please help need to know how to identify external or internal balance on a 455 motor with out dampner or flex plate??? thanks steve
Look for "heavy metal" slugs in the crank counter weights; if there are it's internally balanced. With external balance you'll see "light grinding marks" on the rods big end balance pads (general area) and on the piston balance pads(under pin) [also general area]. There will also be slight grinding on various crank counter weights. But there will be NO heavy metal in the crank. Hope this helps! Steve Walsh
Actually, with the internally balanced, you are more likely to see heavy metal slugs in the counterweights. The 455's are externally balanced from the factory, which means some of the balance weight is located out side the crank, hence a weight on the flexplate and balancer. When you go internal balance, since you are not swinging a weight around say 8 or 9 inches away from the center line of the crank, you need to add heavier metal to the smaller diameter counter wieights of the crank to make things balance. Jim Burek P.A.E. ENTERPRISES
Actually...you'll see those grinding marks on an internal balance job too!!:Smarty: That's part of balancing the individual sets of rods or pistons. If you see round 'slugs' welded into the crank (the holes are drilled into the side of the counterweight) - you've most likely got an internal balance job.
When I had my 425 balanced, they quoted me $200. Once in their shop, they told me I needed heavy metal in the crank, and that would cost $150 extra. I then took it somewhere else. The next place removed one slug from the harmonic balancer and moved it to another spot and presto. He didn't even have to touch the flex plate or put metal in the crank. Only cost me $220, and my motor runs smoother than it ever did.
