balance shaft removal regret

[kmmandkdn]

OK,
Has anyone regretted removing balance shafts? I see a lot of positive reviews, so I'm only looking at people who didn't like how it changed the car. I'm rebuilding my 91 Laser RS Turbo, due to a seized oil pump (possibly due to a bad balance shaft it is hard to tell which caused which damage). I'm looking at daily driver with stage 1 modifications.

 

[livedsm4g63]

Just has a bit more vibration and you will run with higher oil pressure. But I can live with the vibration and the oil pressure can be manipulated by doing other things.

 

[007jimmy]

Delete the balance shafts and port the OFH and call it a day. One less thing to break and porting the OFH will help with the pressure issue.

 

[93_tsi_fwd]

I some what regret it do to the car being a family car with poly mounts but I have 1 less thing to worry about which is why i removed it in the first place. Balance shaft failed at the track. The vibration doesnt bother me but what bothers me is the loose dash, rattling shit all over. Just make sure you have your dash bolted down good and hide the spare change somewhere else.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I have never regretted it. Not even once.

 

[ed1380]

I have solid front and rear motor mounts and it's fine. The firmer side mounts give the biggest increase in vibrations.

 

[jpv91120]

Knew someone that said the vibrations rattled a bolt loose and it went into the timing belt. I am sure he was just looking for something to blame and your kinda asking for it running without timing belt covers anyway.

 

[livedsm4g63]

I had a bolt come loose that holds the oil pump onto the inside of the block. I note it as my fault though because I never used loctite. I would imagine the vibration made it come loose. Use loctite on almost every that can and you will be good. Just turned 1100 miles on my new build and no problems so far. Knock on wood.

 

[ed1380]

I had a bolt come loose that holds the oil pump onto the inside of the block. I note it as my fault though because I never used loctite. I would imagine the vibration made it come loose. Use loctite on almost every that can and you will be good. Just turned 1100 miles on my new build and no problems so far. Knock on wood.

I had the same problem happen and that was before I eliminated the balance shafts. So it can happen even with balance shafts.

 

[kmmandkdn]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've tried to diagnose my problem, the oil pump balance shaft bearing and bearing surface were severely scored and the oil pump was seized solid. A couple of lessons learned, either I got burned using a non-OEM pump or I wasn't meticulous enough in cleaning the old block before assembly, maybe both.

 

[2gprpletsi]

delete them a few days and the vibration wont even be noticeable.

 

[miguelmcv]

If you have OE mount, you will not feel a difference on vibration, There is no difference with or with out the balance shaft, obviously my lower end was balanced when the rebuild, But if you have solid mounts, then, I think you might feel the difference, But 95% of the vibration comes from the mounts (solid) rather then the removed balance shaft.

 

[gufi]

never regretted this on my 91, wanted to do it on both my 92's. i had solid mounts all the way around ( welded steel mounts, no poly )

steering wheel shook but i'm used to the car shaking and bucking so this wasn't any thing new.

you'll regret it if you want honda style silence and such... but then you shouldn't be driving a dsm at that point