1. Jamie, I had my 300H damper rebuilt. There are lots of places which
rebuild them keeping the same parts and maintaining the correct timing mark
orientation.
2. A number of years ago, when I started my 97
Mercedes E320 , the damper came apart. It did extensive damage, fortunately
still under warranty. I forgot all the parts they replaced, but it included
a brake disc, radiator, some hoses etc. It would have been very
expensive if I had to pay for it.
Mike Moore
300H
One of the guys in my local Mopar club has
built a replica 1962 Nascar racing Hyper Pac slant 6 cylinder Valiant.
Nascar proposed adding a 6 cylinder compact car class in 62 but when
Chrysler fielded the four barrel header quipped slant 6 that blew away
the Fords and Chevy’s, they quickly cancelled the series. Anyways my
friend was drag racing his car at the track when at high RPM the vibration
dampers outer steel ring separated from the elastomeric ring, and then
somehow the steel ring moved forward onto the belt drive pulley. It resulted
in an instant unbalanced condition and removed the lower drive pulley from the
engine along with the drive belts. The engine never missed a beat, he felt a
vibration, heard a bang, and the vibration disappeared. When he glanced down
after the run he noticed the alternator was no longer charging. He then drove
to the timing tower, collected his time slip, and proceed to the pits, it was
then he noticed that his engine temperature had started to climb slightly.
Upon further inspection in the pit he found the belt and pulley gone off
the engine. The pulleys metal was ripped right off the mounting bolts, which
stayed on the engine along with a bit of the pulley metal. It did not do any
other damage to the car and they never found the ring or pulley bits when they
walked the track. I mentioned this to George and he stated that it is one
reason NHRA requires approved dampers on modified engines. He told me he had
made a run of brand new NOS style replacement dampers. I ordered one for my 65
300L right then from him and he delivered to me at the next club meet,
in hind sight I should have bought two, as I have the J now.
Jamie
Hyde