Hi everyone. I am having a little issue with the alignment of the rear balance shaft after doing the timing belt replacement. I replaced the timing belt this weekend and the cam/crankshaft belt is correct. But when I went to install the balancer belt, I couldn't remember where the rear balancer gear was supposed to align to. I read the On Demand instructions and it said that there's a service hole in the rear of the block, so I inserted a long 6mm allen wrench into it and turned the gear until it was locked into place, and wouldn't turn in either direction. But the mark on the gear was facing up (contrary to all the pictures I've seen where its facing 5 o'clock) I left it in the 11 o'clock position and everything seemed to run fine. But I took it apart again questioning whether I had done it right. I aligned it to 5 o'clock and now it seems to run pretty rough. The tensioner pullies are set correctly. And the main timing belt is correct. So I suspect the rear balance shaft I out of sync. My question is, the hole that is in the rear shaft, does it go through all the way? Or will it only lock in one position? Because I thought maybe I was 180 degrees off the first time, but it ran fine, but its facing in the opposite direction of all the pictures I've seen online. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible. Any help, especially from anyone who has done their timing belt, would greatly be appreciated! BTW - its a F23
Rear balance shaft alignment question (problem)
- Thread starter INK DEMON
- Start date
hotaccord243
Well-Known Member
I have done this one before, sure confused the heck out of me the first time too.
The "hole" doesn't go all the way through. The balance shaft will and should only lock in one position, and from what i can remember i have tried every way to make sure of that just because i did not want to have to re-do it.
It sounds like the two gears aren't aligned (meaning the rear balancer shaft gear and the balancer gear gase) it's not a huge deal really but it's an easy fix too.
If you really want it to align at the 11 o'clock you will have to take off the balancer gear case (with two 8mm bolts i believe), lock the rear balancing shaft into place, and BEFORE you put on the balancer gear case again, (and while keeping the rear shaft locked) align it correctly and re-install.
This will help a little more, since it's a little tricky to describe in words, lol.
took me a bit to find this too.
The "hole" doesn't go all the way through. The balance shaft will and should only lock in one position, and from what i can remember i have tried every way to make sure of that just because i did not want to have to re-do it.
It sounds like the two gears aren't aligned (meaning the rear balancer shaft gear and the balancer gear gase) it's not a huge deal really but it's an easy fix too.
If you really want it to align at the 11 o'clock you will have to take off the balancer gear case (with two 8mm bolts i believe), lock the rear balancing shaft into place, and BEFORE you put on the balancer gear case again, (and while keeping the rear shaft locked) align it correctly and re-install.
This will help a little more, since it's a little tricky to describe in words, lol.
took me a bit to find this too.
Thanks for the info man. I ended up taking off the balancer belt yesterday and turned the outer gear about 2 complete turns until the gear mark lined up with the oil pump housing... And I was able to lock the balance shaft! What I didn't know up until this point, is that there is a small gear behind the gear housing (I thought it was turning the balance shaft directly) and now that I know the gear is smaller on the other side, I understand the whole ratio problem... Long story short... Its pointed at 5 o' clock and the balance shaft locked into place. Now the car is running smooth again.
hotaccord243
Well-Known Member
Well glad to hear you got everything worked out!
And also glad i could help, sorta lol.
And also glad i could help, sorta lol.
HondaLuver83
Well-Known Member
You can save your self the trouble next time by just going to TDC and marking everything with a small thing of white out paint. Mark the cam gear position with a little dab of paint and the valve cover, do the same with the balance gear and any other moving part. That way you can never go wrong again.
