Thread: Balance or not to balance

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I was wanting opinions on if I should balance my 468 I am building. It is going to have 10 to 1 comp, mother thumper cam, aluminum intake , holley carb, hei ignition, 350 automatine with 1800 stall and 342 or 373 gears. I am not looking for super fast hot rod truck. I just want it run really good when I want to. The pistons I have are already weight matched and the rods are balanced. Should I finish the balance or just leave it. I am also useing a new balancer and flex plate. Any thoughts??

Personally I wouldn't spend the money on the machining, rebuild parts, and gaskets without having it dynamically balanced. You'll have a smoother, more reliable engine.

You have pistons and rods that are fine and individually weight measured to each other statically. You have a flex plate and a harmonic balancer that are probably fine as individual parts as they are usually spun (dynamically) balanced. But when you look at the single biggest/heaviest part - and even if it IS balanced as an original part, is NOT balanced to the new weight pistons - and they are a different weight then the originals as are the rods. Here's a very basic write up - if you need more, do a Google search as there is lots of good info on line: Understanding Crankshaft Balancing: Engine Builder

i balance just about every thing that leaves the shop .less its stock job were they do got want to spend the money were the stock pistons were replaced by the next size bore on jobs like this. if i rebuild the rods i balance the rods . many think they buy a crank kit thinking its. balance with parts you buy in kit .DONE ? ...some companys. mass balance for target weight. kits can be off more then 20+ grams easy. you are better if the counter weight is a bit heavy then to lite for bob weight . when the crank can not support the bob weight then we add heavy metal to crank. i just balanced a 598 were i fitted the crank for heavy metal this common with big stroke cranks. the 454 is exernal balanced and they all get balanced from my shop . i have seen dampers not have the same target weight from other markers for same year engine .not just the mark 4/5/6 enigne do not have same with flex plates weight on fly wheels or dampers were a gm .may not be the same as a pioneer. scat. and other seen it . some 454s the dampers get worn out and same with fly wheel s as this is key part of the balanced and counter weight for crank. the 454 i build get new dampers and fly wheels .i balance all of 454 to new parts at time of build. there alot more to this. i do many cranks in a year .jerry may post on it as well he balances many engine as well . time for me to go to work and balance a 427 bbc

Sorry---but I'm a definate believer in a perfectly balanced life---start every day with 2 cups of coffee, one while I check emails and this forum, then second one with breakfast, etc-------------

I originally thought I didn't need a balancer here in Illinois because there were some shops in the area that did balancing( when racing top fuel/funny cars on west coast, Edelbrock balanced our stuff), but when I was doing a friends bbc out to a 481, the guy insisted on a 454 dampner and flywheel before he would start on it--I was out of town on a flight (real job!) and my friend(who had an auto parts business) sent him over the stuff-----when I got back---the job was done, the counter weights were full of holes like swiss cheese----------Hello Stewart Warner, send the salesman by!!!!!!!!!!!!

And don't forget the "All Bran" Jerry .... ya know, for the fiber

Seriously, I concur with the above and it's a small dollar amount in the great scheme of a build. I've never heard anyone say, "Gee, I sure wish I hadn't balanced this motor as it's way too smooth, powerful and dependable.."

Just' sayin'

I wil be getting it balanced. I do need to buy rods and pat said the scat rods would be good, how about the eagle rods?

Originally Posted by 70chevybb

I wil be getting it balanced. I do need to buy rods and pat said the scat rods would be good, how about the eagle rods?

stock rods are fine if rebuilt. if you going to need you old rods rebuilt then the cost of the rebuilding your old rods it may be cheaper to buy a new I beam rod , i rebuild many rods if there good core to start with .stock older wide beam Gm rod can take more power then your going to make with this 454. do not get over concerned about the name brand of rod long as it has a ARP bolt . here the small list of rods i used .wheeler scat. cat . pep. rpm. elgin. ohio.compstar.eagle.pro comp. manley.no name in yellow carboad box. all that are listed the raw rod is a china rod some finsh in the usa and very good .the ohio billet I beam and the compstar rods are built for very hi HP the rest are not any better then others as there comming from the same place all you want is a press pin stock I beam rod . replacement check out competition products .for a stock I beam rod they have about the best price

My pistons already are machined for c clips for floating pins. Should I use floating or press pins?

Originally Posted by 70chevybb

My pistons already are machined for c clips for floating pins. Should I use floating or press pins?

there is really no gain for floating pins on the street many think they need them the press pin make s the shape of the letter T. this shape the pin/rod is some what stronger . floating pins are great for race engine were if you hurt a piston you can change out a piston fast or a engine that coming part many time over the use for inspection or in smaller engines were press pins are harder to use and rods that are fixed to the crank like a Harley Davidson