Harmonic dampener?
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Front Seal
Very easily, many shadetree mechanics when taking off the OEM pulley have a hard time getting it off, for what ever reason and screw up the front seal. As far as a properly installed lightweight pulleys screwing up your crankshaft, in just not going to happen. And if you can not be convinced, then install an STI crank.
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From: High in the Rockies!... but not too high
Car Info: 2004 2.5RS pacifica blue with black Tarmacs
Harmonics usually cause premature breakage, but I've heard Suby motors going 500,000 miles. So without a balancer the crank and other parts may go many miles without any adverse effects, however they could also cause a part to fail prematurely at say 450,000 miles. Which would be no big deal in my opinion. Also don't forget solid state circuitry is also effected by harmonics as well and I don't think engineers would put the balancers on an engine if they didn't serve a purpose. Besides that guys building these engines with lightweight parts will probably experience other premature failures before harmonics problems arise such as worn rings from the extra stress of boost, excessive redline shifting, etc.. Now I'm not trying to pick on these guys I do it too sometimes. What's the point of having a sports car if your not gonna drive it like one at least sometimes right. That being said Suby motors are very stout and through inherent design do not experience the same level of harmonics like conventional inlines and "V" engines do it tends to be less.
Last edited by SubySal; Oct 6, 2003 at 04:39 PM.
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Car Info: 2002 OBS, 1998 Volvo XC
I don't think engineers would put the balancers on an engine if they didn't serve a purpose
I noticed a definite increase in engine noise with lightweight pulleys installed, without that big chunk of rubber to muffle the whirring sound.
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Pulleys
Now we are talking, the only reason that Subaru uses a harmonic Damper is to keep the engine decibels down in the interior of the car. I do not want to give the impression that bolt on mods that are installed properly, do not increase the risk of shortened longevity, however; one must be responsible in protecting the modded vehicle. For instance, if you are concerned that lightweight pulleys can sooner or later damage crankshafts, or other internal parts, use a high grade synthetic oil. Try Modul 5w - 40w 300V for instance and experience Quiter, Smoother and better protected internal engine parts. I know within these forums there has been debated benefits of synthetics, but anyone that has taken apart engines and observed the differences between regular oil vs. synthetics would be amazed on how clean the internals look using synthetic oil. And by the way, as I stated in prior posts, I've been using a lightweight pulley amongst other engine mods, with synthetic oil for over 10,000 miles and have recently partially ripped down the engine and guess what, it looked brand new with no signs of wear.
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"the only reason that Subaru uses a harmonic Damper is to keep the engine decibels down in the interior of the car."
You dont have a clue what "harmonics" are!!
"For instance, if you are concerned that lightweight pulleys can sooner or later damage crankshafts, or other internal parts, use a high grade synthetic oil. Try Modul 5w - 40w 300V for instance and experience Quiter, Smoother and better protected internal engine parts. "
Synthetics have absoultly nothing to do with a harmonic ballancer, again you do not know what a harmonic dampener does..
Enough bashing from me... I try to help people and state FACTS , learned from my mechanical engineering degree. It just anoys me when people state incorrect facts. Because the people that do not know either become confussed or lead astray.. I'm done posting in this topic... I hope that i havent offended anybody with the facts jack!
You dont have a clue what "harmonics" are!!
"For instance, if you are concerned that lightweight pulleys can sooner or later damage crankshafts, or other internal parts, use a high grade synthetic oil. Try Modul 5w - 40w 300V for instance and experience Quiter, Smoother and better protected internal engine parts. "
Synthetics have absoultly nothing to do with a harmonic ballancer, again you do not know what a harmonic dampener does..
Enough bashing from me... I try to help people and state FACTS , learned from my mechanical engineering degree. It just anoys me when people state incorrect facts. Because the people that do not know either become confussed or lead astray.. I'm done posting in this topic... I hope that i havent offended anybody with the facts jack!
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Originally Posted by NewShockerGuy
Instead I found this: The Autospeed Performance Crank pulley. It's 1.5 lbs and it's the same size as the stock pulley in the car, but it's hollowed out..etc.. Only problem I read was that is does not have aharmonic dampener...
https://www.i-club.com/forums/vishnu-performance-925-648-7863-105/stage-zero-v280-question-90370/
Originally Posted by Vishnu
Sure will. Not a problem. However, lightwieght pullies are pretty much worthless. Only time your going to make any signficant amount of power with a pulley will be through slightly underdriving the accessories. Taking away 3-4lbs of rotating mass that is rotating just inches from the center of rotation doesn't result in any substantial improvements in engine response. A good underdrive pulley will result in 7-10hp gains when tested in controlled conditions on a dyno. I have yet to be able to document any gains of a lightweight pulley under any conditions.
