I am wondering what balance shafts exactly are, what they do and pros and cons of them. Also how are they removed and if these affect a 2.4 in a negative way?
Thanks I always like learning new things, so discuss....
Chris
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
The balance shaft is a shaft with weights that counterbalance the pistons movements, so that the motor is not shaking like hell. About removing, I don't know if it's a good idea.... Correct me if I'm wrong about something, I'm not perfect......
the balance shaft in the 2.4 is not on the crank so it shouldn't have anything to do with the piston. We, 2.3 guys, don't have them. gm used the balance shaft to "reduce" vibration from the engine but not the same as Da ghost is talking about.
Like you know it's under the crankshaft. Yes it's beneficial to remove it but you don't have any oil pump after that. You need to modify the block to fit the 2.3 oil pump witch is way better. It can freee up around 15-20hp from what alot of people say but no dyno sheet to get an estimate.
You can remove the balance shaft on the 2.4 without having major vibration issue.
Gilles
2.3 Ho
The higher the number of cylinders, the smoother the engine feels when running. V12 Jaguars are super smooth. So are the oldy-time Packard, Cadillac, and Lincoln V12 and V16 engines. Even the Dodge V10 is fairly smooth. This is because each power pulse of the piston happens a very short time after the last pulse. If you start reducing the number of cylinders, the time between the power pulses increases. With 4 cylinder engines the pulses can be fairly severe, especially if the engine makes a significant amount of torque. One way that was commonly used to smooth these pulses was to use a heavier crankshaft and flywheel. But today, in the quest for more power, the heavy crankshaft is less popular. Instead, a balance shaft is used.
"Balance shaft" is really misleading. It's actually an "unbalanced shaft." When the shaft is spun it tries to shake, just like a tire out of balance. But it's designed with a specific weight, and it's phased with the crankshaft so the vibrations it produces counteract the vibrations produced by the normal running of the engine. The effect is that two wrongs produce a right... two unbalances produce a seemingly balanced engine.
As far as removing it, it's probably not an issue. Consumers are really raising their expectations of how an engine should feel, and carmakers are responding. The balance shaft is probably more for comfort than durability and reliability. There may be specific engine rpm where there is a noticeable vibration when the shaft is removed, but I'm guessing GM didn't add this shaft because of potential vibration caused engine failures.
-->Slow
GM's pro drag cars dont have them either. id say if you dont mind the time and effort to do it go ahead and remove them. 20 hp is definitely noticeable on our cars. and there arent any negatives to it balancng the crankshaft might help a bit to with the vibs
The one, the only, ME.
Speaking from experiance, after removing the balance shafts there are no new noticalbe vibrations.
- 93 mph in the 1/8 mile
Member of J-Body Of Michigan.
makes it smoooth
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
