1pc vs 2pc rear main - Balancer Question

[sled_dog]

Hey guys, I have a 383 project that has been a long time in the works. It is coming down the home stretch and one issue I've run into is the balancer. I got just a standard 400 balancer when I got the engine assembly together the first go around. However it is a rather large 8" balancer and I'd prefer to switch to a smaller fluid style damper now. So with that, I need an external balance fluid damper for the motor. However the block/crank is a 1pc rear main motor. I cannot find any indication whether this is an issue or not. I seem to remember sometime last year my Dad ran into an odd timing issue on one of his race motors. Turned out he had a 1pc rear main balancer on a 2pc crankshaft. The timing marks were way off for him. I'm concerned I will run into the reverse problem here.

So will I be fine to just run the 2pc rear main external balance fluid damper on this engine? I cannot seem to locate a balancer that is specified as a "1pc rear main external balance".

 

[4X4HIGH]

As long as the 383 was externally balanced then you can run whichever balancer you want (that has external weight that is) BUT you need to make sure you either change the timing tab (if yours is not welded to the cover) to the proper tab for the diameter balancer you're going to run.