Rookie needs advice on first FJ40 purchase (1 Viewer)

[EWheeler]

You can verify ANY small bock Chevy engine by the harmonic balancer. Look on ebay at ones listed (283, 327, 350, 400) and you will quickly avoid the hassle of running numbers to verify on the spot. This is factual not wives-tale. Nice 40!

I'll have to play this game of balancer ID when I get home. I have a SBC in a 40 of unknown displacement. Casting #'s point to being a 305, 327 or 350. Thanks for this pointer.

 

[Skreddy]

You can verify ANY small bock Chevy engine by the harmonic balancer. Look on ebay at ones listed (283, 327, 350, 400) and you will quickly avoid the hassle of running numbers to verify on the spot. This is factual not wives-tale. Nice 40!

I don’t agree with this. Early 283, 307, 327 have a press on balancer. 69 and later 307, 302, 350, etc have a bolt on balancer. Then there’s diameter differences between years and application, timing pointer location differences. Not going mention you could put a 350 balancer on any other engine balanced the same way. The only 100% accurate way to know what the engine is and what it was intended for is by the pad stamp, but those can be machines off. Even casting numbers have overlap.
But if you ask the seller, every sbc seems to be a “corvette engine with 20k miles”.

 

[40mania]

I don’t agree with this. Early 283, 307, 327 have a press on balancer. 69 and later 307, 302, 350, etc have a bolt on balancer. Then there’s diameter differences between years and application, timing pointer location differences. Not going mention you could put a 350 balancer on any other engine balanced the same way. The only 100% accurate way to know what the engine is and what it was intended for is by the pad stamp, but those can be machines off. Even casting numbers have overlap.
But if you ask the seller, every sbc seems to be a “corvette engine with 20k miles”.

Your disagreement does not change the facts on engine balancer identification of ALL small block Chevrolet engines. Look at the back side of every small block balancer. Once you KNOW the difference you can run any finger around the back side of the balancer and immediately identify the engine. Two of the early ones pressing on and others not mean nothing. Look into it. Never wonder on the spot again.

 

[40mania]

I don’t agree with this. Early 283, 307, 327 have a press on balancer. 69 and later 307, 302, 350, etc have a bolt on balancer. Then there’s diameter differences between years and application, timing pointer location differences. Not going mention you could put a 350 balancer on any other engine balanced the same way. The only 100% accurate way to know what the engine is and what it was intended for is by the pad stamp, but those can be machines off. Even casting numbers have overlap.
But if you ask the seller, every sbc seems to be a “corvette engine with 20k miles”.

You will not be able to distinguish Corvette from Camaro from Pickup, but that wasn't the debate. The 350 balancers (large dia. & small dia) are their only design on backside milling. I attacked it from engine identification not model identification. The facts remain.

 

[Skreddy]

I stand by it. All you can tell by balancer is internal vs external balanced. Anyone could have switched a balancer at any time to something they had laying around.
The model part was not pertaining to this; just that a seller’s word doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about.

 

[40mania]

I'll have to play this game of balancer ID when I get home. I have a SBC in a 40 of unknown displacement. Casting #'s point to being a 305, 327 or 350. Thanks for this pointer.

The 283 is backside (indented) different from the 327. You can feel the difference with a finger since you can't see it on the engine. The 350 has a non-indented (for use of finding the real word to describe difference) or totally smooth backside. The 400 has a rectangular notch cut around part of the backside of it. Let's now talk AFTERMARKET: There are aftermarket 350/400 balancers sold that have the 400 notch cut in them. If that notch is filled with a weight that PROTUDES beyond the rear surface on the balancer it is ON A 400 ENGINE (AFTERMARKET BALANCERS). IF that notch is empty you have a 350. The added weight on a 350 will throw the timing so far out of whack that it won't run. I am open for debate but please be specific with your info!

 

[40mania]

The 283 is backside (indented) different from the 327. You can feel the difference with a finger since you can't see it on the engine. The 350 has a non-indented (for use of finding the real word to describe difference) or totally smooth backside. The 400 has a rectangular notch cut around part of the backside of it. Let's now talk AFTERMARKET: There are aftermarket 350/400 balancers sold that have the 400 notch cut in them. If that notch is filled with a weight that PROTUDES beyond the rear surface on the balancer it is ON A 400 ENGINE (AFTERMARKET BALANCERS). IF that notch is empty you have a 350. The added weight on a 350 will throw the timing so far out of whack that it won't run. The weight on the aftermarket balance "bolts on" for use on the 400. I am open for debate but please be specific with your info!

Additionally: The 305 balancer will have a hollow back side. You can feel a maybe 1/4 inch "lip" around it and run your finger "up inside it" (The hollow). None work on the other.

 

[40mania]

Additionally: The 305 balancer will have a hollow back side. You can feel a maybe 1/4 inch "lip" around it and run your finger "up inside it" (The hollow). None work on the other. I have raced every one of them for years and built every one i raced. This is my SPRING ENGINE... (Next Spring)

 

[pb4ugo]

I'm with @Skreddy on this. H/balancers can wear out and for the most part are interchangeable. It's easy enuff check the letters on the pad. It can give displacement, yr, hp, car or truck, manual, auto, etc. If it's missing then the odds are It's been rebuilt.

 

[pjohnson]

Y'all hijacked @thebergler 's thread

 

[thebergler]

Thanks, I appreciate it! Assuming you aren’t the lurker.

@thebergler

If you find what you think is a REALLY good deal, feel free to reach out via PM versus posting to the public here. The one problem with posting really good deals to the public is there may be a lurker who jumps on the good deal before you can. Although it may already be a public posting (MUD, craigslist, facebook) that everyone else can see, still good to keep the treasure finds under tight grips until you decide to pass on it if its not for you. Not a call out to any specific person, but I've seen it happen over the years....