Who makes a good, cost effective damper and what model(s) would best suit a family car?

Gerald Morris

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
2,848
Reaction score
1,521
Location
Tucson
Good Evening My Moparian Fellows,

After replacing the distributor this past Thursday, I saw one disturbing detail while refining the timing: a bit of "fuzz" in the damper's rotation. I'd just replaced this engine's original damper with a 1968 one off the motor-cum-boat-anchor that came with the car on the assumption that it still should have had some kilomiles left in it. THAT may have been an ***-umption. I have ONE MORE damper, a 1969 version of the same one now on the engine.

Would THIS one be worth GAMBLING with, going through the tedium of removing the radiator, front accessories, drive pulleys et al, replacing the damper, only to have another 50+ yr old bit of rubber binding iron split on me? I'm not feeling too cheerful about this ****, so reckon its time to spend a little moolah on a nice NEW bit, that, God-willing, should see us into my Final Interment.

So, how MUCH $$ is enough for a new damper?

I've looked at offerings from Jegs, Speedway, Summit, Mancini, 440 Source, and ePay, as well as some less commonly known sources, and see that OEM-like stuff seems to run for $90-150. Not too bad that. OR, would it be worth going to the next tier, say, the ~$200 sorts billed as SFI approved, but just? WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED the more expensive sorts of dampers that approach the prices of used junkyard motors such as Fluidampr's $500 offering, however impressive it appears. I like Pioneer's stuff a lot of the time, but consider their low end offering at the top of my expense constraint curve for this venture.

Do any of you Wise Elders have recommendations on this?

I THINK I have a little time to shop and think this time. I HAD TO REPLACE the original damper like, ONE SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL AND WORK STARTED, just after installing that engine, so I used what was laying to hand, and then cleaned up the damper I had on the Commando short block, Just In Case. Deo volente, I won't have to break the glass on that one before I get some Wise Words here.

Blessings and Good Stuff to All of ye,
 
I have had good luck with this one.

 
For 440, internal balance I used Hughes Engines. Good results.
Harmonic Balancer/Damper PRP 24279, 7.25" internal balance$ 135.95$ 135.95
 
I have had good luck with this one.


THANK YOU! I like what I see here. Hadn't got to 440Source last night in my search.
 
For 440, internal balance I used Hughes Engines. Good results.
Harmonic Balancer/Damper PRP 24279, 7.25" internal balance$ 135.95$ 135.95

I like everything I read from Hughes and am sorely tempted to use them to build an engine for us. Seems like I've seen this PRP24279 in my search. Hmm, lemme look again. Thanx!

Ah HA! KNEW I saw it! Jegs has it as vaporware right now too.


Good to see that its connected w Hughes. THAT might recommend this item to me.
 
I like everything I read from Hughes and am sorely tempted to use them to build an engine for us. Seems like I've seen this PRP24279 in my search. Hmm, lemme look again. Thanx!

Ah HA! KNEW I saw it! Jegs has it as vaporware right now too.

[/URL]

Good to see that its connected w Hughes. THAT might recommend this item to me.
I used the bigblock chevy version of this one on my 489 stroker chevy in my squarebody, it works well too. I dont think you could go wrong with either this one or the 440 source one i use on my 505 mopar stroker. Here is my 489 with the jegs damper on it.
 
unfortunately i'm in the middle of rebuilding a cast crank 440 so external balance ones are few and far between and the ones i tried to order (Jeg's ,Scat,Summit etc) were addimitted to being in limbo on a container ship somewhere with no projected date of arrival...and jegs didnt inform me of that untill the order was actually placed....it just said ships directly from the manufacturer with a completly made up date...finally got one from 440 source...and that one no longer exists on their website...i'm hoping that is because of supply issues rather than them finding out it was a POS...so the purpose of this rant is just to point out that no matter which damper you want, you may have to settle for whatever is available and to call and try to speak to a live human before ordering
 
Last edited:
unfortunately i'm in the middle of rebuilding a cast crank 440 so external balance ones are few and far between and the ones i tried to order (Jeg's ,Scat,Summit etc) were addimitted to being in limbo on a container ship somewhere with no projected date of arrival...and jegs didnt inform me of that untill the order was actually placed....it just said ships directly from the manufacturer with a completly made up date...finally got one from 440 source...and that one no longer exists on their website...i'm hoping that is because of supply issues rather than them finding out it was a POS...so the purpose of this rant is just to point out that no matter which damper you want, you may have to settle for whatever is available and to call and try to speak to a live human before ordering

You may do best to have a rebuilt from the Damper Doctor. I REALLY like the idea of getting an OEM Mopar damper redone right. The Babushka leans toward getting a brand new one though, so the offerings from 440Source or the PRP24279 most likely will go on this old 383 powering Gertrude for now.

