How hard is the balance shaft elimination

[drewstealth94]

I'm going to do the balance shaft elmination on my Galant. My timing belt got chewed up so I might as well do it while all this stuff is off my car. The only guide I have seen is on VFAQ.COM. Is that the only guide around, or is there a better one?

Also for the people that have done this before on their car, how hard was it too do. The instructions on vfaq.com, make it seem like it is going to be very tough to do. I'm going to be doing this with the engine on the car but on a lift.

Thanks.

 

[exiletalon]

mine wasnt too difficult, but I had my motor out. Just a patience kind of job, like fuel filter. Not the most difficult thing, but definatly no oil change.
By the way, the vibration felt after do this will kinda bite you at first. Dont be afraid, The engine will feel like it is vibrating more.

The engine is NOT vibrating any more than it was before, but now you can feel more of it.- dont freak out.

 

[HearMeSpoolin]

i have mine out, but never had them in when i got the car, so i cant tell u about vibrations or anything..but mine doesn't shake at all

 

[BUCK]

Personally I'd change Rod Bearings & Rings while I was down there too...

OIL PUMP SHAFT MODS / BALANCE SHAFT MODS

Remove the rear balance shaft, pick up a few HP and eliminate the chance of the front balance shaft belt breaking in the future. It'll also make any future t-belt replacement a snap. You don't need to remove the front shaft (that involves tilting the engine and is a real bi*** to do). You can remove just the rear shaft and leave the front one in. The shaft will cover the oil holes (when not rotating), so you don't need to rotate the bearings.

Assuming you have elected to do the above...

2. Take off the transfer case (if you have one)

4. Remove the brace that runs on the drivers side under the pan

5. Remove the 2 bolts holding up the front drivers axle support bearing bolted to the backside of the motor under the AC compreesor

6. remove all the bolts from the pan and the turbo oil return line.

7. take a scraper or screw driver and clean off any of the old seal on the pan and the block, then clean it with degreaser.

8. Unbolt Oil Pump strainer from pump & motor.

9. You may have to unbolt oil pump from back side of freed up front case to get shaft to clear frame.

10. Pull front case.

Replace the rear balance shaft with the stubby shaft from Mirage.

The biggest reason why I go with the oil stub shaft is because if I am this far into the engine, damn straight I am going to disassemble the oil pump and check it out for wear. If I do that, I might as well swap the shaft completely.

Nothing sucks worse than doing all the work to replace the balance shafts and rebuild it only to have the oil pump fail and destroy the motor.

My oil pressure is pretty high now after the swap. I know I don't EVER want to replace that oil pump again, it was a bi*** and a half.

Engines run higher idle pressures after the removal.

Leaving the front shaft in is the half assed way of doing it but is completely effective. If you leave the front shaft in, then you don't need to drop the block and you don't need to replace the front bearings as the stationary balance shaft will block the oiling holes. The rear balance shaft bearings have no oiling holes as the lubrication gets fed from the hollow rear balance shaft so they can stay in place as well after you remove the balance shaft. It will require you removing the front case.

The timing gear has to come off the front of the crank to remove the front cover, it should not be that hard to pull off as it is just press fit on with a moonshaped keyway. Use a puller if you have access to one, but the sprocket should pry off fairly easily

 

[Red Man]

i had mine taken out it wasnt to costly, but yeah mine shakes, i dont like the shaking.

 

[Jingx284]

yeah, do it now before the bearing spin like it did on one of my engines.

Higher oil pressure

 

[dsm-onster]

Been there, done that. Listen to BUCK. It's worth it to do as much as you can while you're in there.. . . ..

 

[SilverJester]

I just started removing mine on tuesday and so far I haven't had any major problems but then again I haven't got too far either. I'm at the point where I need to remove the last bolt on the oil pan but having some trouble getting it out of there. It hard to wedge the socket between the axel carrier bearing (driver's side) and oil pan to reach the last one...plus the socket doesn't seem to want to fit (I think it's just the oil/dirt caked on the bolt, got some pb blaster, engine degreaser, and brake cleaner hopefully one will work).

Anyways I'm doing mine with the engine in the car. As far as the front shaft, I read someone elses solution was to pull the shaft out as far as possible then cut it with a sawzall and repeat until it was completely out. A little repetative...but I think I'd rather so it that way (just got to be carefull of where the metal shavings go). Anyways I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[BUCK]

Anyways I'm doing mine with the engine in the car. As far as the front shaft, I read someone elses solution was to pull the shaft out as far as possible then cut it with a sawzall and repeat until it was completely out. A little repetative...but I think I'd rather so it that way (just got to be carefull of where the metal shavings go). Anyways I'll let you know how it turns out.

To each his own but I'd leave the Front Shaft IN with Motor in Car being as I'm sure you well know you have to remove & rotate the Front BS Bearings too if you pull the Front BS ~ Unless you have a friend that's built like one of those Trunk Monkeys - ESPECIALLY on a 2G !!

 

[wolfes_dsm]

i did it on both my stock 7 bolt and on my 6 bolt when i did the swap and didnt notice much of a difference at all in the vibration in either engines.......... only thing i did notice was power and high oil pressure

 

[BeatupVR4]

I can't even begin to imagine how much of a P.I.T.A. it would be to pull the front balance shaft with the motor in the car.

 

[MrTippy]

Here is another page with a how-to.