I have tried to get my Harmonic balancer to fit all the way on the crank, but it refuse to go any further. It need to about another 1/4 inch to be flush with the back of the balancer. I have knock it on pretty good, but it has reach the stop point. This happen to another balancer that I had so I bought this new one and the same problem. This is an other model that dont have the bolt, so it just press on the crank. Any recommendation that can get this thing to go all the way onto the crank. Once again like I said earlier it has about 1/4 inch to go on the balancer sleeve before sitting flush against the balancer.

 

Let me see if I can clear this up a little better. As I knock the balancer onto the crank it has a gap of about a 1/4 inch from the timing cover O-ring seal and the back lip of the harmonic balancer. I was under the impression that the lip in the back of the balancer is suppose to be closer to the timing cover O-ring seal.
Hope this help

 

That helps a little. It does look a bit far out. Best way to check is mount an accessory and the crank pulley, see if they line up. Water pump is the best to choose.

Hammer? Bad way to install a balancer.

The balancer itself seats against the crank timing gear. The gear seats against a machined surface on the crank. If the timing gear is all the way on, the balancer should go all the way on when its touching the gear. If the pan is off, you can see it with a mirror. Thats what I'd be doing. Only other thing I can think of that might be causing problems is the woodruff key in the crank, maybe its not sitting in there right and its causing the problem. Not likely, but possible.

All balancers are 'pressed' onto the crank. They also all have a bolt. Why they have a bolt, I dont know. I'd really be impressed if a balancer came off sometime because the bolt wasnt there.

 

Try a hydrolic jack....the motors on a stand Right? Wedge it between the wall or something, you may be able to press it on that way...also I've heard of guys getting the snout tapped for the bolt. What diameter is your balancer...is it 6 1/8 ?

 

Its on the engine stand and its a brand new 6 inch balancer. I tried calling the machine shop to get it tapped, however the will not do it while the crank is in the engine. I dont want to take the crank out, so i guess I will rent a crank press and try that. If all else fail then and only then will I revert to taking the crank out.

 

Pull the balancer back off and check both the crank snout and inside surface of the balancer for any damage or marks. Clean off any that you find with either a small ignition file or emory cloth. Before you re-install the balancer, coat both surfaces with a grease of some kind; white lithium, wheel bearing, etc. This will ease the installation. You should also carefully drill and tap the end of the crank for a retaining bolt. The standard small block thread is 7/16-20 unf.

 

Is it possible to use heli-coil threads on a crank once I drill the hole.

 

You could. I dunno that I'd wanna do that, but I've done it before in a shop I worked in. Kinda expensive too, Helicoils aint cheap.

This is news to me, cranks without threads? All the SBC's I worked on were tapped. I guess I'm missing something here or forgot something

 

All the early small block cranks were undrilled from factory.
Yes you can HeliCoil it but you still have to tap it to use the insert. Better to just drill it to needed tap drill size for the 7/16 tap.

 

yep alot of 283's and 327's, had no hole.

 

I guess its been too long since I looked at a small journal crank then...

You know what, I do remember now... heh. Old stuff!

 

that is kinda wierd they have no hole for a crank bolt...anybody ever run into this...my new crank already had crank keys in the snout.

 

Like Mod313 said alot of the early Small Block Chevy did not have holes for the crank. This is a forge crank, how hard will it be to drill into this baby and I guess I should go buy some diamond head bit to accomplish this mission.