Free balance shaft removal

[Dred]

Free balance shaft removal (thnx to huafist for his write-up and V-Faq for existing)
Note: this guide assumes you have everything apart already as per V-faq and I take
no responsibility for what you mess up.

Take the oil-pump assembly apart by removing the 6 screws holding the front and rear
oil pump cover together. Pry the 2 covers apart using a flat blade screw-driver, and detach
the balance shaft from the rear cover by loosening the bolt that holds the sprocket
to the shaft.

Put the shaft into a vice and tap down the same hole you took the bolt out for the gear
using an 8mm tap all the way down. You will know when you're there because it will not tap any further. Run the thread down and up a few times to make sure it's nice and even.

Using a cutoff wheel tool cut the shaft after the 2nd polished surface (starting from
where the sprocket sits of the shaft) or as shown on the picture.

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Find a longer bolt about 1.25inches long, with the same thread and head size as the original. Here is what you are blocking off with the nut. The black dot on the stubby between the 2 polished surfaces is on of the oiling holes, and although the picture doesn't show, the new bolt's thread is covering the hole and actually going almost to the and of the new stubby shaft. Take it to a table grinder and take off any shaft edges off the cut surface.

Put some locktite on the bolt and put the sprocket back on the shaft. Make sure you put the sprocket the right way, with the lip facing the bolt and not the stubby shaft. Like this picture indicates.

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Use some grease on the oil-pump gears so that they're nice and lubed when the engine
is started. Clean both surfaces with brake cleaner and a razor blade, don't use a
rotating tool because the aluminum is very thin. You can use a rotating tool on the
block because it is cast iron, but the oil-pump cover's aluminum is very soft, so be
very careful. Torque down the 5 bolts, and run through them in sequence a few times. Try doing a criss-cross pattern when tightning and not just going around in a circle. Make sure your oil-pump assembly is rotating freely by hand. Mine was siezed up a little once I torqued everything down, so I used a bit of forced to get it unseized. Once it starts moving
even a little, you should be able to rotate the gears by hand, if not, you have placed
the balance shaft gear the incorrect way, and you have to pull everything apart, and
put the gear on the balance shaft the way it is supposed to be (use the picture
listed above for refrence).
(back of front oil pump cover with the balance shaft and pump gears lubed up)

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Take the front balance shaft and lock it tight in a vice. Using the same cutoff wheel tool
as you did for the rear balance shaft, cut the shaft directly after the first bearing surface,
as seen on this picture. Take the shaft to the table grinder, and as you did before, take out
all of the rough edges from the cut surface.

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Using a 32mm socket (as in the picture, the socket is reversed on the picture) and an extension or two and a hammer knock out the front and the rear FRONT balance shaft bearings. balance shaft bearings. BUT BEFORE YOU DO, nake a note of where the oiling holes are facing. Knock out the front bearing out and then the second (or your 32mm socket wont get to the rear bearing). Flip the rear bearing 180 degrees from the oiling hole in the block, and use the same socket to get it back in. Do the same for the front bearing. The important thing to note, is that this is what block's the oiling holes so that you do not lose oil-pressure due to the shaft that used to be oiled, does not exist anymore. If you somehow forget where the original oiling hole is (this mostly concerns the rear bearing because it's really hard to see), get a telescopic mirror and use it to see where the hole in the block is, and rotate the bearing so that the hole in the bearing and the hole in the block do not line up. (The rear bearing of the rear balance shaft (oil-pump assembly) does not need to be touched since it has no oiling holes, but for the sake of
safety, run your finger on the inside of it, and make sure you feel no hole, if there is one,
rotate the bearing as was explained above, but there really shouldn't be one)

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Now, put the stubby in the block, place the new gasket on the block (make sure the holes in the block align to the holes in the block as well as the oil routes), and place the oil-pump cover onto the block. THe cover should stay on the block because of the alignment spacers on the sides of the block. Using the diagram (below, thnx to vfaq) and a ruler, put all of the bolts back into their place and using your hands just tighten them for now. The bolt with the * is the 14mm head bolt. Altogether (with the 14mm head bolt) there should be 8 of them. For the length of the bolts, all of mine were actually 5mm shorter than listed in the diagram, yours may vary, but I'm guessing they'll be 5mm shorter as well.

Torque all of the bolts, this time going from the center of the cover outward. Put a new
oil-seals on all the shafts using a little RTV on the otside rim of the seals. Put the
front balance shaft sprocket and washer back on, because that's what will be holding your
front stubby from falling into the crank-case and destroying it.

Hope this helped some people. If you find any mistakes, or would like something added, please don't hesitate to post, and I'll update the guide.

Thnx to huafist, and as always, VFAQ.
The gasket.

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The finished product.

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Diagram from VFAQ

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I'm also a bit tired, so please, if something doesn't make sense, ask.
Thnx.

 

[TSIfreek]

Great pics!!!!

 

[Dred]

Btw, the block is upside down, hope this cleared it up for some people.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

Cool!
Is that a 6 bolt?

 

[92awddsm]

A couple of more options are:
1) on the rear shaft, you can cut the shaft as pictured and tap the cut end to 5/16-18 and install a set screw from the rear. This is how I always do it and then just tack weld it in place to keep it from coming out.

