The engine in my car is NOT the original 305. The previous owner claims that the engine is a 350 which I haven't been able to confirm at this point. The numbers off of the passenger side pad of the block are machined off. The heads, however, have a casting number for a late 60's/ early 70's 350.

The TPI accessory drive brackets have been reinstalled. The balancer pulley does not line up with the rest of the brackets, so my question is are TPI engine balancers a different thickness than other small block balancers? Or is it possible that they have installed an incorrect serpentine pulley?

 

Lots of possibilities. Could be the wrong pulley or perhaps the balancer is not seated fully?

 

Balancer should not be the issue unless it isn't installed all the way. You could have unmatched pulleys. Not all serpentine systems use the same pulleys. I have part numbers and information about serpentine systems at the following link. http://www.apiem.com/camaro/tpiserpentine20110306.asp

 

Thanks for the information. I'll try to take my pulley off tomorrow and see if I can find a part number. The thing is, my crank pulley sticks out further than the rest of the system, and according to that article TBI crank pulleys were not as tall as TPI. So assuming the balancer is installed correctly, I have a pulley that's taller than a TPI pulley.

 

I am back to work on this motor in my GTA. I've got a casting number of 10054727 on the rear of the block, identifying it as an 86-up 350.

I have torqued the balancer but the pulley still sticks out too far, about 1/4" further than the rest of my pulleys. The balancer pulley is the correct TPI part number 10055879.

My harmonic balancer is 1 11/16" thick. Can anybody chime in with the thickness of their 350 balancer? It looks like mine is seated properly..

Edit: I'm going to pick up a balancer install tool and make sure its all the way seated before I worry too much about anything else.

 

Can you get an inspection mirror and look behind the balancer? You might be able to tell by looking at the snout of the balancer and its relationship to the timing cover seal if it's fully seated or not.

 

This could help to tell you because you would see the shiny area that was past the seal sticking out.
The Harmonic Balancer must be installed with an installation tool because it will not seat just by torqueing it with the center bolt.