ATI Dampers for S5x & M5x Motors - Click if you need one.

[loftygoals]

I know there has been a lot of discussion about ATI dampers in this forum, so I thought I would cost post this here:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...-OBD1-and-OBD2

I have no affiliation with the guy getting the group buy together, I just thought some of you might be interested in participating. I've had a hard time sourcing these myself. ATI has been unwilling to work with me (they keep telling me to work with VAC if I want a small quantity) and VAC still hasn't finished their design for the M5x family of motors.

-bj

[jimmypet]

We are running a similar thing for an ATI S14 damper.
Same result ATI kept telling me work with VAC.
We did a "group buy commitment" for people who wanted them up to a certain price point, we got commitment for 20 units
I sent that to Tony, have not heard much back recently.
I think we are in line behind you M5x guys in the development chain.

Good luck in your project, FYI there are a few other damper companies other than ATI that were REALLY interested in taking on our project, but the group seemed to want ATI. If you are interested I'm happy to share those contacts.

[gobuffs]

Ran one on my S54. Would NOT run it again. Can't say it caused my failure but the dampener had serious damage after less than 10 hours of use.

[DekaB]

10 hours of use? I have seen these used in other applications, any insight as to why it might have failed?

[gobuffs]

When I took it off it was rubbing on the front timing cover a bit. The o rings inside had partially failed. Unsure of ultimate root cause. Didn't get any significant answer from vendor or ATi. Read another report of a failure on an S54 as well.

[nondescript]

^^ did you do that crazy measurement to 4 decimal points before placing your order?

[loftygoals]

When I took it off it was rubbing on the front timing cover a bit. The o rings inside had partially failed. Unsure of ultimate root cause. Didn't get any significant answer from vendor or ATi. Read another report of a failure on an S54 as well.

Bruce, I consider you a friend, but stop peeing in my pool, here. You've made it very clear that you don't care for the ATI damper. You mention it in every thread that pops up about it. I really need an upgraded damper for my project and the stock M5x damper has a lot of reported failures at the kind of RPMs I'll be running. Every engine builder I talk to recommends ATI dampers. Scouring the web, I can find very few reported failures besides yours. That's not to say that you didn't have a defective damper or that it contributed to your engine failure, but until I have a better option the ATI damper is what I am going to run.

^^ did you do that crazy measurement to 4 decimal points before placing your order?

I am 100% sure he didn't because the S54 crank is very different from the M5x cranks. The damper doesn't slide over the nose of the crank, it bolts to the end. An alignment pin and 4 bolts are used to center it. The M5x crank damper slides over the end and it located by a woodruff key.

-bj

[DekaB]

So what you are saying is that his failure was s54 specific? It will not deter me from purchasing a dampener but I would like to know what I am getting into.

[loftygoals]

So what you are saying is that his failure was s54 specific? It will not deter me from purchasing a dampener but I would like to know what I am getting into.

Not necessarily. What I was saying to nondescript is that the designs are different in how they attach to the crank. All of ATI's dampers use the same basic design for dampening, though. Could an ATI damper fail? Sure--and just like an OEM damper it will fail or stop performing well after enough use. What I do know is that ATI makes the most highly regarded damper in the world. If you go browse some European car forums, you find guys that are using them there, too. When Roush Yates developed the new Ford FR9 NASCAR motor from scratch in 2009/2010 they could have selected any damper in the world, or even run no damper, but they selected an ATI damper. To me, this really says something.

What many people don't realize is that the harmonic damper is a wear item. They get extremely hot and wear out over time. The S54 in particular is known for eating dampers. I had a OEM damper fail on my on my S54 at Circuit of Americas earlier this year:


This is where I know GoBuffs is a friend. He saved my butt by giving me a spare damper that he had with him. (Thanks again, Bruce!)

My damper only had 40,000 miles on it when it failed. A harmonic damper needs to be replaced/rebuilt after lots of hard use (such as a season of racing) or after a major engine failure like a thrown rod.

-bj

[John V]

I have an ATI damper on my E46 M54 motor. Really nice unit. The measurement of the crank snout is pretty tricky and you have to get it right.

[admranger]

What kind of revs did that to the damper? I've got 82k-ish miles on a stock S54 that's seen more than its fair share of track time (Nurburgring school, A-1 ring, Salzburgring, and new N'ring track in first 4k miles, then it got heavy track use!). No issues with the damper.

[loftygoals]

I had about 10 track weekends and 45,000 total miles when my S54 damper failed.

-bj

[ScotcH]

Have been running the ATI damper on M54 race engine all year. No issues. I'm tearing it apart in a month or so to see how the bearings faired, but the engine has been running well for 7 race weekends including test days.

[admranger]

I had about 10 track weekends and 45,000 total miles when my S54 damper failed.

-bj

Stock rev limiter or ?

[loftygoals]

Stock rev limiter or ?

8200.

[fifth]

I know there has been a lot of discussion about ATI dampers in this forum, so I thought I would cost post this here:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...-OBD1-and-OBD2

I have no affiliation with the guy getting the group buy together, I just thought some of you might be interested in participating. I've had a hard time sourcing these myself. ATI has been unwilling to work with me (they keep telling me to work with VAC if I want a small quantity) and VAC still hasn't finished their design for the M5x family of motors.

-bj

We have a lot of guys using this damper on their s52's and have not had any problems with them ...