KingSize.Hamster

Hi All,

My engine is stuck after installing the Dundon Harmonic Damper. The damper was installed while the engine was out for coolant pipe welding job. The engine wasn't taken apart during this process. After putting everything back, the engine was literally stuck and won't turn when trying to crank up.

During the install, my mechanic took out the factory pulley, lined up the crankshaft with the damper using the long pin, didn't install the factory shim, pushed the damper in, swapped the long pin with the short pin, tightened to 250Nm, etc. All those steps went through fine, and no signs of misalignment -- at least not from what we could tell.

When he realized the engine won't turn, he tried removing the center bolt to remove the damper. Unfortunately he was only able to wiggle the damper out a bit, and after that he was able to rotate the crank by hand. So the engine getting stuck seems related to the damper and/or its install. As it was getting quite late on a Saturday night, he will need to come back next week to continue. He wasn't able to remove the damper at that point. In fact I'm not even sure if he has the specific tools to remove the damper (like this https://www.summitracing.com/parts/a...ckw=pmax-tools). So he wasn't able to take a look nor take measurements of the space around the crankshaft's end nor the inner side of the pulley.

I emailed Jamie from Dundon, and he replied quickly. He suspected that the install might have been crooked or the pin wasn't in place correctly to help the guide the damper on.

Has any of you seen this before? Or do you have any idea what else could have gone here? Just trying to think of what how I could get through this without damaging the engine nor the damper.

Obviously Jamie is very knowledgeable with his products. My mechanic is fairly experienced with these engines and has dropped a fair number of these watercooled Mezgers over the years on various projects. However, he's not installed this damper specifically.

Thanks in advance.



Damper in place



Damper before install 1



Damper before install 2

RAudi Driver

Assuming that he didn't test the pulley before install as it you attempted to start the engine and you couldn't. So then, with engine now in the car, he removed the bolt and tried to giggle the wheel loose and can now turn the wheel and crank by hand? That's a pretty strong hand. Are you sure the crank is turning as the pin has probably been disengaged when he tugged on it and now only the pulley wheel is turning. I'm not expert in this just brainstorming like the armchair mechanic I think I am.

Can you post up the ATI install instructions?

Robocop305

It should be a straight forward installation since the crank pin lines up the pulley. I wonder if there is something else causing the issue after the engine was reinstalled.

KingSize.Hamster

ya. Thought so too. I mean the mechanic has been dropping and installing these engines for years. The local Porsche community goes through him for all sorts of work and never has an issue. So I am making assumption he knows what he’s doing as well, at least for all these bolt ons and regular work.

Ya. ATI’s instructions are as follows: https://www.atiracing.com/instructions/918999.pdf

Then also the ones included from Dundon (as PDF attachment below).

Thanks