Balancing a LT-1
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 7,411
Likes: 253
From: Little Elm TX
Balancing a LT-1
Okay. I'm in a discussion about this so I need the answer. (got lunch riding on it! :D )
How is a STOCK LT-1 balanced?
I was under the impression that it was balanced from the rear on the flywheel. Not from the front?
I do know when I had my motor rebuilt, I had it internally balanced and the weights were taken off the flywheel.
Please help. :confused:
How is a STOCK LT-1 balanced?
I was under the impression that it was balanced from the rear on the flywheel. Not from the front?
I do know when I had my motor rebuilt, I had it internally balanced and the weights were taken off the flywheel.
Please help. :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (R94 LT 1)
And I have lunch riding on this too.... i say it is internally balanced :). Sure it's been over a year since i rebuilt my motor, but as far as I can remember it was internally balanced stock. When i bought my crank/rod/piston set, I had to be sure it was internally balanced so it would work.
Plus i have pictures of my old crank and you can see the balancing holes drilled into it from the factory.
http://www.gulicks.com/vette/workpics/engine5.jpg
[Modified by GlockLT4, 12:14 PM 4/3/2003]
Plus i have pictures of my old crank and you can see the balancing holes drilled into it from the factory.
http://www.gulicks.com/vette/workpics/engine5.jpg
[Modified by GlockLT4, 12:14 PM 4/3/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 9,713
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From: Sachse Texas
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (GlockLT4)
The LT1 is balanced using the flywheel. If it were internally balanced, the flywheel would be neutral balanced which it is not.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 9,713
Likes: 3
From: Sachse Texas
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (GlockLT4)
I don't know. Who in their right mind buys an automatic transmission in a sports car anyway?????
(for the record it was a joke...please no flames)
(for the record it was a joke...please no flames)
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (Vette92)
haha, well my first one was and i didn't mind it for going straight :) .. and i didn't know any better since i hadn't driven a manual before. Now i wouldn't ever go back unless it was a drag strip car maybe.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,064
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From: N. Alabama
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (R94 LT 1)
This should be the definitive answer: http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/....php?qstId=184
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 24
From: Freehold, NJ
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (R94 LT 1)
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 50
From: Clayton, NC north carolina
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (Eric Fischer)
I just got my rotating assembly back from the machine shop My bob-weight card says both the balancer and flywheel are netrual balanced. It's internally balanced.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 12
From: Yorktown Heights NY
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (GlockLT4)
My 383 Stroker is internally balanced...they had to use mallory metal to do this! It was mucho expensive because when I did my stroker, most kits weren't balanced and your machine shop did the balance.
The stroker crank was designed for a non-LT-1 externally balanced engine that uses a large offset counterweight cast (right balancer in photo below) into the hub of a stock 350 (the front crank counterweight has three mallory metal slugs added to it ....see third photo below)...I know cause they originally shipped me the wrong balancer hub and then had to rebalance everything (with my old LT-1 harmonic dampner) because the LT-1 balancer has an integral pulley and a very long offset shaft extension (see second photo below) to clear the Opti ( I had them clean, paint, and reuse it on my Stroker).
BTW, mine is an automatic. Was balanced with the flex plate and harmonic balancer hub even though the LT-1 is internally balanced.
The harmonic balancer on an LT-1 is not keyed to the crank (uses a cut key) specifically because it is neutral balanced and only is used to dampen the crank harmonics as noted in the prior post.
:iagree:
[Modified by 95BLKVette, 11:07 PM 4/3/2003]
The stroker crank was designed for a non-LT-1 externally balanced engine that uses a large offset counterweight cast (right balancer in photo below) into the hub of a stock 350 (the front crank counterweight has three mallory metal slugs added to it ....see third photo below)...I know cause they originally shipped me the wrong balancer hub and then had to rebalance everything (with my old LT-1 harmonic dampner) because the LT-1 balancer has an integral pulley and a very long offset shaft extension (see second photo below) to clear the Opti ( I had them clean, paint, and reuse it on my Stroker).
BTW, mine is an automatic. Was balanced with the flex plate and harmonic balancer hub even though the LT-1 is internally balanced.
The harmonic balancer on an LT-1 is not keyed to the crank (uses a cut key) specifically because it is neutral balanced and only is used to dampen the crank harmonics as noted in the prior post.
:iagree:
[Modified by 95BLKVette, 11:07 PM 4/3/2003]
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (95BLKVette)
Did you use stock or forged pistons?
Mine are SRP forged as stated in my profile and are heavier, thus the mallory metal.
Mine are SRP forged as stated in my profile and are heavier, thus the mallory metal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 6
From: Tampa Florida
Re: Balancing a LT-1 (R94 LT 1)
I think people are confusing the issues...
Internal and external balance is a general layout of engine balance. I think of it this way: if the harmonic balancer is neutral balanced and the flywheel is neutral balanced, then the engine is internal balanced (all counterweighting is done on the crankshaft). If the harmonic balancer and flywheel/flexplate are counterweighted (like 400 small block) then it is external balanced.
Later L98's and LT1 engines are a hybrid-harmonic balancer is neutral balanced and the flywheel/flexplate is counterweighted so one could say the front of the engine is internal and the rear is external.
An engine can be balanced at any place. The balance shop can add/remove metal on the harmonic balancer, crankshaft, or flywheel/flexplate-where ever calls for it. Stock LT1/LT4 balancers/flywheels were fine tuned by the factory as well with small weights added to the outside perimeters on these items. About the thickness of a pencil-minor, but they are there and the factory service manual points these out when replacing those items...to transfer same weight layout to new parts.
Also neutral balance means the item has no bearing on how it is installed.
:)
Internal and external balance is a general layout of engine balance. I think of it this way: if the harmonic balancer is neutral balanced and the flywheel is neutral balanced, then the engine is internal balanced (all counterweighting is done on the crankshaft). If the harmonic balancer and flywheel/flexplate are counterweighted (like 400 small block) then it is external balanced.
Later L98's and LT1 engines are a hybrid-harmonic balancer is neutral balanced and the flywheel/flexplate is counterweighted so one could say the front of the engine is internal and the rear is external.
An engine can be balanced at any place. The balance shop can add/remove metal on the harmonic balancer, crankshaft, or flywheel/flexplate-where ever calls for it. Stock LT1/LT4 balancers/flywheels were fine tuned by the factory as well with small weights added to the outside perimeters on these items. About the thickness of a pencil-minor, but they are there and the factory service manual points these out when replacing those items...to transfer same weight layout to new parts.
Also neutral balance means the item has no bearing on how it is installed.
:)