How can you tell if the harmonic balancer is bad? I think mine might be but not sure.
It has a slight hard start when hot (not fuel system related). It acts like the timing is advanced a little too much. Like how timing was set old school. The hot hard start is similar to a weak starter on the first crank.
My timing is set at 3 BTDC i/o 6. Had a knock problem which is gone now. Just haven't moved it back to 6.

 

Vipr,

Are you concerned about the outer dampening ring slipping?

The timing groove in the outer hub shoudl be positioned about 7° after the crankshaft snout keyway.



You ARE bypassing the EST to set the base timing, right? I knew that, but just had to ask.

 

Evil respirator man
In my searches I found that pic. It appears as if my key and timing groove are lined up about right with your picture. Think it's possible for it to be stretching while running?
And yes, I did disconnect the EST while setting the timing.

 

Reptile Raper,

If you have an aftermarket timing cover (like the one in the photo) there is a very good chance that the timing tab is not set to true 0°. Most of them aren't. "Stretching" while running? Not likely, or you wouldn't have found the part with the timing groove in it - at least not attached to the balancer hub.

 

Upon installation I check for accuracy between the aftermarket cover, separate timing tab, and stock cover/tab. They were different. It was accurate at zero and by 6 deg either way it was off by about 1.5 deg. I'm taking that into account.
Assuming this balancer is good, and it appears to be, what else could cause this pinging? I can't be running more that 10.0 - 1 compression. It's audible pinging with a good amount of go pedal.
BTW - I moved the timing back up to 6 BTDC and I burned the stock APYU chip for it. Still pings.

 

Other potential causes:

Low octane fuel;
Hot spots in the chambers from incandescent carbon particles;
High chamber temperatures from high compression, high coolant temperature, no EGR, lean mixture;
Incorrect heat range spark plugs;
High dynamic compression from valve timing;
Lack of adequate quench area;
Incorrect spark timing.