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Group Buy: ATI Damper for M54

142K views 903 replies 64 participants last post by  SoloII///M 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey Guys,

Time for another group buy. Thanks to F1004fun, McSpeed, PEI330CI, and anyone else who took the time to make this happen. I just bugged the rep about us saving a few bucks.

Price is $575 plus shipping for 10 units. 50% deposit will be required.

The damper will require a special installation tool that may or may not be included. You may have to fab up something similar to what Adam (PEI330CI) used on installing his. We'll update this as we have more information.

Before you ask "what will this expensive damper do for me?", educate yourself:

Crankshaft Dampers 101

The Dangers of Power Pulleys

This thread has also been going and has some good information on this specific damper:

M54B30 Harmonics and the ATI Damper

This should work on any M54. I don't know about any other block. The M54 was available with 2 dampers. One has a 4 rib A/C pulley, the other has a 5 rib. Know which one you need. You'll need that information when placing the deposit.

So, here's the list:

1. aggieE46
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Please be serious about getting on here.

If anyone has anything to add, feel free! Questions are good, just make sure they haven't been answered in the links above.

Brady :woot:
 
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#11 ·
I don't want to take this thread in the wrong direction... Oil pump nut failure will cost you 1k min, if you know someone. That being said, I would have been all over this 2 months ago. When I lost my Oil Pump Nut. It's not cheap and very labor intensive if you have an AWD car. This is worth it and if I got a cardboard cut out of the tool PEI used, I'm sure i can get some tools made with a water jet. Prices I have no idea, However I'd be willing to pay the shipping to get a cardboard cut out of the tool. And get this ball rolling I'd be in for the buy "IF" i can get the tools made. After one tool was made I'd send it back to PEI and he could let us all know if it was a fail???
 
#12 ·
^^ The only problem with that is the tool PEI made isn't out of sheet metal or anything like that. If you look in the thread at the top about '330 harmonics and the ati damper' it shows the tool he had to make. It's basically two heavy-duty pieces of allthread welded together with some bearings to help the tool rotate easier. Hard to explain but if you look at the pictures it makes sense. Instead of a water jet you would need something like a lathe (as Adam suggested) to hold the pieces perfectly in line while welding them.
 
#17 · (Edited)
(One of those E36 M3 guys)

I believe one of the threads made a reference to a HP limit for this unit at around 500hp. Is this something to be worried about if you want to make more power than that? AFAIK, the stock damper is used in many high-HP (lower RPM) situations and I can't imagine that the suggested HP limit from BMW was all that high.

Edit - Another question. Looking at realoem, the E36 damper has the crank sensor wheel attached to it. The E46 does not appear to have this. How does the E46 handle the crank sensor/wheel?
 
#20 ·
To answer your first question: This depends on the RPM, peak torque value, and ancillaries attached to the damper. I don't see anyone spending less than $15k making more than 500hp....a custom damper is a drop in the bucket.

The M52 engines use the same crank position sensor location as the M54. (Timing wheel is inside the crank case on the back of the crankshaft)

The funny thing is that the M52 uses a damper assembly with the 60-2 trigger wheel attached, and the timing chain cover has a mounting position for a sensor.
 
#19 ·
I am about to pick an ATI up for our SRT-4.

very good item to have for high rpm, high whp cars!
 
#25 · (Edited)
You can count me in (please get the price to drop even more). I have a 5-rib A/C belt btw.

:pimpin:

Also, will I be able to provide a list of my mods for a very specific damper or is ATI providing us a one size fits all solution based on just peak HP?
 
#28 ·
Also, will I be able to provide a list of my mods for a very specific damper or is ATI providing us a one size fits all solution based on just peak HP?
The damper does a pretty specific thing - it snuffs out resonances at the natural frequencies of forged steel in order to avoid crazy harmonic crank twisting torsion. Based on my research ATI is the top dog in this field - they're the official NASCAR damper supplier and they have lots of great reviews on other car sites - so I'm confident in their approach even though it sounds kind of simple. And it's only a one size fits all solution because our cars generally fall below the thresholds that, in their experience, would necessitate a change in design; few, if any of us, plan on exceeding 550hp and 7500 rpms. Except bluejeansonfire ;)
 
#32 ·
lol I should have an update sometime soon

It was mentioned you could rebuild this thing for $75 with new o-rings so in effect the damper is good forever. Does the damper need to be removed from the crankshaft in order to be rebuilt? If so, based on how tight the fit is can this be done with a large gear puller, or is a special tool also necessary for removal? Is the damper housing made out of steel or aluminum?
  • I'm pretty sure it needs to be pulled to be rebuilt
  • from what I hear the dampers are pressed REALLY tight
  • ATI and Moroso and probably others make damper install/removal tool sets that'll work once we get a thread adapter: http://www.atiracing.com/products/dampers/damperparts/index.htm
  • the inner hub is steel but the rest of it is aluminum
 
#33 ·
Hey guys, I just wanted the let you all know that install tool isn't that hard to make. I wrote all the part numbers on my other post and all you need technically is welder, or a buddy with a welder. I have write-ups on the other tooling you will also need and how I made it.
If you guys are serious I know some guys that do professional fabrication and have a much higher quality.
 
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