Rebuilding, should i remove the balance shaft?

[jrpmp69]

I am rebuilding the bottom end of my 98 Eclipse GST with forged pistons and rods, should the balance shafts be removed before it is put back together? What are the benefits of removing the balance shaft?

 

[4pistons]

If you had to take apart your engine to fix these problems, why didnt you just remove the balance shafts the first time this happened to you?

I didn't take the engine out, just yanked the head. All the valves kissed the pistons and left some small indents in the tops but nothing serious. Had I ever pulled the engine I would have removed the balance shafts but the engine has never been out.

I even replaced the pistons (later) and bearings without removing the engine when it dropped a valve (not timing or balance shaft belt related) but that's another story! Check out the picture of the piston below. That's a dropped valve, not over-boosting.

can i just reach back there and take the belt off? id like to just remove the belt when i do my timing belt this summer

If you only remove the front balance shaft belt you'll get wicked vibration from just the rear spinning. It's driven off the oil pump and timing belt so you can't just remove the belt on that one.

Rick - '91 GSX