balanced engines rule
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
balanced engines rule
Anyone considering doing a performance rebuild should seriously consider the extra expense of having the engine components and reciprocating assembly balanced.
I have a 355 in a Chev truck that was balanced and blueprinted. Its tuned perfect with a q-jet and a r/v cam with 1.6 to 1 rockers . I kid you not when I say that this thing will idle so smooth. I know the idle is set low but this friggin thing will idle at 300rpm in gear and sustain and not stall. it sounds so cool throught he flowmasters>>bleedy bladdy bleedy bladdy bleedy....put your hand on the valve cover and you cant even feel it runnin. Smooth. This is the only completey balanced engine ive had. Ive never had an engine this sweet and smooth. I figure the balancing has something to do with it.
I have a 355 in a Chev truck that was balanced and blueprinted. Its tuned perfect with a q-jet and a r/v cam with 1.6 to 1 rockers . I kid you not when I say that this thing will idle so smooth. I know the idle is set low but this friggin thing will idle at 300rpm in gear and sustain and not stall. it sounds so cool throught he flowmasters>>bleedy bladdy bleedy bladdy bleedy....put your hand on the valve cover and you cant even feel it runnin. Smooth. This is the only completey balanced engine ive had. Ive never had an engine this sweet and smooth. I figure the balancing has something to do with it.
Moderator
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 7,117
Likes: 51
From: Dove Mountain Arizona
Re: balanced engines rule (Jvette73)
My new bullet 355 is in the machine shop now and is being balanced. New to me also. What cam do you have? The engine in it now is not balanced and it rocks the whole car. We'll see. Thanks :cheers:
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 276
Likes: 1
From: Arlington Texas
Re: balanced engines rule (MasterDave)
Over the past 20+ years I've built many engines. From VW's to BB's and never had one balanced. Most were bone stock.
I've been swearing that I was going to have my next engine balanced!
I've been swearing that I was going to have my next engine balanced!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
Re: balanced engines rule (MasterDave)
Not sure what cam it is. The previous cam in the same motor was EDL Performer and had wiped a lobe. This cam I got from a local streetrod builder off his shelf. He said some guy brought in a brand new boat with a chev 350 and wanted to go way radical with a cam swap. So, this is supposed to be the original cam from that 350 marine engine. Then I added 1.6 rockers. It also has aluminum intake and shorty headers. Man its smooth. You can practically watch the crank revolutions. Blee blaa blee blaa....I think its the combination of low duration high lift balanced engine. Sweet engine it is. Its the only reason I keep the rust heap. Oh and the 4wheel drive too.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 62,198
Likes: 1
From: All humans are vermin in the eyes of Guru VA
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: balanced engines rule (Jvette73)
How much does it cost to have your engine balanced? What all is involved?
Sorry, I'm new to this
Jake
:flag
Sorry, I'm new to this
Jake
:flag
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 472
Likes: 39
Re: balanced engines rule (Guru_4_hire)
My balance job cost $250 at Callies (I bought all of the parts from them so it only seemed logical that they would do the balancing).
To do it you have to basically take the engine apart and have the crank and rods and pistons (the entire rotating/reciprocating assembly) and bring them to a shop that has this special machine (sort of like balancing tires) and they play with the weights until it is balanced.
To do it you have to basically take the engine apart and have the crank and rods and pistons (the entire rotating/reciprocating assembly) and bring them to a shop that has this special machine (sort of like balancing tires) and they play with the weights until it is balanced.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
Re: balanced engines rule (aobrien)
I believe one of the processes is to weigh all the connecting rods individually. Then take note of the lightest one. Then by removing material, the other 7 rods are brought down to the exact weight of the lightest one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,529
Likes: 1,943
From: Austin Texas
Re: balanced engines rule (Jvette73)
Then after you get the big ends of the rods to match, you get the little ends of the rods matching. You also make all the pistons have equal weights. Then you take some protion of the rod weight, and some portion of the piston weight and use this combined weight to select "bob" weights that are attached to the crank (with flywheel and clutch). The crank is spun with the weights on, and weight is added or removed from the counterweight flanges on the crank until it has less than 1 oz to 5 oz of imbalance. This puts the entire rotating and reciprocating engine assembly in perfect balance.
A perfectly balanced engine can safely rev higher, and lowers the loads on the various bearing surfaces, and get rid of shake rattle and roll of the engine in its mounts.
A perfectly balanced engine can safely rev higher, and lowers the loads on the various bearing surfaces, and get rid of shake rattle and roll of the engine in its mounts.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
Re: balanced engines rule (Jvette73)
All I know is im seriously thinkin of de-camming the vette motor so it runs as sweet as this rusty ole truck moter. Oh and get it balanced while im at it.