tech: engine balancing - why dont our engines havebalancer shafts?

[jason@scirocco.org (16V Jason)]

Right.  Balance shafts are generally not necessary on engines smaller than 
about 2.4 liters; of course depending on a number of variables including 
the stroke length.

Some smaller 4-cylinders (Camry 2.2 for example) have them; and they do 
smooth out the motor, but our 1.8 and 2.0-liter engines (while lacking the 
smoothness of, say, a Mercedes 4-cylinder) aren't bad enough to warrant the 
cost and complexity of a balance shafts.

Jason



At 10:58 PM 4/15/2002, Noah wrote:
>I think balance shafts and harmonic balancers are the same thing, assuming
>that is the case..
>
>     All I've ever heard about harmonic dampeners is that they are necessary
>in 4 cyl engines larger than about 2.4 liters to dampen vibration.
>Mitsubishi had a large 4 cyl engine in the Starion that had a harmonic
>balancer in it. I personally have driven a couple of those cars, and they
>don't like to rev much past 5k.  I'm pretty sure folks that mod those cars
>remove those harmonic balancers, and try to get their motor balanced enough
>to do without it. Someone already said something about not wanting to add
>more rotating mass and frictional losses to your engine than was absolutely
>necessary, I would tend to agree, particularly if it has to rotate at a
>speed greater than engine speed - that sounds nuts.
>
>
>-Noah
>-86 Audi 5ktq
>-84 Audi Quattro
>-Yard full of VWs that will become one car soon
>-83 Callaway Scirocco <sold a long time ago>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Scirocco-l mailing list
>Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l