EZGO 350 Balance Shaft

RibbedGiraffe

Has anyone removed the balance shaft from their EZGO 350cc?

BGW

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RibbedGiraffe

Since nobody responded - Ill answer my own question.

You cannot physically remove the balance shaft, It is also the oil pump drive - and I assume it is also an oil slinger for the cylinder walls.

I did however machine mine down in what were the less critical areas, There is still adequate material to act as an oil slinger and a significant enough amount of material removed to significantly decrease rotating mass.

Courageous Carts

Just out of curiosity, why would you remove the balance shaft?
Did you check the o.d. and I.d. Clearances before reinstalling?

RibbedGiraffe

Less rotational mass.. In theory, it will rev faster, and potentially make more hp. Less of the engines power is being used to turn the balance shaft.

What clearances are you specifically referring to?

TomStark

This does not apply to carts, but to your question. I make balance shaft eliminator kits for the Chevy Ecotech and as a matter of standard operating procedure would eliminate the balance shafts on 2.5 mopar motors that I rebuilt for daily drivers. In both of those cases no one could tell the balance shafts were not in use. On a cart motor, may be a little different. Still if I had a cart with one in it, I would build a kit to eliminate it, and if there was an issue (my experience says unlikely but anything is possible) I would reinstall the balance shaft.
Tom

RibbedGiraffe

How does it not apply to carts? It would apply to all engines. Less rotational mass is well... Less rotational mass...

TomStark

Not that part, what does not apply to carts is that on the ecotech, there is no vibration issue, on the 2.5 mopar there is no vibration issue (with balance shaft removed), on a cart for all I know it could shake like crazy! I would think not, and if it were me, I would remove the balance shaft, but I would not want to recommend that to someone without having some personal experience in the matter. That is what I meant.
Tom