Is a damper a harmonic balancer?

A common part found on all high-performance engines is a harmonic damper (or harmonic balancer, as they are often called). Found at the front of the engine attached to the snout of the crankshaft, harmonic dampers are used to quell the harmonics of the crankshaft.

How do I know if my crankshaft damper is bad?

The most common symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer include:
  1. Engine Vibrations. The harmonic balancer’s job is to dampen vibrations applied to the crankshaft. …
  2. Noticeable Harmonic Balancer Wobble. …
  3. Unusual Noises. …
  4. Illuminated Check Engine Light. …
  5. Visible Wear or Damage.

What does an engine damper do?

An engine damper, also known as a harmonic damper, is a very important component of an internal combustion engine. … As vibrations hit the engine damper, they cause the bonded rubber to flex and stretch. This process absorbs the vibrations and changes them to heat.

What does a super damper harmonic balancer do?

In contrast, the ATI Super Damper employs a combination of O-rings and a unique, full-captured inertia ring to dampen harmful crankshaft vibrations. This configuration allows the damper to actually absorb crankshaft harmonics over a wide rpm range.

What causes a harmonic balancer to go bad?

Elongation Damage Of The Damper And Or, Crankshaft Keyway

A worn keyway, could cause the balancer to fall off. As a result, overheating and damage to the engine, will be the end result.

Is a bigger harmonic balancer better?

No matter what anybody tells you, size does matter when it comes to the harmonic balancer you use on an engine. Putting an incorrectly-sized balancer on an engine will do more than just cause it to not reach its full performance potential … it will cause serious damage to the rotating assembly.

Can a harmonic balancer add horsepower?

Adding an upgraded harmonic balancer is a great way to keep your engine from having serious issues as horsepower increases. … A harmonic balancer is designed to keep crankshaft torsional vibrations in check that occur when the engine is running.

Can you run an engine without harmonic balancer?

And because the belts that go around the crankshaft pulley run all of the car’s accessories, without the harmonic balancer you’d have no air conditioning, no power steering, no alternator and no water pump. … And without it, you can do damage to the crankshaft and the engine bearings.