what year 302 had a press on harmonic balancer ?

[Crazz]

what year 302 had a press on harmonic balancer ?
bought a crate engine about a year ago finally getting it stuffed in the 76 bronco. it was bought as a 1981 302 for truck/bronco. the 50oz balancer i bought has a key way but the crank in the crate engine is a press on. so now i need a 50oz press on balancer.
any help would be appreciated

 

[68stang73]

You need a 28oz if the year is correct. And I believe they are all keyed. Not sure why that crank doesn't have a key way??????? It prolly behind the timing cover.

 

[Crazz]

81 should be 50 oz

 

[bmc69]

They are ALL light press fit..and all have same keyway detail. The only difference, as already noted, in the stock balancers is the number of pulley bolt holes (early-3, later-4) and the balance (pre 81, 28oz, later, 50oz)

 

[68stang73]

I stand corrected... I thought it want until they went to 5.0 is when it was 50 oz? Maybe I'm too old now to remember if 81 was first year of 5.0 lol!

 

[Crazz]

The balancer off the 76 302 engine fits extremely loose on the crank. i see no keyway any where on this engine

 

[metal1]

Had a lot of cranks go thru our shop and I'm pretty sure they all had a key way ,and most balancers are pretty tight on the crank some do not even use a bolt to hold them on

 

[DirtDonk]

I've heard of loose dampers just in the last couple of years. Not sure what the common denominator is at this point, but it should definitely be at least a light press-fit as the others have said.
And yes again to the keyway. Never heard of a 302/5.0 without one. Doesn't mean they don't exist of course. Just that it's not something I've seen.

Maybe it's the dampeners themselves, maybe it's the old cranks getting worn a little, or maybe something else (cheap and incorrectly spec'ed out Chinese parts comes to mind), but it doesn't sound kosher.
Luckily the new engine is the one that seems correct and consistent with what we know.

So just get yourself an inexpensive harmonic damper installation tool and have at it. Just don't use a hammer!
You can find the tools at most stores, and they're probably one of the ones that they loan out too. Very handy to have.

And yes, like the others have already said, the crate motor is probably a 50oz imbalance. But it would sure be nice to know for sure at this point. If you're just going by memory, I wouldn't base something so important on that. Given that the year in question was the changeover year, who knows which way yours falls.

You'll have to get a 50oz flywheel too, if you have not already. They both have to match.

Did you happen to try your old damper on the new crank by any chance?
I couldn't tell from your first post.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[Bhull]

It has to have a keyway in the crank, as otherwise there would be no way to properly "time" the ignition off of the balancer, which should have your timing marks on it.
The keyway would be slightly inside the seal on the front cover, kind of hard to see, but it is there... if you cannot see it, then I would suspect the crank has a keyway, but maybe they forgot to install the key? If so, you can try to put one in the keyway without pulling the cover...
Ford engines do not necessarily need the harmonic balancer installer, since the factory bolt/washer are big/strong enough to pull the balancer onto the crank easily. btw, torque spec is 90-100 ftlbs.

 

[Crazz]

Should have made myself a little more clear i apologize. the 302 i pulled
out of the bronco had a keyway outside the timing cover. but even tho the new
engine does not have that it does have one inside the timing cover im sure
the balancer off the old 302 is sloppy on the crank. its nit a cheap Chinese
balancer. so i ordered one for the 81 bronco we'll see what happens

 

[jckkys]

Ford started using the 5.0 designation for what was 302s in '74 Mustang IIs. The change in imbalance from 28 oz. to 50 oz. came many years later in '81. Often repeated incorrect terminology is still incorrect. Any Ford SB crank shaft would have to have a key way for the crank sprocket that drives the timing chain. The same key clocks the harmonic damper that is always pressed on. If the damper fits loosely either the crank snout or damper is out of spec.

 

[Crazz]

I understand it takes a 50oz balancer that was never a question

 

[Crazz]

The new balancer will be here tomorrow and we'll see what happens.