FE Damper Questions

[chuckbrandt]

Sorry guys, I know this has been asked before but I'm still fairly confused on this issue. I'm building a 427 side oiler for a cobra kit car. I'm trying to decide which of two dampers to use.

I have what I've been told is a 427 damper, it's big, heavy, has just a line for timing (the timing pointer has marks on it), and has an integrated single belt pulley.

I also have a NOS damper that I'm told is for a 390GT / 428 CJ, the nice thing about it is that it has timing marks up to 30d advanced so I can at least eyeball total timing by interpolating to 38d.

I've read that either will work but I still wonder which is better for a cobra. On the other end of the crank I'll have a 29# steel flywheel. I'd estimate (it's at the machine shop) the 427 damper is maybe 2-3# heavier than the 428 one, it's hard to imagine that doesn't make some sort of difference? If so what difference does it make?

Or should I sell all this old stuff and get a new fluid damper of some kind? If so which one is good, from what I've read the "fluidampner" brand needs machine work to fit an FE, and some of the others the timing marks are off.

Thanks for any and all opinions!

Chuck Brandt

[RICK LAKE]

HI CHUCK CALL FFP IN CALI. THEY CAN HELP YOU 562-921-5300 IF YOU CHANGE WIEGHT ON THE DAMPENER , YOU SHOULD HAVE THE CRANK,RODS,PISTONS, FLYWHEEL, AND DAMPENER ALL BALANCED TOGETHER . I PUT A ATI DAMPENER ON MY MOTOR AND HAD IT DONE, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE DAMPENER CAMES WITH A BIG BLOCK CHEVY BOLT PATTERN FOR THE PULLEYS TO BOLT ON TAKE YOUR TIME AND GET IT DONE RIGHT, THE REWARD IS WORTH THE WAIT, AND HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR. LEFT UNBALANCED AND THE MOTOR IS GONING TO HAVE A SHORT LIVE, AND VIRBRATE TO DEATH . IF YOU CANNOT GET FFP. TRY RILEY'S PROFORMANCE 770-928-2384 GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CAR RICK LAKE P.S. IT TOOK ME 6 YEARS TO BUILD MY CAR, IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. HORSEPOWER IS YOUR FRIEND BUT TORQUE IS WHAT MAKES YOU MOVE

[GEORGE ANDERSON]

Hi Chuck...sorry I didn't see this post earlier this month until Rick posted to it.
I suggest either the BHJ Dampner or the Innovators-West Fluid Dampner. The innovators-West has 360 degrees of timing marks and the BHJ has sufficient for timing. Both are SFI rated and serialized. The only additional machine work for the Innovators-West is removing .400" from the front of your sleeve behind the dampner so the pulleys will be in aligned. It's not rocket science. The 427 dampner is neutal as is the flywheel. Both of these dampners have the correct three bolt pattern for March Pulley systems too. They both have crankshaft bores that are slightly smaller than the standard snount on your FE crankshaft and the shaft has to be measured and the dampner carefully fit for the correct press. Also the Innovators-West requires a .400" longer 1/4" key. (any hardware store for 1/4" keystock and a hacksaw/file)
Innovators-West is manufactured right there in Kansas!

http://www.innovatorswest.com/

Regards, George

[mickmate]

Sounds like you guys recommend the aftermarket dampers. Are they that much better than a stock pulley?

[RICK LAKE]

HI MIKE YOUR QUESTION IS TWO ANSWERS YES AND NO A STOCK DAMPENER WILL LAST ABOUT 100000 MILES THE RUBBER IN THE DAMPENER WEARS, OR BREAKS DOWN OVER THE MILES. SOMETHINGS THEY FALL APART, AND SOMETIMES THEY TWIST AND THE TIMING MARK DOESN'T STAY TRUE. IF YOU SPIN YOUR MOTOR TO 6000 RPM ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM IF THE DAMPENER IS IN GOOD SHAPE. A BROKEN DAMPENER CAN DO ALOT OF DAMAGE BOTH THE ENGINE AND TO THE CAR ITSELF. I SAW A STOCK DAMP. GO THOUGH A STEEL FENDER AT RACEWAY PARK, DRAG RACING AND PUT A HOLE IN THE CONCRETE WALL, IT WOULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE IF NOT FOR THE WALL. THE REAL GOOD DAMPENERS ARE REBUILDABLE AND SFI. APPROVED AND ARE DESIGNED FOR HARD ABUSE. THE QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF IS YOUR MOTOR GOING TO SPIN AT 6000RPM, THE PRICE OF YOUR MOTOR IF IT IS BROKEN BY A CHEAP DAMPENER TO REPAIR, AND THE SAFETY OF YOURSELF AND YOUR PASSENGER GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CHOICE RICK LAKE

[Cobranut]

Chuck,

Check out a Romac damper. Mine is SFI approved and the high quality is apparant.
They're available in steel and aluminum.
It has the 3 bolt pattern for the March Ford pulleys too.

From Blue Thunder's website:

"Now available "Romac" billet engine dampners from Precision Cam Drives (maker of the "Rollmaster" billet timing chains listed above). "Romac" dampners feature:
*Fully captured S.F.I. spec. #18-1 certified with S.F.I. I.D. tag and factory serial numbers.
* Counterweights machined into balancer (NOT BOLTED IN) which can never come apart or loosen in service.
* All "Romac" dampners are splined or serrated where the metal contacts the high grade Neoprene Elastomer to resist outer ring movement. "Romac" dampners also have witness marks that indicate any slipage.
* All "Romac" dampners have a full 360 of timing marks so you can move your timing marker if engine modifications require it.
* "Romac" dampners are available with steel inner and outer, or with a steel inner and aluminum outer (where rotating weight must be as low as possible)
* "Romac" dampners are available in America for 20+ applications for Ford, Chev., Chrysler big and small block applications
"Romac" dampners are competively priced and have many extra features not found on other competing dampners. "

Good luck,

[chuckbrandt]

I've heard good things about that one. Is is specifically designed for the FE, meaning no machining of the spacer required? And do the timing marks line up correctly etc? I guess you can move them in this design anyway. Where did you order yours?

Thanks, Chuck

[Coloradocobra]

I am using the Romac unit on my 428. Fits fine and I have an old Ford two-groove pulley bolted on it to drive my power steering/water pump and alternator/water pump. The full 360 degree timing marks are nice for setting the valves. I double checked the timing mark to the original tab screwed on to the timing cover and it was only off by 2 degrees - not bad! I got mine from Rob at Blue Oval Performance in Denver 303-762-8298. I think he stocks these.

Gary