Originally posted by john69eliminator
I just want a few suggestions on my balancer/front cover/water pump problem. The problem is that my 400 sbc has been balanced with a 8 inch harmonic balance, and well, the front cover is too far out for it to fit on all the way, and my Neovane water pump can't fit with the 8 inch balancer. I thought about getting a smaller balancer, but then I would have to balance the engine again (some guys have told me that they have built car engines and changed balancers without having the engine re-balanced?), or maybe getting a stock front cover so the 8 inch balancer will fit and getting an electric water pump. Anyone have any better ideas or suggestions for me. If anyone has an electric water pump running or knows what brand I should look into please let me know. Speak to the shop that balanced your engine. Ask them if it is internally or externally balanced. Then ask if you can get a smaller balancer and have them match it to your 8" balancer.
Most 400's are internally balanced, which means that the balancer has no counter weight (neutral balanced). Changing to a smaller balancer should pose no problems. Even if you buy a neutral balancer it should be checked for proper balance.