Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hi,
I'm reinstalling the harmonic balancer on my '55. It was taken off at the machine shop so I am not completely familiar with the process. It has the power steering pulley still attached.
The rental installer tools from the auto part stores use an 3/4"-16 insert to fit into the snout of the crank, but the insert fits into a larger diameter bolt that does not pass through the hole for the power steering pulley. So it wont work as specified.

I was able to get around this by using the bolt for the harmonic damper remover from the kit. It is the right thread size and by using the bearing with the kit plus a new Grade 8 nut and washer plus a 'spacer' (1" diam galvanized pipe nipple) this worked. The spacer was there to allow me to get a wrench on the nut.

It worked really well although the galvanized pipe did not handle the compression very well....

My question: I have tightened the damper to the point where I remember it being relative to the timing marks attached to the timing chain cover. But there is still ~3/16" gap before the damper will bottom out against the crank. If I go that far, it seems like it will be very hard to see the timing mark on the damper as it will be behind the lip of the timing values on the timing chain cover.
Is this right? Should I just switch to the actual crank bolt and torque to the proper specs? Or is there some spacer etc missing? Seems like I would want to tighten the damper until it bottoms up.

Don't want to screw this part up. Thanks
Bob

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The hub of the damper should bottom against the timing gear and oil slinger located inside the timing case cover. If both those objects are present and installed correctly the damper will be at the proper depth and can't slide back any so the bolt can torque down. The more important in/out distance to consider is the fan and generator belt groove alignment rather than the indicator mark relationship.

The photo shows it is seated all the way. It seats at the back, inside the timing cover. Just for reference for other folks who may stumble across this thread in the future, the PS pulley is merely wedged into the balancer and can easily be pried out. If you are going for a painfully correct show restoration, the balancer should be engine color and the PS pulley black.

One other thing to consider: the damper hub is press-fit on the crank snout. Engines like Chevy do this too. The bolt torque is significant (160lb-ft?) which is what is used on Pontiacs too, but their hub/snout is slip fit. This is a belt & suspenders approach typical of Packard, but only one (press or torque) is necessary.

Craig

When pulling down the harmonic balancer, it's better to have the PS/AC pulleys off and out of the way. Once it's bottomed, then install the accessory pulleys and do the final torque down.

If one is concerned about the timing mark visibility, just cut it full width on the damper with a three-cornered file. Then paint it with white paint.

jack vines

Thanks for the feedback. I did try to pry the PS pulley off but it wouldn't budge and I felt I was going to distort it so stopped. Maybe I should have tried harder as it would have made all of this so much easier. Next time..

I put the water pump and pulley on to check alignment with the damper and it looks like it all lines up just right.

Before I put the damper on, i poked around in the recess of the timing cover. There was a spacer/bushing around the crank that was loose. I could tap it with a screwdriver and it would wobble. I assumed that it was group 5.04095 from Parts plate No. 28 and that the damper shaft would press against it when in place.
Does that sound right?

thanks again to all for your quick responses.
-Bob

p.s. my apologies to the purists for my black damper. It was a lot easier to use a Hirsch Chassis spray paint, then brush paint the ivory engine enamel...

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If timing chain cover was removed for any reason then besure to loosen the timing cover bolts to allow the seal to cenntralize on the snout of the damper.