3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

To Balance or Not to Balance...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-22-11, 03:48 PM
  #1  
Senior Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
sc_frontier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sherman, Tx
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
To Balance or Not to Balance...

Just assembled my 1993 13b block and now I am at a fork in the road. I have matching rotors and front counterweight, but rear counter weight is off a 1994 auto. Traded flywheel for counter weight at 90k miles. Ran car 15k miles until oil control ring broke. Noticed slight main bearing wear(mostly at the bottom where babbitt coating was gone) and eshaft journal wear during rebuild. New rx8 eccentric shaft and proper main bearings installed.

Should I disassemble the block and get the rotating assembly balanced, get a new Mazda flywheel, or run it like it is? This will be a babied street car that I want to last another 100k.
Thanks in advance.
Old 11-22-11, 04:14 PM
  #2  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
8k rpm redline? run it as-is, especially if the block is together.

How did an oil control ring break? I've never seen one of those fail.
Old 11-22-11, 04:17 PM
  #3  
Senior Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
sc_frontier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sherman, Tx
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Sorry, I said it wrong. An oil control seal had become brittle and was cracked in multiple places. Also compression was on the low side.
Thanks for the input.
Old 11-22-11, 04:25 PM
  #4  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
Ah, that sucks. I take it the rings had much more than 15k miles on them.
Old 11-22-11, 04:26 PM
  #5  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (83)
 
Supernaut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Los Angeles CA
Posts: 5,859
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
Babied car?
Old 11-22-11, 04:48 PM
  #6  
Senior Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
sc_frontier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sherman, Tx
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Yeah, the rings had over 100k miles on them.

Originally Posted by Supernaut
Babied car?
Yeah, I don't make enough money to rebuild this thing ever again!

Car had 90k, then changed clutch, drove an additional 15k. Now car has ~105k miles and being rebuilt.
Old 11-22-11, 10:51 PM
  #7  
Polishing Fiend

iTrader: (139)
 
CrispyRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MD
Posts: 3,393
Received 42 Likes on 22 Posts
Balancing a rotating assembly is only for those that regularly want to/need to rev the engine way out past 8k rpms. For example NA rotaries for racing, properly ported, make decent power all the way out to 10k rpms. In this case balencing is a good idea As Rich mentioned below 8k, don't worry about it.

Regards,
crispy
Old 11-23-11, 08:55 AM
  #8  
Senior Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
sc_frontier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sherman, Tx
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Thanks guys, just wanted to make sure this would be acceptable before I go too far.
Old 06-26-13, 09:59 AM
  #9  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (5)
 
Tem120's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Miami
Posts: 2,824
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
What about for an auto-x application . where I would like to raise the rev limit to 9k . even if it doesnt make power , but jsut so I dont have to shift right before a turn rather hten bounce off the rev limiter?

I plan on using an RX8 shaft , new bearings .

Would I need it rebalanced?
Old 06-26-13, 02:52 PM
  #10  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
I'd say it's a good idea, yes.
Old 06-26-13, 03:30 PM
  #11  
500+hp club

iTrader: (26)
 
silverfdturbo6port's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: .
Posts: 2,211
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Its always a good idea.
Old 06-26-13, 06:08 PM
  #12  
Rotor Head Extreme

iTrader: (8)
 
t-von's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Midland Texas
Posts: 6,719
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts
Having matched rotors means nothing if they are not matched to both counterweights. There are 5 weight divisions on pre Renesis rotors A-F. What if you had all "A" weights and installed a rear counter matched to all "F"s or vise versa? You would have a rotating assembly WAY out of balance. Having all "C" weights is middle ground for all the counter weights. Also the lighter Rx8 e-shaft effect the overall balance as well. Your mix matching too many rotating parts. I recommend a balance.
Old 06-26-13, 07:07 PM
  #13  
Non Runner

iTrader: (3)
 
Ceylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 2,209
Received 276 Likes on 145 Posts
Considering getting mine balanced while its apart as I'm fitting a light fly. Worth doing? B weight rotors if that makes any dif
Old 06-26-13, 08:53 PM
  #14  
Eye In The Sky

iTrader: (2)
 
cewrx7r1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In A Disfunctional World
Posts: 7,892
Likes: 0
Received 114 Likes on 66 Posts
Balancing is always a plus for smoothness and better performance.
Old 06-26-13, 10:17 PM
  #15  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
Talking

Originally Posted by t-von
There are 5 weight divisions on pre Renesis rotors A-F.
Does not compute.....
Old 06-27-13, 07:44 AM
  #16  
Wastegate John

iTrader: (13)
 
RENESISFD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Long Island NY 11746
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
Originally Posted by t-von
Having matched rotors means nothing if they are not matched to both counterweights. There are 5 weight divisions on pre Renesis rotors A-F. What if you had all "A" weights and installed a rear counter matched to all "F"s or vise versa? You would have a rotating assembly WAY out of balance. Having all "C" weights is middle ground for all the counter weights. Also the lighter Rx8 e-shaft effect the overall balance as well. Your mix matching too many rotating parts. I recommend a balance.
I have never heard of counterweights having a weight class. If that is the case then we all are doing it wrong (installing the ACT or the OEM counterweight without knowing the rotor weight class in most cases.)
Old 06-27-13, 08:13 AM
  #17  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (5)
 
Tem120's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Miami
Posts: 2,824
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Thanks for the info balancing it is .
Old 06-27-13, 10:22 AM
  #18  
Indelible.

 
Ol-Skool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree with the others, not needed unless you feel like spending money, or plan to rev your motor really high
Old 06-27-13, 12:23 PM
  #19  
Rotor Head Extreme

iTrader: (8)
 
t-von's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Midland Texas
Posts: 6,719
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts
Originally Posted by RENESISFD

I have never heard of counterweights having a weight class. If that is the case then we all are doing it wrong (installing the ACT or the OEM counterweight without knowing the rotor weight class in most cases.)
I'm sorry to say that most here are doing it wrong. The counterweights don't have a weight class. That's what the small balancing drill holes are for. Each factory rotating assembly is balanced to it's specific rotor weights.
Old 06-27-13, 12:24 PM
  #20  
Rotor Head Extreme

iTrader: (8)
 
t-von's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Midland Texas
Posts: 6,719
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts
Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S

Does not compute.....
I don't know the weight status of the Renesis rotors. That's why I said it like that.
Old 06-27-13, 12:54 PM
  #21  
Rotor Head Extreme

iTrader: (8)
 
t-von's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Midland Texas
Posts: 6,719
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts
Originally Posted by Ceylon
Considering getting mine balanced while its apart as I'm fitting a light fly. Worth doing? B weight rotors if that makes any dif
If your removing the manual flywheel and replacing it with an auto counterweight, try to find a used counterweight matched to rotors used between A-C. That's how you keep the balance. Mazda allows for one weight divisions + or - on rotor weights to not need balancing.

Example: You have all C rotors and damage 1. You can replace that rotor with a B or D rotor and not need balancing. Your staying within the 1 weight limit. Now if you damage both C rotors, you need to find both rotors near the C weights B or D.

The weight division thing can be confusing. I personally made a mistake on my own 91 vert rebuild back in 2005. Both my A-B rotors were damaged when the engine blew. I replaced both rotors with a matching C set thinking I was ok and within Mazda's weight guidlines. I thought that as long as both rotors were close in weight to each other was all that mattered. I was wrong as my engine vibrates. It took me years to figure out what I had done wrong. During research, I found out that "A" rotors are the heaviest and E's are the lightest. So overall my C rotors were lighter than the A-B"s that I originally had. That's why my engine vibrates.
Old 06-27-13, 12:56 PM
  #22  
Rotor Head Extreme

iTrader: (8)
 
t-von's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Midland Texas
Posts: 6,719
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts
Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S

Does not compute.....
I meant A-E. My bad!
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Spirit Rx-7
Suspension/Wheels/Tires/Brakes
6
03-14-16 12:36 PM



Quick Reply: To Balance or Not to Balance...



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:53 AM.