Slight looseness on the crankshaft snout isn't a terribly bad situation, as long as the damper can't rotate back and forth due to a worn Woodruff key and/or the keyways in the crankshaft and the balancer. Red Loctite can take up the looseness, and a properly torqued center bolt will hold the damper tight against the timing gear on the crankshaft. Be sure to use a THICK flat washer, at least 1/4", and thicker is better. You don't necessarily need a lockwasher. Threadlocker and torque does just fine at keeping the bolt tight.
If there is rotary slack in the balancer, it's possible to file the keyway in the balancer wider, and custom make a stepped-down Woodruff key to eliminate the looseness. A keyway in the crankshaft that's worn into a V shape is a problem- - - -that needs to be welded up and a new keyway machined with a milling machine- - - -time for a complete engine teardown to get that done!
Jerry
