440 Internal or External Balanced

[BMosely]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on the 440 and this question has popped up. I understand the difference, but I don’t know enough about the issue to know if one way is better or not. In my case, the motor would be coming from one source and the flywheel and tranny from another. If you go external balanced flywheel how do you know the weight and placement required? Internally balanced is pretty self explanatory as everything else goes to neutral balance. Thoughts?

 

[BeepBeepRR]

The flywheel only goes on one way. The bolt pattern in the crank wont allow you to spin it either way a bolt or two. What year 440 and is it a cast or forged crank? Some are internally balanced and some are externally balanced.

 

[khryslerkid]

On a external balanced cast crank you'll need the harmonic balancer for the cast crank also.

If you're using a forged crank flywheel/flex plate on the cast crank there is a weight and location documented for a automatic (torque converter). I'd have to look it up again.

Clutch flywheel might be different and is the cast crank drilled for the input shaft on the trans.

I guess we need to know exactly what parts you are intending to use and go from there.

 

[1967coronet]

My 76 440 is cast crank and external balance.
When I bought my convertor I just told the tech on the phone what I had for a engine and that it was cast crank external balance with a oem flex plate and hole spaced for the 12 inch convertor .
They sent me my recon 12" has a weight welded on it , no vibration.
In the end I think thats the way to do it , just give your specs to what vendor is selling you the convertor.
Some oem plates have both sets of holes for 11 and 12" convertors , depends on what you need.

 

[R/T Boy 67]

With modern pistons and rods, and a forged crank, it will be easy to internal balance. Makes a lot more sense to me.

 

[Chukar]

On a external balanced cast crank you'll need the harmonic balancer for the cast crank also.

If you're using a forged crank flywheel/flex plate on the cast crank there is a weight and location documented for a automatic (torque converter). I'd have to look it up again.

Clutch flywheel might be different and is the cast crank drilled for the input shaft on the trans.

I guess we need to know exactly what parts you are intending to use and go from there.

I recently obtained a 68 GTX. Engine and Automatic 727 tranny appear to have been recently rebuilt .
There is a vibration in engine/tranny
Can you help me identify what crank may be in motor?

 

[khryslerkid]

I recently obtained a 68 GTX. Engine and Automatic 727 tranny appear to have been recently rebuilt .
There is a vibration in engine/tranny
Can you help me identify what crank may be in motor?

Look through these balancers closely. There are subtle differences between a couple but you should be able to identify yours and tell by the description what you have.

http://www.440source.com/dampers.htm

 

[Chukar]

Look through these balancers closely. There are subtle differences between a couple but you should be able to identify yours and tell by the description what you have.

http://www.440source.com/dampers.htm

Thanks

 

[MoparDanMan]

To the best of my knowledge, only the 440-6 pack was internally balanced.

 

[33 IMP]

Be wary. Most forged crank motors were internally balanced. All cast crank motors are externally balanced. The exception are the steel crank motors with the heavy "six pack" rods. They used an external weight package.The 69 sixpacks used LYrods, so internal. 70 and 71 sixpacks used the heavy rods, and the heavy rods also appeared in later, non-sixpack motors. They used a different weight package than the cast crank motors.
I would suggest pulling the pan and seeing what you have. That way, no unpleasant surprises.

 

[Chukar]

Be wary. Most forged crank motors were internally balanced. All cast crank motors are externally balanced. The exception are the steel crank motors with the heavy "six pack" rods. They used an external weight package.The 69 sixpacks used LYrods, so internal. 70 and 71 sixpacks used the heavy rods, and the heavy rods also appeared in later, non-sixpack motors. They used a different weight package than the cast crank motors.
I would suggest pulling the pan and seeing what you have. That way, no unpleasant surprises.

Block is cast with a 67 build date
Hoping to identify without pulling pan
Received a link to dampener identity. Start there
Thanks

 

[Chukar]

To the best of my knowledge, only the 440-6 pack was internally balanced.

OK. Not a six pack

 

[33 IMP]

Block is cast with a 67 build date
Hoping to identify without pulling pan
Received a link to dampener identity. Start there
Thanks

If it still has a 1967 crank in it, its internal balanced, no cast cranks that far back. How do you know its still got the 1967 crank?

 

[Chukar]

If it still has a 1967 crank in it, its internal balanced, no cast cranks that far back. How do you know its still got the 1967 crank?

 

[Chukar]

I Don’t know

 

[Chukar]

If it still has a 1967 crank in it, its internal balanced, no cast cranks that far back. How do you know its still got the 1967 crank?

I don’t know for sure

 

[rolling_Thunder]

basically - if it has a thin balancer it is internally balanced... the thicker balancer with a slight taper is externally balanced

 

[1 Wild R/T]

To the best of my knowledge, only the 440-6 pack was internally balanced.

Absolutely Wrong!!! A 66-69 440 including the 69 440-6 are all originally internally balanced....

A 70-72 440-4 along with 70-71 440-6 engines are externally balanced but it is a fairly small balance weight on the damper & flywheel/torque convertor... They run a forged crank but they also run heavy rods

73 & up cast crank 440's are all externally balanced with a big weight on the damper & flywheel/torque convertor....

 

[1 Wild R/T]

basically - if it has a thin balancer it is internally balanced... the thicker balancer with a slight taper is externally balanced

The 70-72 forged crank big rod engine had a thin damper that has an offset weight, it is externally balanced...

Here's a standard 440 internally balanced damper next to a 70-72 big rod externally balanced damper

And a side shot of the big rod damper.... AKA Sixpack damper

 

[dvw]

Buy a $20 bore scope camera off Amazon an look thru the oil pan drain plug hole. Cast crank; thin parting line, square edges on the counter weights. Forged crank; rough 3/8” wide parting line, rounded edges on the counter weights.
Doug