FE350 Running Without Counterweight

[mdefelice]

Has anyone tried to run an Engine without a Counterweight? I have done it with a single cylinder Briggs.

[kinder]

yes my 341cc does not have the dynamic balancer in it. When I took it apart for a rebuild it did not have it in there? It is running fine but I would like to know what it actually does.

[Lightninlarry]

I think its a vibration deal... how does it run?

[kinder]

Ya thats what I figured. A little vibration under load. I have 22 inch mud tires on it and cant tell when they get rolling.

[kinder]

Not sure if the balancer and the counterweight is the same. Im not familiar with the 350.

[GLEEMO]

They are designed to reduce vibration, noise and wear.
The less wobble in the shaft the longer it and everything attached to it last.

[Allthingsmechanical]

My Club Car has a FE350 engine that makes a loud clanking noise at all speeds, sounds terrible. Have concluded that the noise is from the counterweight. I've inspected the counterweight and nothing is obviously wrong with. Slider tube appears ok. My question is how to remove it along with the two arms. Looks like the pressed on timing gear will have to be removed. Will the crankshaft have to removed also? Am considering leaving it out of the engine completely once it's removed. I've already spent over $600 on other things in this engine. The counterweight is the only component I've not monkeyed with. Any comments appreciated. Thanks

[Fairtax4me]

It's not the counterweight that's the problem in the 350s, it's the aluminum link rods that attach to it. From what I've seen the most common failure is the big end of the outer link rod loses oil and gets worn where it turns on the crankshaft. This usually also trashes the bearing journal on the crankshaft.
If you have the side cover off the link rod is the first thing behind the timing gear. Try to move that rod on the crankshaft to check it for play. If it's bad enough to knock there will be a lot of play in that outer rod. It's the last in line to get oil so it usually starves for oil.

If there's no play in the outer rod then it's probably not causing your noise. Link rod knock is deep.

Clanking sound could come from the drive clutch. Worn weights inside the clutch can make noise, as well as worn slide buttons. I had one a few years ago that the bolts that hold the pulley on the back of the clutch worked loose and made a ton of noise.

[Lightninlarry]

Originally Posted by Fairtax4me

It's not the counterweight that's the problem in the 350s, it's the aluminum link rods that attach to it. From what I've seen the most common failure is the big end of the outer link rod loses oil and gets worn where it turns on the crankshaft. This usually also trashes the bearing journal on the crankshaft.
If you have the side cover off the link rod is the first thing behind the timing gear. Try to move that rod on the crankshaft to check it for play. If it's bad enough to knock there will be a lot of play in that outer rod. It's the last in line to get oil so it usually starves for oil.

If there's no play in the outer rod then it's probably not causing your noise. Link rod knock is deep.

Clanking sound could come from the drive clutch. Worn weights inside the clutch can make noise, as well as worn slide buttons. I had one a few years ago that the bolts that hold the pulley on the back of the clutch worked loose and made a ton of noise.

That’s exactly what you are hearing. I have a FE400 that was run “Dry” and caused this exact issue. Link arms can be replaced but most likely the damage will also take out the crankshaft as well. I removed the counter balance and link arms and just deal with the low end vibration! It does smooth out a little as RPMs increase. Over time I have got use to it and it isn’t really an issue for Me anymore. On the bright side... 6,000 RPMs with a Big Carb without worrying about catastrophic failure is kinda Nice! Just sayin! [emoji41]


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[SASKRAT1]

How or what did you do with the oil galley's
plug or weld them shut