pmustang Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I love these threads that when you read them you find out you have a problem that you didn't know you have. haha. Reading on another thread about troubles with our cars, yeah you know the thread. Someone mentioned the huge harmonic balancer on the 2007s, I have seen a much lighter one for sale and thought it was just for some performance gain to lower the reciprical weight of the moving bits. Are there any other benefits of moving to a lighter one? I won't be modding my car to the hilt or spinning it at mad rpms. Any comments welcome. cheers. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckySnake Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I love these threads that when you read them you find out you have a problem that you didn't know you have. haha. Reading on another thread about troubles with our cars, yeah you know the thread. Someone mentioned the huge harmonic balancer on the 2007s, I have seen a much lighter one for sale and thought it was just for some performance gain to lower the reciprical weight of the moving bits. Are there any other benefits of moving to a lighter one? I won't be modding my car to the hilt or spinning it at mad rpms. Any comments welcome. cheers. Peter If you aren't going with a bigger blower you don't need the lighter damper. I know of several people running smaller pullies on the stock blower without any problems. I would keep the money in my pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500Tow Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Well i disagree. Ford was having a issue with crank snout breaking when they first were testing the "2007" engines. JMHO they tried to come up with a fix fast to get this car to show rooms. The stock blower takes like 70 HP to run. That HP is supplied by the crankshaft pulley / harmonic balancer. I'm sure they figured at first. The problem with the broken crankshafts snout was because of the HP required to run the blower. So the fix was basically install a harmonic balancer that was as heavy as a flywheel. Well later on they found out it was the machining on the crank that was the problem and no need for a harmonic balancer that weighs 18 LB's. Which is ridiculous anyway. In "2008" or when the supply ran out on a 18 LB harmonic balancer. They went back to the normal 8 LB balancer. So yes, ether get a newer 2008 up or aftermarket balancer as soon as you can. Once you get your stock-er off and its in your hand. You'll be like WTF were they thinking. Its obvious that the problem was fixed with out running a 18 LB flywheel on the front of your engine...........You can buy an 08 balancer cheap. Or their are a few good aftermarket balancers and they come highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I was wondering if anyone on TS that has the original heavier pulley and stock super charger has had a problem with the shaft breaking off ? Please provide a link to the thread so I can read it. I have been on this site since the GT500 first hit the streets and have read all about the lighter pulley but have never ever seen a thread where the shaft has broken off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbackg Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 You want a good read regarding the harmonic balancer and the Ford 5.4L engine: http://www.fordgt.com/forums/showthread.php?9153-Crank-damper-from-Innovators-West/page5&highlight=harmonic+balancer http://www.fordgt.com/forums/showthread.php?20909-John-Mihovetz-ACCUFAB-Modifying-my-crankshaft&highlight=color http://www.fordgt.com/forums/showthread.php?1381-Fracturing-Crankshafts&highlight=harmonic http://www.fordgt.com/forums/showthread.php?17831-IW-10-underdrive-2.80-FRPP-Rear-Exit-Install&highlight=dampner http://www.roush.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=ICbJpiMfoM4%3D&tabid=212&mid=932 http://www.fordgt500.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500Tow Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I was wondering if anyone on TS that has the original heavier pulley and stock super charger has had a problem with the shaft breaking off ? Please provide a link to the thread so I can read it. I have been on this site since the GT500 first hit the streets and have read all about the lighter pulley but have never ever seen a thread where the shaft has broken off. Ive never seen one on here. But when this car was first released. A few with broken C/Shafts were towed back to dealers. Then no more were released for a while. I know for sure because we towed one of the cars back to the dealer and i wanted to buy one. Bet you never heard about that did yea. I'm sure Ford did what ever possible to keep it quiet. Like just buy the car back. I know if it was my car. It would of been, bought back. Does it have to be replaced for a stock engine. NO. Would i replace mine. Hell yes. Oh its a 22 LB harmonic balancer. LOL We run a cat 8.2 L diesel and the balancer only weighs.....................10.2 LB's Can you imagine the damage it would do if it was to explode like stock balancers are knew ot do. This is why NHRA requires you to run a SFI approved balancer. Let me see, about an 18 lb flywheel spinning at 6000 RPM's flying around under your hood. While your at 120 + MPH. No thanks Grabber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500Tow Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I'd like to add. The harmonic balancer is as important as you engine bearings or even your oil pump. Read this, its by ATI performance. They been making harmonic balancers for as long as i can remember. Its a lot more to it then just a safety part. Basically the crank is a rubber band and you need to keep it in check. You want you engine to last a long time. Buy a good harmonic balancer. A 22 lb one is just a little ridiculous. http://www.atiracing.com/products/dampers/damper_dinan.htm http://www.atiracing.com/products/dampers/101/index.htm http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/ford/smallblock/0306mm_windsor2/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slabo Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I know that Ford Racing requires that the heavy harmonic balancer be changed on the '07s as part of the TVS install. I have that heavy mother sitting in a box with my other take-off parts. The install was easy on mine since they took the front of the car off to install the Shelby cooling package anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 This was a scary read: I will attempt to clarify the implications of a balancer change. The crankshaft bolt is a one time use torque to yield bolt. Instructions for tightening the bolt are as