Need help with 6 bolt engine balance

[nubi4life]

I'm in the process of rebuilding my 6 bolt block and was wondering if its worth paying 350 dollars for a machine shop to press my pistons to my rods and balance my rotating assembly. I read some other posts on machine shops charging people so little. But my machine shops in my area charge what I feel an arm and a leg. Do you guys things this is a good price? This is my first build and I'm using npr pistons with stock rods.

 

[DSM1G90]

IT's usually up to the owner, but balance and blueprinting a motor doesn't hurt any- you've made the almost perfect motor.

 

[WES_393]

I would recommend it. $350 seems pretty steep, but it's a necessary process IMO when using stock rods and OEM pistons. If it were quality forged pistons and rods (which are usually weight matched within 1g already), I'd be pressed to say it's optional.

Try calling around and see what other machine shop rates are. My machinist offered to hang the pistons on the rods and balance the entire assembly for $200.

 

[91fwdnightmare]

350 is a bit stout honestly i own and run my machine shop and have been running my fwd car for almost 5 years now testing new parts and balanceing the engine assembly is a definet good idea if your planing on rpm'ing the engine to redline think of it like this, grab a 5lbs bag of patatoe's and swing it as fast as you can thats about 1 ounce of weight at 7000rpms. 250.00 is a more reasonable price for what they're wanting to do.

 

[bryanwheat]

That price is pretty high i usually pay 150 for a full balance of 100 to balance the crank. For these engines i usually have the crank balanced than i balance the rods and pistons myself. with an inline engine it isn't balanced as an assembly, everything is balanced separately.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

That price is pretty high i usually pay 150 for a full balance of 100 to balance the crank. For these engines i usually have the crank balanced than i balance the rods and pistons myself. with an inline engine it isn't balanced as an assembly, everything is balanced separately.

I was gonna, take my entire rotatating assembly to be balanced. What is a good price to cut the counter weights (if they will do that) & balance everything? And is it possible to balance cams so they both weigh the same and aren't heavier on one end than the other?

 

[bryanwheat]

I was gonna, take my entire rotatating assembly to be balanced. What is a good price to cut the counter weights (if they will do that) & balance everything? And is it possible to balance cams so they both weigh the same and aren't heavier on one end than the other?

Prices can vary. I'd say that it could be anywhere from 150-300 depending on where you take it. The cam shafts do not need to be balanced, just the bottom end. If you want it to be real smooth than it would be a good idea to have the flywheel and crank pulley balanced also. They will be balanced separately from the crank, rods and pistons though.

 

[DSM1G90]

Would this balancing be with the BS removal since it does seem obvious that a good balancing procedure be made with the countershafts removed so the block will not vibrate, or is that just an impossible thing to accomplish with BS shafts removed?

thx-DSM

 

[nubi4life]

Very interesting. Thanks guys. Wes393, I kind of figured they were trying to charge me too much. I'm thinking its because of the outdated machines they had in the machine shop. More physical labor. They did not have any cnc machines. I went to another machine shop just to get two different price quotes and the other machinist said he couldn't modify my pistons and rods to fit. In the front of his shop it said, Buisness for over 30 years. . I'll look around some more. Thanks a lot guys

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Prices can vary. I'd say that it could be anywhere from 150-300 depending on where you take it. The cam shafts do not need to be balanced, just the bottom end. If you want it to be real smooth than it would be a good idea to have the flywheel and crank pulley balanced also. They will be balanced separately from the crank, rods and pistons though.

Well I was, wanting to do the whole,assembly. I was,gonna take it,all bolted together pressure plate to flywheel to have it balanced.