Delete balance shaft belt?
#31
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So after reading this post and listening to the likes of Chris White for who I would listen to from not only a theoretical but hands on practical experience. Can I safely now leave my balance shafts to live happily where they currently reside and not in the trash can?
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Probably the best key to understand importance of this element, is to imagine how Porsche (one of the best if not the best car engineering and development company in the world) felt when they had to use this technology and pay Mitsu a fee on every car that was built with these shafts.
Ego killer for sure.
Porsche ego < Mitsubishi shafts.
#33
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Evidently, my previous post missed the mark. The guy I quoted above is 100% correct... balance shafts merely mask the vibration. This was what I was eluding to in my previous post. The only reason to even mask the vibrations, (since they are still internally present) is to prevent that frequency from resonating through the cabin.
To further the point you can consider that each cylinder (piston/rod) is wildly out of balance by itself. It requires another cylinder moving in an equal and opposite fashion to get close to being balanced.
The goal is to get the 'system' to be as vibration free as possible. When you can't you can't do that with just the rotational and reciprocating element you have to use another source to counteract the unwanted vibrations - like balance shafts!
#34
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The guy I quoted is correct. The vibration is emitted by the crank. I mean, other factors play into it, but the crank is what vibrates. The shafts can only mask the vibration since they cannot actually cancel it at the source. It is probably the block that absorbs most of that vibration with shear weight alone. The hydraulic mounts help isolate the engine, then whatever is leftover gets canceled before it can reach the cabin.
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According to Porsche, the secondary vibrations emitted by the crank are only about 20db in the engine bay... yeah, that's nothing. However, it's the cabin that amplifies them and why the shafts are there to stop it!
"Minimizing the secondary vibration, especially at high engine speed, gives reduction of the 'boom' which is felt and heard in the passenger compartment."
According to Porsche, the secondary vibrations emitted by the crank are only about 20db in the engine bay... yeah, that's nothing. However, it's the cabin that amplifies them and why the shafts are there to stop it!
Last edited by edredas; 09-29-2013 at 05:06 AM.
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since when is vibration measured in decibels?
#36
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I see your point, however the engine is isolated by the mounts... so the vibration that makes it to the cabin is carried through air pressure, and that makes that vibration audible noise; and the volume of that noise is 20db.
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Chris, how do you compensate balancers if lighter pistons and rods are used in a build?
Common logic would suggest that balancers eccentric mass has to be lightened to the same percentage as reciprocating mass, but I haven't seen any writeup or picture of lightened balancer anywhere.
I will use approx. 25% lighter reciprocating parts and this should spoil second order equilibrium..
Common logic would suggest that balancers eccentric mass has to be lightened to the same percentage as reciprocating mass, but I haven't seen any writeup or picture of lightened balancer anywhere.
I will use approx. 25% lighter reciprocating parts and this should spoil second order equilibrium..
#38
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Its not noise that you hear, you feel the vibration, and the engine attachments are what becomes subject to fatigue failures because of it.
#39
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I have had engines with and with out the balance shafts. The perceptible feel in vibration is minimal at best. Having stated the above I now run with balance shafts as the over all reduction in power is miniscule for the risks that are involved which are real. An increase of 5 or 10 or 15 hp can be made up very easily with a bump in boost.
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Chris, how do you compensate balancers if lighter pistons and rods are used in a build?
Common logic would suggest that balancers eccentric mass has to be lightened to the same percentage as reciprocating mass, but I haven't seen any writeup or picture of lightened balancer anywhere.
I will use approx. 25% lighter reciprocating parts and this should spoil second order equilibrium..
Common logic would suggest that balancers eccentric mass has to be lightened to the same percentage as reciprocating mass, but I haven't seen any writeup or picture of lightened balancer anywhere.
I will use approx. 25% lighter reciprocating parts and this should spoil second order equilibrium..
However, I am not sure how much (75% of the moment of inertia?) and where (periphery or drill holes to the center?) to remove material from the eccentrics.
I am sure there are books, scientific papers and patents on the subject, but that may be “very heavy reading”.
I have had engines with and with out the balance shafts. The perceptible feel in vibration is minimal at best. Having stated the above I now run with balance shafts as the over all reduction in power is miniscule for the risks that are involved which are real. An increase of 5 or 10 or 15 hp can be made up very easily with a bump in boost.
The better the motor mount isolates, the more the engine shakes (without active balance shafts), meaning higher risk of oil pick-up tube breakage.
Laust
#43
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.
However, I am not sure how much (75% of the moment of inertia?) and where (periphery or drill holes to the center?) to remove material from the eccentrics.
I am sure there are books, scientific papers and patents on the subject, but that may be “very heavy reading”.
However, I am not sure how much (75% of the moment of inertia?) and where (periphery or drill holes to the center?) to remove material from the eccentrics.
I am sure there are books, scientific papers and patents on the subject, but that may be “very heavy reading”.
Do you have any links or names of literature about this? I like boring technical literature..
I was thinking about holes too, but came to conclusion lathe slimming treatment would be best method, especially since it is not hard to measure. Something like this: (20% less weight on vibrators should in my opinion get along nicely with set of lightweight pistons and rods + it would consume 20% less energy, that has better use on rear wheels)
Last edited by Voith; 09-30-2013 at 02:42 PM.
#44
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Guys, I am not suggesting people should remove their balance shafts, I'm just trying to participate in an open discussion about what they do. It still appears that some people here are confusing weight imbalance with harmonic imbalance. I welcome open dialog directed at me, but you keep talking about something completely different.
Last edited by edredas; 09-30-2013 at 04:12 PM.
#45
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Voith, I realize my two-cents isn't worth much, but thought I'd offer some help. When you lighten the reciprocating mass, it doesn't change the key that the crank vibrates in... it will just raise the vibration threshold of the crank and thus lower the volume of that frequency at a certain rpm.
If you wanted to match that volume on the balance shafts, you would need to remove some of the weight from them but cutting them the other way. The way you have them now, it will change the key...
A race good race shop should be able to help you determine what needs to be done. If they aren't cut at all, they will resonate louder than the engine... but it will probably be negligible. Keep in mind, the crank doesn't emit the frequency at all rpms anyway, and the shaft noise apparently doesn't seem to bother anyone then.
If you wanted to match that volume on the balance shafts, you would need to remove some of the weight from them but cutting them the other way. The way you have them now, it will change the key...
A race good race shop should be able to help you determine what needs to be done. If they aren't cut at all, they will resonate louder than the engine... but it will probably be negligible. Keep in mind, the crank doesn't emit the frequency at all rpms anyway, and the shaft noise apparently doesn't seem to bother anyone then.