Engine balance question...

[Immortality]

VN series 1 with double row timing chain.

 

[shane_3800]

I'm just gonna put a crow cams single row in anyway so

but yeah I look at the crank piece now and it does seem to have room behind for another row of teeth i could see it working

Tha BS bearings are splash oiled so you can just take the gear out and leave it be.

 

[Sandst4rm]

Im not puttin the double rower in man i want the balance shaft lmao

 

[shane_3800]

Yep I personally don't see the need for the delete unless you are running spring pressures that justify a dual row chain.

 

[losh1971]

I'm just gonna put a crow cams single row in anyway so

but yeah I look at the crank piece now and it does seem to have room behind for another row of teeth i could see it working

I was told when I bought mine the single row aftermarket chains are 30% stronger. I think mine might have been a Roll Master.

 

[losh1971]

Im not puttin the double rower in man i want the balance shaft lmao

I respect your decision, but can I ask why you are set on keeping it in motion? Or were you able to get the bearings replaced in the end?

 

[Sandst4rm]

I just see no reason to get rid of it and everyone just throws them out like they were in there for no reason to begin with.

I dont think they did them but they are NTN bearings on there now so shouldnt be too hard to find some. Just knocked the back welch plug out cause there were metal shavings in there i couldnt spray out; they left only that one in, maybe to make me think they did them? but the welch plug is rusty on the edges so i doubt they removed it. EDIT NTN front Torrington rear roller bearing

 

[Immortality]

It's only the rear balance shaft bearing that is a issue, the front is a deep groove roller bearing and with a little oil lubrication almost indestructible. The problem with the VN-VR rear balance shaft bearing is that it was splash oiled and there really wasn't any space to get oil in there properly so not good for long bearing life. GM fixed the issue on the ecotec by supplying the rear bearing pressure fed oil.

Bearing should be easy to change with the engine out and I don't think it's a special bearing, most likely find a engineering shop will have them.

 

[losh1971]

I only had the sprocket taken off mine because of worn bearings causing it to rattle and knock. Garage who did the timing chain job was asked to remove the sprocket but he didn't when he replaced the chain. A few months later I was back there paying a second time to have the sump and timing cover removed after I said to him I have a knock/rattle. I wasn't overly happy having to pay again after he didn't do what I asked. Turned out later the bearing had some discolouration and it was then he he knew he should have done what I wanted initially.

 

[losh1971]

Bearing should be easy to change with the engine out and I don't think it's a special bearing, most likely find a engineering shop will have them.

I reckon chances are you're right Mort. I was able to buy imperial bearings for a 1960s Howard cultivator and these things were pretty obscure. Given the few numbers made of the Howard compared to the early V6, I reckon if @Sandst4rm went into a bearing shop armed with a sample they should be able to find him one.