Calling all ATI Damper owners! Oscillating?
 

I have an ATI damper. It was recently pulled by a shop and reinstalled because of my fucked up timing belt.

The ground on my water temp sensor fell off and when I popped the hood to reconnect it, I saw that my damper was frikken oscillating. Like it was bent or installed loosely or something. It was oscillating maybe a quarter inch or an eighth of an inch- not a huge amount, but enough to see. I was like humm and I revved it a bit and it still kept oscillating. I turned the car off and check the nuts with my hand and they weren't loose. The damper was hot though- from vibration? See here for heat and dampers: http://www.atiracing.com/products/da...mper_dinan.htm

I then drove home about 30 miles thinking my engine is now fucked and when I popped the hood and looked again in the garage, it was not oscillating at all. WTF?


So. Have any of you with ATI dampers seen your damper oscillate before? Does anyone know why it would oscillate and then stop? Is mine improperly installed? ATI is closed today and they are actually local here in Baltimore so I will stop by or call them on Monday but I thought I would ask here first. Thanks

Is it possible that anything you do doesn't get cursed...should I be worried about my car if we ever meet up again?

should I throw away the socket I used to tighten your shock mounts with?

lol I have had my share of fuck ups but seriously this new motor has been a pile of woe and that hasn't been my fault. Let's see: cam gear clattering, timing plate being loose and clattering, bolt head on timing plate being sheared off by cam gear and poking a hole in my timing belt, timing belt jumping a bazillion teeth (from bolt head or bad tension?), now this shit. That list is actually all attributable to me trying to mitigate the risk of my wrenching inexperience and having a shop assemble my motor.

FWIW before I embarked on this "upgrade" I ran boosted for 2 years with over 30k miles and no problems except for studs breaking and backing out.

The inertia weight needs to center itself, hence why it was balanced after you drove it. I'm guessing that you didn't take the time to read the directions.

http://www.atiracing.com/products/da...structions.htm

I've never understand how you're supposed to press it on...so if you have to change timing belts you get to pull the motor to press the damper on and off?

I saw that. Thing is though, it's been on for over 200 miles. It's only supposed to oscillate at first I thought.

Well, jack up car a bunch, pull radiator, pull sway bar and there is some room. I did not put it on myself nor take it off but the shop said it was very arduous since it is an interference fit.

My shop said putting that thing on was a huge PITA with the engine OUT of the car. maybe you're low on inertia weight fluid?

? I thought that this is sealed and doesn't need to be "serviced". It's brand new too.

I spoke with Jeremy @ FM about this and I need to go back to the shop to have it reseated.

They may not have used moly lube when pressing it on so it may not be seated all the way. :|

Argh

I should have just bought a fully assembled longblock from FM and avoided all this bullshit.

The "inertia weight fluid" was a joke..............."headlight fluid" anyone?

I've spent many days in the garage thinking the same exact thing... It wouldn't have cost me any more in the end...

No joke. Some dampers use a fluid to soften harmonics. Have you heard of the Fluid Damper. I use to have one on my small block powered race car.

I’ve had problems getting them pressed on with the square woodruff key staying in the slot right. Ended up smashing the end of the woodruff key behind the damper and it wobbled like crazy.

When you’re pressing the thing on the key shouldn’t be sticking past the back end of the pulley. It should be pushed into the slot as the pulley is being pressed on or something can go wrong.

Bob

fluiddampers are junk. stick with the ati's on anything you run. there is a special damper installer tool out there to help you guys out. its like a threaded rod with a sleeve and a big nut, and a thrust ball bearing that goes between your balancer and the sleeve. if your balancer has been properly honed for the specified interference fit then it should go on pretty easily with some neverseize

i did mine on the car, like said above, just pulll the rad and drop the sway