balancing shaft.

[Panama]

does removing the balancing shaft make the ecotec idle lumpier?

has anyone done this on an L67? howd it go?

[vn calais manual]

lumpier?. u get a bit more vibration through the revv range yes.

why.

[Panama]

want a lumpier idle and accel but not sure if its possible.

plus ive heard removing it makes for better response?

[sircruisealotVS]

lumpy idle = get a large duration cam. easy done.
removing the balance shaft is a bad idea, and should really only be done during a full engine rebuild - even then only if the engine is for track use (ie, at high revs all the time, so no need for a balance shaft).

[Panama]

ok cool. im buying an l67 and doing a full rebuild on it so i was wondering whether to put it inor leave it out. gues i'll leave it in.

[vn calais manual]

but on the buick v6 gets in the way when fitting double row timing chains i have heard. not sure if the same is with the l67.

[chargedvx6]

I assume if you are doing a full rebuild that the complete assembly will be balanced? Get the balance shaft out of there and it is one less thing to chew up power. There are many debates on this but one thing is for sure, if the engine is bein machined to balance, the balance shaft will certainly be obsolete.

BTW, the balance shaft isn't actually measured and weighted to suit each engine it goes into with the aim of perfect engine balance, they are a mass produced device that is there to add more reciprocating mass to absorb harmonic vibration and internal engine resonance in the mid rev range.

YT sells some stuff to help with the removal of the shaft

[Jaseppe's VR]

Originally Posted by chargedvx6

YT sells some stuff to help with the removal of the shaft

What stuff do you mean by this? Do you even need any special tools to remove the balance shaft out of an ecotech or buick engine?

[chargedvx6]

Nah, no special tools (outside of what is needed for a cam swap) but the balance shaft has an oil feed that needs to be blocked after removal. Yt sells the perfect sized plug but there are numerous ways to block the feed.

[OZ38]

Alot of guys have removed the balance shaft on stock L67's & fitted a double row timing chain set. The only thing I have heard is the idle is a bit lumpier when cold on first start ups. Once warmed up it is hardly noticeable. My stock manual ecotec idles reasonably rough anyway with the balance shaft in. Probably more than some engines with the shaft removed.
I would only bother removing the shaft if I was adding a double row timing chain set.

Cheers

Deek

[Jaseppe's VR]

i thought the balance shaft bearings in a buick motor was splash fed not presure fed?
so you cant just pull it out you need to install like welsh plug type thing?

[OZ38]

Originally Posted by Jaseppe's VR

i thought the balance shaft bearings in a buick motor was splash fed not presure fed?

The earlier type (Buick) is a splash type oiling for front & rear ball bearings. The later type (ecotec) has a front ball bearing that is splash oiled & a rear plain bearing that is pressure oil fed.

Originally Posted by Jaseppe's VR

so you cant just pull it out, you need to install like welsh plug type thing?

Correct for the ecotec engine as it will have no restriction on the oil feed hole. The down side would be when engine is warm the oil pressure might drop away a bit to much at idle, as the oil takes the easiest path of least resistance.

Cheers

Deek

[REV-231]

on the ecotecs... just remove the balance shaft gear so it will no longer be driven. Leave the balance shaft itself in the motor. saves having to put welsh plugs in.

[chargedvx6]

Panamas' doing a full rebuild so it's a P.O.C. to do when the engines all apart anyways.