johnnyb

I have a question about the balancing of the 355 i am building. I have the shortblock assembled, but i need to take it apart to get it balanced. (dont ask what i was thinking....) I am under the impression that the shop will weigh all the rods, and make them all the same, then weigh the pistons and make them all the same, etc. Anyway, when i take all the parts to the machine shop to get balanced, can they balance the rods and pistons as a combo or do they have to do them separately? It would save me the time of taking the wrist pins out and putting them back in since the circlips are a pita.
Thanks in advance :camaroz28:

jpack24

Each rod end will be weighed. Each piston will be weighed. Set of rings will be weighed. Pins will be weighed. Locks will be weighed. Each bearing will be weighed. All done individually, not together or put together. Then you calculated and piece/match it all together to get things close. Such as heaviest piston to lightest rod. Easier to remove weight from rods than pistons. Then after all is weighed and matched, they can calculate the bob weight to put on the crank. I in fact just did this yesterday at the shop.

johnnyb

Thanks for the info. thats kind of how i thought they did it, but i dont see why they wouldnt be able to weigh the piston/rod/clips/rings assembly together. why couldnt they just weigh the entire assembly and shave off the rods to get the same weight then use that weight as the bob on the crank.

jpack24

The rod, crank end has one weight, the piston end has another. Where do you take it off not knowing which end is heavy or light?

johnnyb

ya that is a good point. The rods actually have the weights stamped on them from the factory though if that makes a difference

jpack24

I don't know about you, but I don't trust anything. I always check and recheck, that way it is on me if there is a problem. Just like your rods.... sure the pins fit in there ok, but is it really clearenced enough? There is a difference in building an engine and putting one together. Another example, line bore..... which would you rather have, done on one side, then flipped to the other side, or a complete pass through one side? Makes a difference.