Just an FYI
Shiv
Just an FYI
Shiv
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Car Info: 98 Impreza RS
I was under the impression that new age subarus don't use harmonic dampeners...could be wrong, since all of this discussion is about this. All in all, I just threw on a lightweight pulley and few k's back and it did make a big difference in feel. (butt dyno) 
ahh damnit! subaru has directly responded to this question and said there is no harmonic dampener. there are no first order vibrations because of the boxer engine setup. you may notice increased noise and vibration with a lightweight pulley however simply because there is less mass =less dampening.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ght=pulley+faq
Isn't replacing the stock harmonic damper (pulley) bad? Subarus do not come with a harmonic damper or balancer like some other vehicles do. For other manufacturers' vehicles, this is a legitimate concern. Proof:
"Thank you for your patience as I checked with our Technical Services Department regarding your message below. They advised that the crank pulley is a pulley and nothing else. It is not used as a harmonic damper/balancer.
Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again."
Best wishes,
John J. Mergen
Customer Service Department
Subaru of America, Inc.
Isn't replacing the stock harmonic damper (pulley) bad? Subarus do not come with a harmonic damper or balancer like some other vehicles do. For other manufacturers' vehicles, this is a legitimate concern. Proof:
"Thank you for your patience as I checked with our Technical Services Department regarding your message below. They advised that the crank pulley is a pulley and nothing else. It is not used as a harmonic damper/balancer.
Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again."
Best wishes,
John J. Mergen
Customer Service Department
Subaru of America, Inc.
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wow, i can't believe a vast majority of the replies were based on why subaru engines use harmonic dampeners, when in fact they don't even have them.
You should be even less concerned about switching out your stock pulley for this reason.
You should be even less concerned about switching out your stock pulley for this reason.
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Originally Posted by Jejunum
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ght=pulley+faq
Isn't replacing the stock harmonic damper (pulley) bad? Subarus do not come with a harmonic damper or balancer like some other vehicles do. For other manufacturers' vehicles, this is a legitimate concern. Proof:
"Thank you for your patience as I checked with our Technical Services Department regarding your message below. They advised that the crank pulley is a pulley and nothing else. It is not used as a harmonic damper/balancer.
Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again."
Best wishes,
John J. Mergen
Customer Service Department
Subaru of America, Inc.
Isn't replacing the stock harmonic damper (pulley) bad? Subarus do not come with a harmonic damper or balancer like some other vehicles do. For other manufacturers' vehicles, this is a legitimate concern. Proof:
"Thank you for your patience as I checked with our Technical Services Department regarding your message below. They advised that the crank pulley is a pulley and nothing else. It is not used as a harmonic damper/balancer.
Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again."
Best wishes,
John J. Mergen
Customer Service Department
Subaru of America, Inc.
Nice! After reading soooo many post about how it could f up your engine... now to find out that it isn't even on our cars... looks like the sti might be getting this as a nice little upgrade... w00t w00t!
-Nigel
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but it IS on our cars!!!!!!
...just not under the name of harmonic balancer, the only thing that makes a pulley a harmonic balancer is weather or not it has been weight tuned to dampen vibrations at a certain harmonic frequency!!!
im not mad just frustrated! no flaming here!!!!!!
i bought my 98L 2.2 off a dude who had a lightweight underdrive pulley installed shortly after he bought the car, it now has over 200K miles and runs as far as i know, like new, but im absolutely sure that the MINUTE harmonic vibrations that adversly affect the spin on the crankshaft have in fact caused some premature wear......just like the metal dust and dirt in the oil....just like every bump the car hits, just like GAMMA RADIATION!!!!! dude lets all CRYO FREEZE our cars so they dont EVER wear out! FIGHT WEAR!!!!!!
but say...on a car with a high revving V shaped piston arrangement where a pulley that balances the crankshaft and cancels out vibrations.....THEN you could worry about premature wear or breakage.......
...just not under the name of harmonic balancer, the only thing that makes a pulley a harmonic balancer is weather or not it has been weight tuned to dampen vibrations at a certain harmonic frequency!!!
im not mad just frustrated! no flaming here!!!!!!
i bought my 98L 2.2 off a dude who had a lightweight underdrive pulley installed shortly after he bought the car, it now has over 200K miles and runs as far as i know, like new, but im absolutely sure that the MINUTE harmonic vibrations that adversly affect the spin on the crankshaft have in fact caused some premature wear......just like the metal dust and dirt in the oil....just like every bump the car hits, just like GAMMA RADIATION!!!!! dude lets all CRYO FREEZE our cars so they dont EVER wear out! FIGHT WEAR!!!!!!
but say...on a car with a high revving V shaped piston arrangement where a pulley that balances the crankshaft and cancels out vibrations.....THEN you could worry about premature wear or breakage.......
Last edited by Impooter; Apr 25, 2005 at 05:16 PM.