FELT DONUT BEHIND THE STEEL CRANK BALANCER

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CFD244

CFD244

"THE NEW OLDSMOBILES ARE IN EARLY THIS YEAR"
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Hi Folks

Just putting on the OEM balancer on my '71 340. I have a felt donut that came in the gasket kit, which i assume goes behind the balancer to protect the timing cover seal. Is this correct? If so, do you oil it or something?

Is the consensus to install it, or leave it out?

Thanks FABO
 
I figure its a good thing to keep dust away from your crank seal. Seems there might be more of a risk not using one than leaving it out.
If the factory put one in there then go for it if your balancer has the provision for it.
I was going to put one in my balancer only to find out it didn’t have the ring to hold the felt gasket.
Part #P5007301 I bought does not have the ring to hold the felt. Photo…
2CB4B0BD-EDCF-47F9-9F39-122A08DB2768.jpeg

IMO I would use it.
 
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I've used them before with OEM balancers Troy. Aftermarket may not have the provision as Quinn mentioned.
 
They install dry. They're added protection as mentioned for the front seal. If it's in the gasket set, I'd use it. It won't hurt a thing.
 
Awesome, it's going in. The balancer is OEM. Torque for windage tray bolts............17lbs with loctite sound Ok?
 
CFD244 said:
Awesome, it's going in. The balancer is OEM. Torque for windage tray bolts............17lbs with loctite sound Ok?
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Sounds about right. What are they? 1/4", right?
 
I think the later balancers (72-up) didn’t come with/ don’t have provisions for the dust cap.
 
I found that they were used on the poly 318's and early 273's, but, by '68 they were discontinued as the rubber seal was redesigned/improved so the felt was not needed anymore. Use it if you want, but, it's totally unnecessary. Nothing is going to get into that tight area to hurt the seal.
 
cudamark said:
I found that they were used on the poly 318's and early 273's, but, by '68 they were discontinued as the rubber seal was redesigned/improved so the felt was not needed anymore. Use it if you want, but, it's totally unnecessary. Nothing is going to get into that tight area to hurt the seal.
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I've pulled them off 340s and later 360s, so they were used well past 68. My 77 360 had one on it.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I've pulled them off 340s and later 360s, so they were used well past 68. My 77 360 had one on it.
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I've seen many on later engines too........ones that had been apart before.....not on virgin engines. If you look in the '68 factory parts manual, that felt is no longer shown, and a new part number seal is used.
 
cudamark said:
I've seen many on later engines too........ones that had been apart before.....not on virgin engines. If you look in the '68 factory parts manual, that felt is no longer shown, and a new part number seal is used.
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.....and I admit, I cannot be SURE if those later engines I saw them on were original, however, I am almost certain my 77 was.
 
When I tore down my 66 272 it didn’t have one. Since the motor was .030 I figured it was left out.
 
Our Chrysler engines were also used for farm equipment and for industrial heavy duty use. Such as tractors, combines, water pumps for irrigation. And welders, electrical generators, forklifts and airport equipment, just to name a few. At the time and because of the use in these heavy use conditions, the felt washer and dampener cup was used to keep “trash” away from the seal area. This area can be easily become FOD’ed and trash will twist and wrap. Is the felt needed now, maybe not, but if it’s in the kit and the dampener had the cup, sure.

FOD= Foreign Object Destruction
 
A small block used in a tractor, combine, forklift, etc....I'd like to see one of those as I've yet to see one. I remember seeing some early hemi's that ran pumps, and I've seen many small blocks in marine applications and airport vehicles, but, otherwise, I just haven't seen them other applications.....just 6cyl's. Any photos out there?
 
If keeping "trash" away from the seal area were the reason, why don't the 6 cyl's and big blocks use them? My demented theory is stuck on it being something to do with an aluminum timing cover instead of a steel one. I can't see any other reason to only use them on those.
 
I agree that the slant 6 (and the older flat heads) were used in all sorts of non-automotive equipment. I've just never seen a small block in one. I guess I didn't hang around farm equipment much in my earlier years. I still doubt they would engineer, produce, and use a felt seal in every application for the few that would be used on a farm......and that's assuming what that one guy mentioned about Case tractors is true. My point is that with the modern seal, the felt seal does nothing but rub on the timing cover and seal. None of the other engines use them, so, why just the small blocks? I've never seen anything get wrapped around the balancer up in that area either. It's so protected by the balancer hub and the metal ring that I just can't imagine that being a problem. Maybe I've just been lucky to have never seen an issue with that. :thankyou:
 
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