I was checking stuff out after I made some mods to my airbox ('04.5 and up size hole now and a gap to hopefully stop snowingestion.) I noticed some dried mud in my harmonic dampener. I also noticed that the rubber was starting to come out of the damper in a couple spots and at the end of the string of rubber was visible. What should I do? Get a fluidampr? Is it ok? I know they don't last forever. Should a guy find a low milage stocker for cheap and install it? I will take some pics and try and upload them.

 

Harmonic dampeners are wear items, so considering yours is 7-8 years old, it's definitely possible that it's worn out. IIRC I remember seeing something in an engine build manual that said that dampeners usually have a 4 year/100,000 mile lifespan. The rubber in them definitely moves, and needs to be revulcanized after it starts to dry out and crack. This is one of the reasons they tell you never to trust an old dampener on an old gas V8 for timing-the outer ring rotates over time, and the timing marks aren't accurate anymore.

Buying a new dampener from a Cummins dealer shouldn't set you back a whole bunch-the issue is getting to the dampener to pull it. I put a Fuel Boss lift pump on my truck, and when I installed it I had to put a small pulley on the face of the dampener to run the drive belt. The four bolts that go into the dampener were easy to get out, but there's absolutely no room between the dampener and the engine fan. You might need to remove the fan and the fan shroud in order to pull it.

 

It can be removed without taking the fan or shroud off but it is tight.

 

Well, let's hear it, come on share...

 

X2, ya just can't thow it out there and let it hang