Balance shaft questions
Im doing my timing belt seals and water pump. I noticed the upper balance shaft does not spin very freely by hand. The lower one I cant really spin at all by hand. You pretty much need a socket wrench to spin it. From what Ive already researched youtube and all this is not normal. Car was running fine with no abnormal noises before I took it apart. Should I pull these all apart with new bearings and all?
-
Black944 turbo
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:45 am
- Has thanked: 14 times
- Been thanked: 128 times
Is this with the sprocket off? If so, that is very normal. Until the sprocket is torqued down the balance shaft can slide back and cause it to bind. Do not force it but pull the balance shaft out to its normal position and it should spin nice and smooth.
-
Tom
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9095
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:04 pm
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
- Has thanked: 952 times
- Been thanked: 4080 times
- Contact:
Sometimes it helps to loosen and reposition the bearing case too....
-
Black944 turbo
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:45 am
- Has thanked: 14 times
- Been thanked: 128 times
Tom is 100% right. I know a lot of people that ran into the same thing, just take your time and don’t force it.
-
zooklm1
- Posts: 249
- Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2022 11:15 am
- Location: Huntsville AL
- Has thanked: 21 times
- Been thanked: 61 times
I would agree with Black944 Turbo. I have done the balance shaft front seals 3-4 different times over the years and don’t recall ever trying to turn the balance shafts without the gear attached. These were engines with 150k - 200k miles.
Both of the sprockets are still on. I have not gotten to the point of getting to the rear plastic timing cover to come off yet. So no they do not move nice and smooth. Car has 105k on it and has seemed to be well maintained original owner had it till 97k. I have read where the power steering bracket can shift and cause the lower to bind.Black944 turbo wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2025 3:13 pm Is this with the sprocket off? If so, that is very normal. Until the sprocket is torqued down the balance shaft can slide back and cause it to bind. Do not force it but pull the balance shaft out to its normal position and it should spin nice and smooth.
Interested in learning the resolution. I’ve taken apart and rebuilt an engine 3 times. I can’t picture how the balance shaft would bind and actually take a wrench to turn. That just doesn’t make sense to me. But I learn something new about our cars all the time, always happy to learn.
Btw I personally have had the plastic piece opposite of the counter weight (don’t know the name of that part) shatter. Pieces of black plastic mush were all over the place. I even wonder if it clogged one of the oil passages. Pieces were in the oil pan too. That engine spun a bearing. I have no idea or proof that the plastic bits had anything to with it but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
Btw I personally have had the plastic piece opposite of the counter weight (don’t know the name of that part) shatter. Pieces of black plastic mush were all over the place. I even wonder if it clogged one of the oil passages. Pieces were in the oil pan too. That engine spun a bearing. I have no idea or proof that the plastic bits had anything to with it but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
-
Black944 turbo
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:45 am
- Has thanked: 14 times
- Been thanked: 128 times
That certainly isn’t right than, it should spin very easily and smoothly. Try to pull on the snout and see if that changes anything.
Yup thats what I figured. Guess I need to figure out whats going on.Black944 turbo wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:14 am That certainly isn’t right than, it should spin very easily and smoothly. Try to pull on the snout and see if that changes anything.