ecotec balance shaft

[archaonrazor]

is it possible to remove or disable the balance shaft in the ecotec v6 by way of a full balance of rotating assembly or using 4.2L stroker kit with already balanced parts and what not?

does it really have any negative effect on power gain depending on which way you go to get it?

i know just removing the shaft can be done but i've been told the motors run about as smooth as a buick v6 with over half a million on the clock

i'll be running a fairly aggresive cam and forced induction of some sort (can't decide any idea's people?) also a double row timing chain setup on the v6, don't know if this will help, but i've been told it affects the shaft somehow nonetheless.

thanks very much people hopefully someone out there can set me straight

long live the lion!

[GTP 85]

Since you're putting in an agro cam you wont even notice the balance shaft gone well i didnt anyway...

double row chain, ditch the balance shaft and plug up the rear oil feed (for the shaft)

[acarmody]

To run a double row chain you must remove the balance shaft gear, so wither remove the gears or remove the shaft and plug the hole. If the rotating assembly is already balanced then you will hardly notice anything. I had my engine balanced and shaft removed, a slight shake at around 1700rpm, but nothing else. But REV-231 is right, with an agro cam you won't notice anything.

What are the cam specs if you don't mind sharing?

[archaonrazor]

cam specs unknown atm still deciding on how crazy a stick i want but will post up asap still deciding on forced induction of some sort so will have to get someone who knows what there on about with the subject not sure how the degrees and duration and what not side of things

[westerlybreeze]

cam specs unknown atm still deciding on how crazy a stick i want but will post up asap still deciding on forced induction of some sort so will have to get someone who knows what there on about with the subject not sure how the degrees and duration and what not side of things

Mace is pretty onto it with cams .. basicly more lift = torque, more duration = power, but further up in rpm. Best to keep overlap to minimum with a turbo setup. My 2 cents worth.

[immortality]

you'll hardly notice the difference. especially if you get your rotating assembly balanced.

one thing i will suggest is that you replace the harmonic balancer. my buick has always had a weird vibration at about 2700rpm since the day i bought it. I've removed the balance shaft. still there, replaced the trans and engine mounts, still there (but they did remove excessive vibrations at higher revs). replaced balancer. vibration gone. i used a Powerbond race balancer. cost a little more but works a treat. stock factory balancers are crap design really, to light. to effectively dampen vibrations the harmonic balancer actually need some mass in the hub to dampen those harmonics.


a double row chain will only be needed if you run a really agressive cam shaft that needs really heavy valve springs. it's been suggested that up to 100lbs seat pressure (valve springs) the standard single row chain will be OK. of course for piece of mind i still used a double row

[archaonrazor]

thankyou very much for your input and help with explaining the cam westerlybreeze and immortality for that extra knowledge with the balancer saved me a few early grey hairs haha

[savage1987]

gotta say, I thought the balance shaft was there to counter the INHERENT non-adding-up forces of a 90degree v6 of this nature... and has nothing to do with how well or poorly balanced the factory rotating assembly is.

Just thought that might be worth mentioning

You don't see many motors come perfectly balanced from the factory, but they don't all have a large wobbly lump of iron spinning around inside them to balance everything out.. so you do the maths

Sam