follows: Install a new crankshaft pulley bolt and the original washer, tighten the bolt in 4 stages: Stage 1: Tighten the bolt to 90 Nm (66 lb-ft). Stage 2: Loosen 1 full turn. Stage 3: Tighten the bolt to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft). Stage 4: Tighten and additional 180 degrees. The bolt at times can be a bitch to remove. Some have reported needing a 3ft breaker bar with a lot of muscle, or an air impact wrench hammering for many minutes to remove it. If using a breaker bar you have to find a way to stop the crankshaft from turning. I don't have 1st hand experience removing the crankshaft bolt, but have removed some torque to yield half shaft bolts. There is always some risk of bolt failure when removing any torque to yield bolts. If this happens on the crankshaft the repair most likely will require removal of the engine! Also they isn't enough space in vivo for an impact wrench so a long breaker bar is the only option. The bolt head might just twist off! So the bottom line question is what is it going to cost to install a new damper if the bolt happens to snap? I am sure than Jack has much more experience removing dampers and maybe Jack at MMP can give us an estimate of cost to install the damper and what the costs would be if the bolt broke. IMHO, the chances of a stock damper causing a failure is lower than the crankshaft bolt failing upon removal for anyone not tracking the car extensively and staying below 7000 rpm and 800 HP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500Tow Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Never heard of anyone breaking a bolt. You just put the car in gear, lock the e,brake. Then loosen the bolt. Ive also heard of using two pairs of channel locks and an old serpentine belt to hold the crank pulley. While you loosen the bolt. The replacement bolt is longer then the original. Lowering the chances of breaking a crank snout. So replacing the stock harmonic damper is a win win win no matter how you look at it. ATI 15% over drive is only 500. Figure maybe 100 to install. Each pound of boost is about 10 to 12 HP. So for 600 you get 40 HP/ your safety and your engine will last longer. Also lowers the chance for a crank failure. Not bad for 600 bucks. In my book its one of the best mods money can buy. Ether the I.W. or the ATI Harmonic dampers. For any GT500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbackg Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 the stock 2007 damper weighs in at 22lbs according to the Shelby Store. http://www.shelbysto.../m-6312-svt.htm FRPP M-6312-SVT, the 2008-09 crankshaft damper weighs in 10lbs lighter, @ 12lbs ??? http://www.fordracin...tKeyField=10127 but then if you read, it the says the "package weight" = 10.5lbs does anybody know for sure? Weight? Diameter? 7.5" ? 15% OD = 5.5" The ATI website says theirs weighs 9.75 lbs, part # 918045 http://www.atiracing...rts/damford.htm http://www.enginebui...ed_pulleys.aspx Innovators West website offers NO specs: http://www.innovator...iewCat&catId=33 IW 10% OD on the 2012 SC CJ = FRPP part # M-6316-CJ http://www.fordracin...tKeyField=10762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcthorne Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 At least on my car, the stock balancer bolt was NOT installed torqe to yield. An IR2131 impact wrench fits fine between the balancer and a shelby radiator. One quick rap of the air impact and the bolt was out. Less than most lug nuts. I reused the stock bolt with the new Ford damper. I can say the old one is a nice piece of machine work, cost Ford a lot more than the 2008 version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin00Stang Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Even though we haven't seen a GT500 with a stock SC have any failures with the stock 07 balancer, its still a known problem on heavily modded cars and on the Ford GT which is where our engine originated. I wouldn't hesitate to start modding an 07 with the stock balancer, I ran that way for a while, but i would not leave it on there forever. For the original poster, you have a few options: Stock 08+ balancer: http://www.vmptuning.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=269&parent=104 Innovators west balancer available in stock size or 10% OD: http://www.vmptuning.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=259&parent=104 http://www.vmptuning.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=264&parent=104 10% OD requires a longer belt, which I keep in stock. I also have innovators west 15% OD balancers now. The OD balancer will increase boost about 3-4psi on a stock SC. Dampner install how to: http://vmptuning.com/forum/showthread.php?t=760 That writeup is for the 10% OD (also 15% OD) but applies to any balancer install, less the grinding if its stock size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy4life Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Replaced my 07 balencer with the 08 version. I have seen smaller boat anchors than that huge pulley. Then bought a 10% pulley and installed that one and followed Justins directions to the tee. Very happy with the results and am making just over 600 to the tires with the ported blower and plenum anf the l & M tb. Used a impact wrench with no problems and would use that before I used a 3 foot breaker bar. As far as maybe breaking the bolt, your car could also get hit by a meteorite but it does not stop me from parking outside. As far as I know no one has broken the bolt when they were changing the pulley but it does not meen it has not happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmustang Posted January 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 thanks for the advice folks, for now i am going to stick with the stock unit as i am not going to go much further with my power adders. I bought Justins pulley and tuner package and just have a CAI and exhaust. With petrol over 9 bucks a gallon now here in the UK I think thats enough to keep the wallet very thin for the time being. cheers for all the info and suggestions. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500Tow Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 This site was originally called Stangsunleashed. When they first changed it over to Teamshelby. They lost some data. Here's a thread that talks about the crank harmonic balancer problems. That the GT500 had at first. You'll also see links to Stangsunleashed that no longer exist. http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/shelby-gt500-150/271644-gt500-stock-longblock-blower-power.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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