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View Full Version : Crankshaft Pulley (Before I do Something Stupid)



sjaroslo
08-18-2013, 03:03 PM
(I may have had an epiphany in the shower this morning and answered my own question, but here goes) I have an LSX454 GM crate engine and am putting on a Wegner front drive system. Part of the changeover entails removing the factory crankshaft pulley and replacing it with an ATI Super damper. I was able to remove the factory bolt OK but before trying to yank the pulley, I was looking for the keyway or some other method of indexing the damper to the crank, and didn't really see one.... So before I yanked off the old one and then lost the relationship, I thought that I would ask here.

Now, in the shower this morning, it struck me that maybe my geezer was kicking in, in that the only reason that one registers the damper on a SBC is so that the timing marks align at TDC so that you can adjust the timing by rotating the distributor.... So it occurred to me that with a computer-controlled LS engine with coil packs, there is no practical need to know where TDC is with regard to using a timing light, because the computer will know where it is based on the crankshaft sensor and the timing is going to be adjusted with a computer, not a wrench and a timing light.... Which would lead me to believe that the new damper can just go on any which way.... Yes? Thanks.

badazz81z28
08-18-2013, 05:43 PM
Steve,

I wasn't sure if the LSX454 had a key-way on the crank for the pulley, but standard LS engines do not. I understand it the same way you do...you can't manually time the engine as the computer knows and does it via sensors. The timing chain and the oil pump do ride on a key-way and when I swapped my pulley, I marked the crank on the snout as to where the key-way was. I lined up the pulley to that. Either way, it doesn't matter. The pulley is neutral balanced and you can theoretically just install it or you can go the extra mile and pin it for the damper. If it was a carb application, I would pin it.

Schwartz Performance
08-18-2013, 08:32 PM
^ what he said.

Put some rtv in the key way on the balancer though. As it usually extends into the front of the engine and can leak oil. You'll be happy later lol. And do the same under the head of the bolt, just a light smear.
-Dale