Balance Shaft Belt Broke...

[DanD1984]

I believe that I'm the luckiest DSM owner is as follows. Last night I was driving my GSX down the street and it started to vibrate. I did some diagnosing and I figured out it changed relative to my engine speed. I took off my accessory crank pulley and I see that my balance shaft belt is broken.

One question I have - Is it safe to drive my car with the balance shaft belt broken and the balance shaft still in the car? Is there any clearance issues with the crank?

 

[Quasimondo]

It will be safe but not very comfortable to drive like that. You'll get vibrations between 2-4K that are worse than if you didn't have the balance shafts in at all.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

If you left that broken belt in the area of the timing belt, you run the risk of it becoming entrapped between the timing belt and sprocket which results in instant disaster. I would either put a belt on the front damper, or do an elimination kit install. One damper will vibrate your teeth out and not to mention what that engine is going through.

Good Luck

 

[DanD1984]

I have already got the broken belt out and I'm now planning on doing the elimination kit.

 

[trickie]

How come I KEEP hearing conflicting reports about whether leaving the rear shaft in by itself causes more vibration than none at all. Does anyone know for a fact whether the rear shaft needs the front one to be able to reduce vibrations?

I've heard it will cause more vibration and ive heard its better than neither of them running.

Which is it someone please tell me!

 

[DanD1984]

How come I KEEP hearing conflicting reports about whether leaving the rear shaft in by itself causes more vibration than none at all. Does anyone know for a fact whether the rear shaft needs the front one to be able to reduce vibrations?

I've heard it will cause more vibration and ive heard its better than neither of them running.

Which is it someone please tell me!

All I know is that mine is vibrating very bad and I kind of think that they almost cancel eachother out. So I'm just going to try and take them both out, one to see if it removes some vibrations, and two, too get that B/S belt out of there.

 

[wolf20043]

How come I KEEP hearing conflicting reports about whether leaving the rear shaft in by itself causes more vibration than none at all. Does anyone know for a fact whether the rear shaft needs the front one to be able to reduce vibrations?

I've heard it will cause more vibration and ive heard its better than neither of them running.

Which is it someone please tell me!

The balance shafts (or silent shafts) counterweigh each other. If you were to just leave the rear(the one from the oil pump) the timing belt will still turn the shaft by means of the oil pump gear. The front will not be turning because the belt is the only thing turning the front shaft. I think where you are getting mixed up is you can remove the rear shaft, and just pull the BS belt off and it will not turn, it will block the oil feed holes and save from having to put the plug they sell and block off bearings. The rear shaft has got to be replaced with either a stubby shaft you can buy, or as I do, one fabricated from a cut balance shaft.
Mike

 

[DROOPY209]

none of my 2 1st gen awd talons have the bs belt in there...

I took it out on the white awd while I had the engine out and i took off the belt on the red awd with the engine still in the car.

Both of my cars dont have the bs belt, but both bs shafts are still there.

no problems on neither.

 

[wolf20043]

none of my 2 1st gen awd talons have the bs belt in there...

I took it out on the white awd while I had the engine out and i took off the belt on the red awd with the engine still in the car.

Both of my cars dont have the bs belt, but both bs shafts are still there.

no problems on neither.

How do you keep the rear shaft from turning? I guess it is possible then, but not recomended.
Mike

 

[trickie]

when i took the timing belt off of the car i just bought, I found that the front belt had been taken off and the rear left in place. That is why I wasnt sure, im going to go ahead and remove them the proper way with the kit just to be on the safe side.

 

[Quasimondo]

How do you keep the rear shaft from turning? I guess it is possible then, but not recomended.
Mike

The rear shaft is gear driven off of the oil pump. There's no way to leave it in and not have it spin.

 

[wolf20043]

The rear shaft is gear driven off of the oil pump. There's no way to leave it in and not have it spin.

That is what I thought, so I would assume there is a bit of vibration going on, but if it works. I just wont be the one to tell someone to just leave the shaft in and pull the B.S. belt. Thanks Bro
Mike