OK, it's time to replace the balancer. I've done it before on gassers, and I figure it cant be too much different on my old 6.2 "J". In keeping with my usual tradition of trying to make improvements, and generally overdo everything I replace or repair, I wanted to solicit some opinions from you good folks here as to what is a good upgrade in a replacement balancer, or should I just stick with the tried and true GM part? Thanks for your suggestions, and wisdom.

Stick with the tried and true gm parts. You might be able to find a good used balancer. I might even have a few if you are interested. There have been some updates made to balancers. 82 and 83 balancers had holes all the way around the outer ring. They did away with the holes in 84 and later.;) Pretty easy swap, just like a gasser just heavier.:cool2:

I bought a new one from Napa for $88. It looked nice, but when I was installing it, I noticed a very tiny "made in China" stamp on it. If I would of known that, I would have bought a GM one!

Most important = you're not working on a small-\big-block Chevy.

You're working on a Detroit Diesel, with a cast-iron crankshaft - under NO circumstances do you beat the cast-iron HB on with a sledgehammer and a brass drift, or wooden block.

Remove the HB with a 3-jaw or cross-arm-and-bolt puller, install the HB with a threaded stud-and-nut tool, preferably with a ball-bearing thrust-plate assembly.

Final bolt torque is 200ftlbs, iirc .

Remember - in this engine, any problem with the HB often results in broken crankshaft at 2nd main journal.

edited to enhance procedure