harmonic balancer ?

hello friends , I have a 470 ci buick built a while ago . I suspect a leak coming from front cover seal . Upon inspection I have noticed a small groove in the the balancer were it meets the seal , stock buick balancer , ta performance timing cover . Can I change to a new balancer without screwing with engine balance ?

 

you get a sleeve.....much cheaper. Get the correct seal for it too

https://www.bopengineering.com/buick_v8.shtml

 

$8 for Chevy at Summit; $35 for Buick at BOP.

If a guy could find the Fel-Pro or Timkin part number, I bet you could source them much less expensively.

 

TIMKEN KWK99176

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tmk-kwk99176

 

Didnt know the chevy was the same diameter.......never needed one for our motors b4, just quickly looked it up cause I knew someone had to make it

 

National 99200

 

I would replace the balancer and the seal. If the balancer is 40-50 years old, it should be replaced anyway.

 

I should think that if you send your balancer to a rebuild shop that the balace value would remain the same. If you have mallory weights pressed in the holes of the balancer you may want to remove them before sending off the unit. Make sure you mark where they go and re-install when you get it back.

http://www.hbrepair.com/

 

Thanks for the advice , I guess the big question is can I buy an aftermarket or stock replacement damper from ta without having issues with balance of engine. My stock balancer has no added weight to it . Are these motors internal or external balance ? I don't mind sleeving or rebuilding but if I can just buy new and call it a day I will .

 

Buick engines are external balance, done the crappy way--by custom-balancing the external parts. The proper way would be to specify a standardized offset weight for the damper and/or flywheel/flexplate, (preferably "zero", but any figure within reason would work for Grandma and Grandpa) then take whatever additional weight is needed off the crankshaft.

Buick cost cutting, just like the horrible center-of-mass balancing of the connecting rods.