Ok, I don't get it. I'm looking at superdampers online and i'm way confused. Mine looks similar to a stock harmonic balancer in that it has grooves for serpentine belts. How do the ones work that have no grooves? I don't get it. Are they for race only engines that don't use an alternator or mechanical water pump?

 

the "dampners" on new motors are just pulleys they have no balancing effect.

On old Small blocks the balancer was bolted to the crank and then the pulley was bolted to the balancer

 

You sure about that?

 

Sorry Zzebes, but that's not quite true. Look at the pulley, there is an elastic ring between the 2 pieces of the pulley that does the harmonic dampening.

 

am i correct though? if you look at the ATI super dampers they have a few different kinds. the one i have is the serpentine damper. how about the ones with no grooves? clearly no belts can be attached to it right?

 

alright but it doesnt serve the same function as an old BBC or SBC Harmonic Balancer

 

ALL harmonic balancers serve the same function... whether an engine is internally or externally balanced depends on the necessities of the rotating assembly and is a seperate subject.

 

They both work in the same way. The ones that you are looking at most likely have holes drilled through the front to attach the pulleys to the dampers. Otherwise, a mandrel is attached to the crank to drive accessories with.