OK, now I have stroke, but how do I balance it? Harmonic balancer issues

[Spas]

I called a machine shop about a mile from my house today and they said they can balance the rotating assembly using a 50 oz balancer. The machinist I talked to said he prefers to take it off the balancer if possible.

The lady that handles the pricing was out of the office but he said $300 to play safe. He didn't think it would be that much but he didn't want to say it cost x amount & then be more.

I lost something in translation here.. Is the 50 oz balancer for a stroked motor or a 302?

 

[rocket 5979]

I forgot about all the tuning issues as well.

The tuning on a commbo like this will be pretty straightforward. Nothing much to tuning a N/A vehicle, even if they are cammed and stroked.

And the trans stuff Jt listed is assuming your 4r70w DOESN'T need a complete overhaul to begin with

My list so far is upper & lower intake, intake gaskets, injectors, throttle body, Focus Svt fuel pump, Msd, '98 2wd Pcm/ecu, better water pump, main girdle, oil pan, plugs & wires, electric fan, aluminum radiator, v8 wiring harness, trans rebuild/kit, torque monster headers, electric cut outs, x-pipe/cats/o2 sensors, mufflers/whole new exhaust system, deeper trans pan, flywheel, balancer, torque converter, driveshaft.....

Be grateful you v8 guys already have the majority of parts you need in place. There's the next $5 grand of my earnings, and that's not including a million little things like nut and bolts, just 'cuz Blackjack is a v6. I just keep telling myself it'll all be worth it when I lead a Corvette to the traps in a 1/4 mile

Spas forget that Focus SVT pump. You have a return fuel system and will need a return type of fuel pump. Even if you had a returnless I would recommend against the Focus pump. Just go with a Walbro GSS342 255lph fuel pump. It will support all your N/A needs. Also electric cutouts are DAMN expensive so they could be something reserved for later on in the project instead of right away. Just a few thoughts.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I lost something in translation here.. Is the 50 oz balancer for a stroked motor or a 302?

You have to use the stock balancer (which is 50 oz) because the Explorers use D.I.S. and the crank sensor is part of the harmonic balancer.

All of the after market cranks are 28.2 oz balance be it 302 or 347.

 

[CDW6212R]

Again, a competent engine machine shop can balance any engine with most balancers, flexplates etc. You must use an Explorer balancer for the OBDII Explorer PCM, but you can obtain a 28oz. Explorer balancer if you have to have one. Regards,

Here's my custom 28oz. balancer, about $330 from Total Performance. It takes the 94/95 SN95 Mustang crank pulley.

 

[Spas]

-->being a cheap@$$ here<--

Color me crazy, but theoretically could I take off the Mustang balancer, weigh it, and have the Explorer one cut down/shaved/whatever-it-is-they-do to match the weight of the old pulley? Wouldn't that work?

 

[CDW6212R]

The difference in weight between the balancers is nothing for the balance process, the machinist can use either one. You can't bolt either in place of the other on an existing engine, both because of the pulley location and the weight.

Still, for a machinist who is balancing the assembly, provide them with the required balancer for the front dress and PCM. For the Explorer you must use the Explorer balancer. For a Mustang EECIV engine you must use that type of balancer, which there are dozens to choose from.

 

[CDW6212R]

Spas, are you trying to bolt on an Explorer balancer to an existing engine in vehicle? I want to convert my Lincoln 302(Mustang HO) into an Explorer PCM system. I shall swap engines to convert it all, the front dress with AC pump etc. It is a lot to do, but it's the right way to get the OBDII PCM into the vehicle.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

-->being a cheap@$$ here<--

Color me crazy, but theoretically could I take off the Mustang balancer, weigh it, and have the Explorer one cut down/shaved/whatever-it-is-they-do to match the weight of the old pulley? Wouldn't that work?

