Wanted:. 1986 V6 harmonic balancer

[PK]

I am after a new one really and in my dream world the GM performance version that stops me having to do this all again in another 32/33 years time!

Cheers
PK

[Fierofool]

New Fiero Balancers are no longer available.  Though there are several balancers that will fit and work, the Fiero is the only vehicle that had the timing mark on the left side.  All other 2.8, 3.1, and 3.4 engines had the timing mark on the right side.  With any of them, you would need to have a new timing mark cut for the Fiero.

[PK]

Just had a good trawl through PFF.  Lots of conflicting info over neutrally balanced or not depending on year and also many differing part numbers.

I am going to check my enjun number vin .. think you said above starter? To make sure enjun is definitely '86 as it has engraved plenum.

There is one OEM on eBay... And it's the GM pinned version I think.  Will see if damper doc gets back to me.

[GTRS Fiero]

I have not heard back from them.

[Fierofool]

If you can't see the VIN on the block, assuming they used the flywheel that might have been on an engine swap, and your inspection plate is off at the bottom of the bellhousing, you can pull the coil wire and slowly rotate the engine and look for counterweights on the flywheel.  An 88 engine and flywheel won't have counterweights.

Some thoughts on a pinned harmonic balancer.  There is a rubber cushion between the outer ring and the center hub.  That rubber cushion is there to take up shock.  If the outer ring is pinned to the center hub, there is nothing to absorb shock.  If the shock absorber isn't needed, why didn't they just make a solid harmonic balancer?  I'm no automotive engineer, but that's my logic on the subject. 

[PK]

From stuff on PFF people with 86s have reported with and without weights on the balancer.  I will definitely have a look at mine.

I guess the lines pinned balancers still have the rubber damping capability but also has an anchor to stop rotation of outer on inner.

Nothing back from damper doc yet and not good if gtrs heard noubt! His online contact form was a bit weird, it didn't give any confirmation that the message had sent.  Will give it a few days and then try to find an email address.

Thanks for the advice.

[PK]

I found an email address for damper doc so will try that.

A friend has a very rare car and made his own silicone vibes using the old metal shell.  This process may work on the old harmonic balancer but positioning would obviously be critical.

[PK]

The code above starter says "820L" and underneath that "22".

Haynes tells me where the engine number is but no information on coding.  Can anyone advise please?

[PK]

Also asked around about rebuilding my original... No luck. 

I rotated the enjun whilst feeling the inside edge of the balancer.... It does not have the metal rectangular "weight" cast into the harmonic balancer spoke by the keyway.

[Fierofool]

I don't know if the balancer has any weights on it, or not.  What I had referred to is on the flywheel.  As you rotate the engine, you should be able to see rectangular weights cast or welded onto the back of the flywheel if it's an 87 or prior year V6 and again that's assuming that the flywheel is original to the engine.  If it has the wrong flywheel, the engine won't last very long due to vibration from being out of balance.

[PK]

Thanks FF.  From this post on pff http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20110502-2-104579.html  it suggests that all V6 Harmonic balancers/dampers are neutrally balanced and used on both int & ext balanced cranks!!  So why the lump by the keyway on the Harmonic balancer on some and not others and doesn't seem to even be year dependent!!

Anyways if I can't work out the year from that code by the starter I'm not going to worry about it.

The damper doctor did get back to me after I dug up an email address rather than online form.... The reply had 5.5 words that seem to be in no particular order but I have replied and will hopefully get a response!

[TopNotch]

On the engines with external balanced crankshifts, the flywheel has a weight. The balancer does not.
BTW, you can get a balancer here.

[PK]

 .. Which would make the article incorrect and mean that some 86 enjuns were internally balanced and some externally!!

Damper doctor are the people I'm trying to contact.

[Fierofool]

.. Which would make the article incorrect and mean that some 86 enjuns were internally balanced and some externally!!

Damper doctor are the people I'm trying to contact.

Incorrect.  Only 88 engines were internally balanced.  85-87 V6 engines were externally balanced on the flywheel. 

[PK]

...... Exactly so something doesn't add up.

In the linked thread, Damper doctor said:

INTERNALLY BALANCED DOES NOT HAVE A LUMP OF WEIGHT ON THE BACK OF THE BALANCER

EXTERNALLY BALANCED HAS A LUMP OF WEIGHT ON ONE OF THE FOUR PRONGS. IN THE BACK OF BALANCER.
BOTH ARE SAME PRICE."

In the same thread 86 owners reported Harmonic balancers with and without the "weight".

Rodney was thinking of producing these at some point and I can see why he didn't with all the conflicting information.