gnosis

Hello,

I'm in the middle of fixing a damaged balance shaft belt, but need more tools to get my crank bolt undone. I want to know if it's safe to drive the car so I can go get some tools with the balance shafts in place in the engine but not rotating i.e. there will be no balance shaft belt. I understand that the engine won't be as balanced as with the balance shafts working, but my main concern is that there are oil passages that lead to the balance shafts. Will they be blocked and cause flow issues if the shafts aren't rotating?

Please, no advice about deleting balance shafts, because that's not what I'm asking. I just need to know if I can drive it for a few hundred miles with the balance shafts not rotating.

Thanks.

yellowline

You run the risk of breaking the main oil pickup in the bottom of the pan.

Z-man

??

I've heard some club racers run without the balance shaft belt to give them a couple more ponies.

Your engine will vibrate a lot at lower speeds, but I don't think it would be a problem. I haven't heard of the oil pickup breaking, but I can be wrong...

-Z-man.

PSUice944

Without the belt and the engine vibrating... and the shafts sitting freely in place...

Wouldn't there be some concern that the nominal vibration from the lack of rotating shafts would cause the shafts to begin to rotate or "pulse" with the motor making the vibrations worse? Maybe so much worse you would then have to worry about the mentioned oil pickup among other things?

Doesn't sound worth the risk to me, these cars like to find "while your in there" ways to drain your bank account!

aribop

Like Z stated, many racers delete the shafts with no problems. I personally ran without a belt and shafts in place for 10K with no problems. You will get some vibrations around 2500rpm but that's it.

kennycoulter

i thought theyre just there for noise/vibration comfort.

harrisonrick

never heard of the oil pickup thing...just engine vibrations and oil seepage to worry about.

EJnMN

Previous Owner put my Balance Shafts in 180 degrees out of phase. No one around (including mechanics) diagnosed it, until it vibrated apart the fuel rail and oil pick up tube at a track event.

I think you're fine for a trip to the store. Mine made it for a long time on the street, and a full weekend at the track before spraying fuel all over the manifolds... and that was at 2X the vibration.

Oddjob

Agreed, should be no problem driving to the store and back.

Deleting the balance shafts permanently for track usage (constant full load, high rpms), the oil pickup tubes are prone to cracking - which is why many shops/racers have the oil pickup tubes reinforced, even on cars running the balance shafts. As Eric mentioned, fuel rails and exhaust components (especially the crossover pipe on Turbos) are also prone to vibration related failures when running w/o the balance shafts. Of course, running them 180 deg. out of phase will dramatically amplify the vibration and increase failure rates on these components.

Calmchaos

+1 on it is ok for a while. I did it for about a week two until I got a new belt.

Techno Duck

I think the real problem comes into play when you have worn out or solid motor mounts. I would be very nervous of the oil pickup tube cracking. There was a thread not to long about about reinforcing it with a simple gusset plate welded on.

iloveporsches

They might rock back and forth slightly, but they're not going to begin freely rotating on you. Think of it like a pendulum -- the weight is concentrated to one side, so the balance shaft will tend to fall to that position.

2BWise

I've driven about 500 miles without the balance shaft belt without issue, but the vibration sucks once you're used to running with the balance shafts. You'll learned where the natural resonances are as its pretty easy to feel them peak thru the throttle and shift linkage. No reason not to, but be gentle on it as there are potential issues as stated above.

FRporscheman

It should be fine for a short drive - just try to avoid the resonance RPMs wherever they are.

I always thought people with deleted balance shafts have had their cranks and reciprocating parts machined and balanced to minimize vibration... and/or use aftermarket (lighter) parts.

McLovin69

EDUCAKE EWES-SELVES

LINDESEY HAS A BALANCING ROD DELETE KIT.

FORGET ABOUT IT...YOU CAN RUN WITH OUT THE BALANCING RODS.
LIKE A COUPLE FOLKS MENTIONED ... ALL YOU SHOULD GET IS SOME MILD ENGINE VIBRATIONS IN CERTAIN RPM RANGES