BEYOND THE BALANCER

Traditional Machine Shop Crank-Balancing Techniques are Surprisingly Elementary— Compensating for the Dozens of Variables that Affect Engine Balance Requires Serious Research and Experimentation

Judson Massingill

In the 1860’s Charles T. Porter and John F. Allen realized they could increase the efficiency of their steam engine if they increased the rpm. To make the engine live, they applied the first “scientific balance” to reduce the effects of the rotating inertia and steam forces on the bearings. From that beginning, we are still attempting to understand the dynamics of balancing a reciprocating engine. For decades, machinists and engine builders have been taught that when balancing a crankshaft, its counterweights should equal 100 percent of the rotating mass and 50 percent of the reciprocating mass. Machinists have used this formula to calculate bobweight for decades. While this technique works extremely well for the vast majority of street and race 90-degree V-8 engines, the truth of the matter is…

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Engine Masters (Digital) - 1 Issue, Summer 2016

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