crank balancer on it.

 

[khryslerkid]

You can check for weights/no weights on the torque converter. Easier than pulling the pan. If you have a bore scope you can check through the drain plug hole for the type of crank. There's a difference in appearance between the cast and forged just by looking at them.

Are you having any vibration problems? If not, you probably have the right dampner.

 

[///Matt]

You can check for weights/no weights on the torque converter. Easier than pulling the pan. If you have a bore scope you can check through the drain plug hole for the type of crank. There's a difference in appearance between the cast and forged just by looking at them.

Are you having any vibration problems? If not, you probably have the right dampner.

I do have vibration... many. hard to nail down between motor, trans, driveshaft, tires....

 

[Bad Sport]

If you have a bore scope you can check through the drain plug hole for the type of crank.

Yes, that's the ticket.

I bought one that hooks to my smart phone (even has a lighted end), handy little tool.

 

[33 IMP]

I believe there are three different damper weights, not counting the thick hemi balancers. There is, no counterweight, for standard rod forged crank, heavy counterweight for cast crank also using a weight on the converter, and one with smaller counterweight for forged crank with heavy "six pack" rods. I don't think the heavy rod motors use weight on the converter, but I may be wrong about that.
I don't know how to tell if you have a heavy rod motor, other than physical I nspection.

 

[khryslerkid]

http://www.440source.com/dampers.htm

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/bb/50.html

 

[///Matt]

Thanks guys. I know which balancer it has... just gonna have to get into it and be sure what internals it has.

I did find (under paint) the deck stamp, which, as best I can decode, indicates it was originally a cast crank based on the “e”, but I could easily be wrong or it could have been changed out at some point.

 

[khryslerkid]

It could have been changed. The "E" does stand for cast crank. Check for weights on the torque converter.

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/motor/36.html

 

[1968rt]

Buy a small bore camera for you phone and look in through the oil drain plug hole. It about $20