balance shaft play

[ptaroni]

developed a knocking noise from engine Saturday afternoon, first thought that it was the lash adjusters so removed them, found it had already got the 3mm uprated ones fitted, cleaned them up but made no difference. today decided to remove the sump and check the bearings, no faults found there... put my had up to the balance shaft and can move it up and down about 2mm ?!! however the top one I cant move it at all... anyone else had this problem? I imagine it will be the bearings that have let go, not had the cambelt covers off yet to check tension/ condition of the belt yet but the car was still running perfectly with no loss of power at all. was starting to get very worried before finding the problem but there was no metal filings in the oil whatsoever so couldn't have been anything too major? anybody fitted an elimination kit before? is there any way to remove the balance shaft whilst the engine is in? thanks

btw I have an evo 4 with a 5 engine fitted, was also worried about crankwalk but when I realised that it wasn't a 4 engine I was a bit more relieved!

 

[B6lee]

You can not remove shafts in situ, you have to rotate the bearings that they run on so its a engine out and complete strip to do it.

If you can move the shaft while it's still under tension of the belt the something is wrong. I'd say you wanna get all the covers off and check belts properly first.

 

[ptaroni]

maybe my belt has become slack? athough i would have thought that the other shaft would have become loose too? either way ill be removing them, found the delete kit on camskill for 75. now deciding wether to hire a car for a week for 105 or re taxing my old punto for 60 and swapping my insurance over, i know if i have a week to fix it ill have it done

 

[B6lee]

one shaft runs off its own belt, the other runs off the back the oil pump pully