2) on the front shaft, you can remove the 2 bolts from the front of the block, drill sligtly oversized(very small amount) and the use a 1/4-20 or 1/4-24 tap to tap the oil holes in the block itself. Now, install set screws of the same pitch, tap the outer holes that you drilled to a 5/16 or 8mm, reinstall the bs bearings to keep the set screws in place, and install bolts of the matching thread into the front of the block. As for the front cover, I usually just have an aluminum plate welded into the front bs seal hole just to make sure of no leaks or rubber/freeze plugs falling onto my tb and causeing head damage.

If you are just flipping the bearings around for the front shaft and have problems finding the oil hole location in the block, just make sure the oil hole in the bearing is pointed towards the front of the engine/car. This is a sure way to make sure you block the oil passages off.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

As for the front cover, I usually just have an aluminum plate welded into the front bs seal hole just to make sure of no leaks or rubber/freeze plugs falling onto my tb and causeing head damage.

.

How can the front case bs plug fall into the engine at all let alone make its way into the cylinder head?

 

[92awddsm]

How can the front case bs plug fall into the engine at all let alone make its way into the cylinder head?

I have seen one fall out and land on the timing belt, jumped timing , and trashed the head.
Didnt you read what you quoted?

rubber/freeze plugs falling onto my tb(you know, timing belt) and causing head damage

If you dont understand this, evidently you are not familiar with bs elimination kits. Most either come with a rubber coated plug or a convex freeze plug to install in place of the front bs oil seal.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

I have seen one fall out and land on the timing belt, jumped timing , and trashed the head.
Didnt you read what you quoted?

rubber/freeze plugs falling onto my tb(you know, timing belt) and causing head damage

If you dont understand this, evidently you are not familiar with bs elimination kits. Most either come with a rubber coated plug or a convex freeze plug to install in place of the front bs oil seal.

Oh, ok you mean falling out externally. I am familiar with the bs elimination because I just performed it. I thought you were talking about the plug falling into the engine.

My mistake.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

I think a little JB Weld around that plug will also help keep it in place. I dont want to think of it coming out of there.

 

[Dred]

Yes this is a 6bolt.
Thnx for the diff options 92awddsm, it's nice to have variety.

 

[rowlex]

JBweld is surprisingly weak, I wouldn't trust it on anything this important.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

JBweld is surprisingly weak, I wouldn't trust it on anything this important.

Its not the sole means of keeping it in. VFAQ.com even mentions using it.
http://www.vfaq.com/mods/balance-shafts.html

 

[Dred]

If you guys think this post has what it takes to be in the tech guides sections, please say so and I'll repost there.

 

[ISUJakey]

If you guys think this post has what it takes to be in the tech guides sections, please say so and I'll repost there.

Yes!

 

[Daveed]

Is there any way to get the pics added back into this post? It'd be helpful


edit: this was something that I found that answered one of my Qs....
"Reminder: There is no need to remove the rear balance shaft's bearing, as it has no oil hole in it (the bearing is fed by the shaft itself, which is hollow and feeds from the oilpump)."

 

[1G-3G Eclipses]

i hate to bump such an old thread. but as the guy above said, would anyone happen to have the pics from this?

 

[DraginX]

A couple of more options are:
1) on the rear shaft, you can cut the shaft as pictured and tap the cut end to 5/16-18 and install a set screw from the rear. This is how I always do it and then just tack weld it in place to keep it from coming out.

2) on the front shaft, you can remove the 2 bolts from the front of the block, drill sligtly oversized(very small amount) and the use a 1/4-20 or 1/4-24 tap to tap the oil holes in the block itself. Now, install set screws of the same pitch, tap the outer holes that you drilled to a 5/16 or 8mm, reinstall the bs bearings to keep the set screws in place, and install bolts of the matching thread into the front of the block. As for the front cover, I usually just have an aluminum plate welded into the front bs seal hole just to make sure of no leaks or rubber/freeze plugs falling onto my tb and causeing head damage.

If you are just flipping the bearings around for the front shaft and have problems finding the oil hole location in the block, just make sure the oil hole in the bearing is pointed towards the front of the engine/car. This is a sure way to make sure you block the oil passages off.

For number 1 why not just weld the end of the cut off bs shut instead of tack welding a set screw in there? Also am I misunderstanding your explaination or do you mean the front balance shaft here? I'm talking about the shaft attached through the oil pump.

Here is how I will be finishing up my bs removal.

1: I removed the front bs off the oil pump after I marked it and cut it with a zip cut blade. I then took off any rough edges, then I welded the oiling hole shut that goes through the center of the shaft. Pop out the remaining bearings and re install the bs into the pump filled with grease.

2: (haven't done this yet, what can ya do when you break you good wrist..)
For the rear bearing I will be completely removing the bs and bearings, then I plan on taping the oil hole shut, then fabbing up a plate to cover the opening and to also go into the hole as a second block off for the oil port so the set crew can't back out.

BUT, my question is would it be that much of a problem if you just made a block off plate for the rear bs, and let the oiling hole dump into the block? These motors already have rediculas oil pressure so wouldn't this be a good way to relieve some of it, and if this is too mush why not just plug it with a set screw with a small hole drilled in it?