You don't need a bottle Lindsay. :

 

[Turdle]

-->being a cheap@$$ here<--

Color me crazy, but theoretically could I take off the Mustang balancer, weigh it, and have the Explorer one cut down/shaved/whatever-it-is-they-do to match the weight of the old pulley? Wouldn't that work?

Lindsy-
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have that engine gone thru--considering the source-
Installing a crate engine as is is putting a lot of trust in the builder-
who Built your engine?
now is the time to be sure it is correct. They will need to spin your rotating assembly with the explorer balancer attached--there is no work around for this.

 

[Spas]

I was gonna wait to share this until I actually have the bugger in my little paws, but now you guys have piqued my curiosity : It's a Coast High Performance motor, but I'm not 100% sure yet whether this guy bought their 347 kit for a stock block or if this is a StreetFighter bottom end. I'll learn more about it when Savage Wolf and I pick it up from Harrisburg tomorrow. Incidentally, this is how I know that CHP are idjits when it comes to NOT putting parts #'s on their stuff, because I've harassed them a few times trying to get more info on this thing

It was set up to run in a '93 Mustang, so I know the front timing chain cover and such have to be swapped over to Explorer stuff... I was just wondering if I could make the Pro-products balancer (that comes with it) work instead of pulling the crank and having it re-balanced with my stock Explorer v8 balancer. But JT has a very valid point: this engine has 1500 miles on it since it was built, I definitely need to take it apart and make sure everything's ok

 

[reserved50]

Im putting one together right now, 28OZ AOD flexplate with the stock balancer and the front counter weight shaved down or swiss cheesed. They said drilling the cast balancer is asking for trouble. This sounds silly but if you go with the heavier rotating assembley its easier to balancer since theres not as much weight reduction in the crank needed

 

[CougarX]

Im putting one together right now, 28OZ AOD flexplate with the stock balancer and the front counter weight shaved down or swiss cheesed. They said drilling the cast balancer is asking for trouble. This sounds silly but if you go with the heavier rotating assembley its easier to balancer since theres not as much weight reduction in the crank needed

Thats the same thing I had done. Lotsa holes in the front counterwight of the crank, but it balances!

 

[CDW6212R]

That is how an engine is balanced, the crank is drilled and filled.

 

[reserved50]

yea ...but... the guy that balanced it wasnt too impressed drilling all those holes on a 28oz balanced crank using a 50oz balancer, there is drilling involved or adding metal but taking out about half a pound is quite a bit since the missmatch is so great.
Other than custom machining I see no way to use an aftermarket balancer with stock electronics thats easy to do






large heavy metal doorstop

 

[Spas]

large heavy metal doorstop

OoOOoooOooooo, it's so shiny!!!!

 

[CougarX]

nice. are those 165s or 185s? what kind of headers are those?

 

[Turdle]

That is purdy--

 

[reserved50]

AFR 185s with Ford Motorsport stainless headers that were ceramic coated ( yes some bolts are missing since I was just mocking it all up). I have no idea what numbers they put down to TMs, Im curious also on a comparison on the same engine. Im just happy they wont sputter like the cracked 97s I had .

The block was epoxy primered with urethane toreador red to match the body. The intake, pan etc were all flat grey epoxy with urethane clear to give a toned down look. The main thing that will give it away is the strangely shaped blower that doesnt look like an alternator . Im going to try and somewhat "tune" it with a C&L meter with sampling tubes similar to a 94/95 mustang and adjusting fuel pressure, I'll see how far I get with that

 

[CDW6212R]

"That is purdy," I'll think about the dark red for mine also, maybe black heads and oil pan, or powder coated pan(aluminum Jon).

Jon, have you had any feedback or heard whether clear powder coat will survive around an engine(for bare aluminum)?

 

[reserved50]

I ddint get too far with the sampling tubes and FMU at all :roll: , runs richer than 10-1 WOT, it would of worked if i used the smallest injectors possible and overran them and matched the FMU disks (guesswork, maybe 24#), so i bought a Tweecer