Ironically enough, we have an RV 400 I plan to rebuild with a forged crank from the Commando 383, so we'll have a surplus external balance damper after that. I'd offer it now, but in case we need to get that motor running in a hurry, we MAY want the damned thing. Damned well wish I had a nanny here to tend my spawn and some of this domestic crap here! THEN I could focus on my exalted MoPar Meditations properly.
 
thanks but i was able to get the one from 440 source....it was just curious that a month later it no longer existed on their website with no mention of it being on backorder...i didnt want anything on there that screamed "Hotrod" so didnt even consider the fluidampers etc...its thinner and doesnt look original either but the build is "stock appearing" but far from correct...And the definition of junk is anything you get rid of 6 months before you need it
 
Last edited:
well just for an update...the 440 source 200-1128 that had vanished is now back on their website so they didn't discontinue it...however i just installed the one i got from them over the winter and its off by 2 degrees...
 
well just for an update...the 440 source 200-1128 that had vanished is now back on their website so they didn't discontinue it...however i just installed the one i got from them over the winter and its off by 2 degrees...

Not good, or surprising. I think getting an old one RE-made might be the best option, IFF the work is good..... For now, that old motor is doing OK. The heads are my greatest worry, and probably the water pump.... the HOT Season draws nigh.
 
Last edited:
how i love aftermarket crap...the timing scale thats barely etched onto it is also completely covered by the timing pointer making it useless unless i cut half the tab off...the black paint came off when i stuck blue masking tape to it...if the bottom end hadn't already been balanced with this thing i'd seriously consider replacing it (and i'm too impatient to wait for another wuhan special or someone to questionably rebuild the original one)...if it leaves through the hood i'll keep you posted...good luck with the upcoming heat...
 
how i love aftermarket crap...the timing scale thats barely etched onto it is also completely covered by the timing pointer making it useless unless i cut half the tab off...the black paint came off when i stuck blue masking tape to it...if the bottom end hadn't already been balanced with this thing i'd seriously consider replacing it (and i'm too impatient to wait for another wuhan special or someone to questionably rebuild the original one)...if it leaves through the hood i'll keep you posted...good luck with the upcoming heat...

Right on bro! Problem with all Sino-iron products is their deeply seated aversion to iron technology, inculcated for 2 millennia by sundry technophobic reactionary regimes. Top THAT with immoral "caveat emptor" crapitalism and low quality becomes certain. Still, their stuff is better than Indian, which says very little FOR them.

Good luck to you too. I have a /6 1983 Dodge D150 with carburetor, vacuum bugs crawling in it. I get GREAT low hydrocarbon emissions when running, but the IDLE is BUGGERED! I reckon there's a vacuum and fuel delivery issue here, as it has been impossible to start cold without a few drops of petrol introduced direct to the carb. I DID adjust the accel pump linkage last night, but... another vehicle, another motor, another headache!
 
Most of the time it is crank keyway that is off. Notorious for big block forged cranks. Mine is off 3 degrees retarded. Cam timing resulted in advancing it 4 degrees lower sprocket cheap set, put centerline 1degree advanced. I did not blame my cheap summit dampener, because my 3 degrees kept repeating, your results may vary.
 
Most of the time it is crank keyway that is off. Notorious for big block forged cranks. Mine is off 3 degrees retarded. Cam timing resulted in advancing it 4 degrees lower sprocket cheap set, put centerline 1degree advanced. I did not blame my cheap summit dampener, because my 3 degrees kept repeating, your results may vary.

VERY GOOD to KNOW! I think my keyway is on the money, as I get optimal results when I time that old motor under that assumption. I suspect production quality peaked in the mid-1960s, which is when my cranks were forged. Only the 400, a 1977 motor, with its cast crank is outside my norm.
 
VERY GOOD to KNOW! I think my keyway is on the money, as I get optimal results when I time that old motor under that assumption. I suspect production quality peaked in the mid-1960s, which is when my cranks were forged. Only the 400, a 1977 motor, with its cast crank is outside my norm.
The B engines seem to be more spot on. Never had a 400 have a wrong keyway location, also some of the best looking old/original bearings I've ever seen come out of a original engines have come from cast crank 400. I honestly don't think they made enough Brake mean effective pressure to strain the bearings. That and the 1.88 rod to stroke ratio.
 
Back
Top