Has anyone purchased or used one of these dampers?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Performance-Harmonic-Damper-Crank-Pulley_W0QQitemZ370019183107QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item370019183107

Going for a light weight flywheel, is this a suitable substitue to the BMW conversion?

I know that Stuart Wilkins in Sydney makes harmonic balancers for L series engines using BMW parts. Go and ask him for a price. Then consider the cost of the balancer on ebay and the cost of postage. You'll soon find out which way to go.

It looks very similar to the genuine Nissan motorsport one that used to be available. The only hassle with that old one was that it ran a very thin belt groove so that a stock fan belt wouldn't fit. I would, at a guess, think that the one for sale on ebay has had that issue corrected so that a normal fan belt will fit.

There are quite a few companies out there that sell special balancers for L series engines from simple lightweight machined alloy things to great big heavy things like the BMW conversion balancer. I guess it has something to do with how hard you're gonna rev the thing to how well the bottom end is balanced.

What does everyone else think?

Cheers

Haven't tried SWR yet but have a quote locally of $350 for the BMW verses this ebay one which would cost under $150 landed.

The BM is fluid filled? have I got that right? the other advantage is running an underdrive. Building a hard reving motor but the main bottom end mod will be a small clutch and 6 or 7 kg flywheel.

I don't know if the BMW unit is fluid filled. Ask SWR or the guy who quoted you one if they are.

Sounds like you want the best balancer for your high revving motor. I guess its hard to blame a balancer for a grenaded bottom end. How would you prove that it was the balancers fault?? I'd personally go for a balancer that was built for my motor in the first place although there may be absolutely nothing wrong with using the modified BMW unit.

I would just check with the company selling the other balancer if it's the best one they have available for the L Series and is it suitable for racing? The smaller pulley diameter on the balancer is a bonus too, keeping rpms down on your water pump (ie keeping the pump running in its sweet spot for optimal pump efficiency) and reducing thrown belts.

I threw in a couple of pictures of what the Nismo balancer looks like. Needs a special bolt and washer setup...the bolt is longer and the washer registers with the face of the balancer. Note the small width of the pulley groove.

Good luck...Cheers:)

Here are those pictures (I hope)

I purchased one from MSA and found that the belt groove was to narrow and that the keyway slot to small. I took it to an engineering shop with the original one as a model and they machined it to take the standard belt and the right sized key to locate it on the crankshaft. Also the timing marks needed to be painted on in the correct spot. Otherwise it seems to work ok!

I did notice that the fit onto my LD28 crank was a little too tight. I didn't measure the internal/external dimensions of the two, but it seems that there is work to be done to make it work. So too the pulley groove. Why did you have to repaint the timing marks...what was wrong with them? Was there a manufacturing issue with the marks...and crank bore? Seems odd that Nissan would produce something that needs so much 'corrective' work.

Cheers.

The notches were in the wrong spot.

The notches were in the wrong spot.