Hey HT peeps! It's been a LONG time since I've been on here, so it's good to be back! So I had recently swapped in a "new" JDM F23 into my 98 CL to replace the worn out F23 that was in there. The swap went really smooth with the following done:

- New timing/balance shaft belts (gates)
- New water pump/pulleys (honda)
- valves adjusted
- new exedy flywheel with action HD clutch
- rebuilt syncrotech trans
- New motor mounts (Beck/Arnley)
- All new hoses...blah...

After priming the motor for oil pressure, we fired it right up (no issues what so ever). However, it instantly seemed like the balance shafts were off so we shut it off and rechecked the pulleys. Everything checked out, so we put the timing cover back and I've been driving it around. It runs great with good power and a solid idle, but just feels like the B shafts are way off (WTF?). I'm curious if anyone here has had a similar experience? I'm wondering if one of the balance shafts is broken perhaps?

Thank's for any insight!
Bryson

 

How did you clock the rear balance shaft?
Did you use the 6mm pin(screwdriver) through the shaft to align it, or did you rely on the pulley?
I don't like to use the pulley you will need to verify that the balance gear case is properly aligned to the balance shaft itself.
If everything is aligned correctly the shaft through the alignment hole would have the pulleys dot lined up with the dot on the case in the 4:30 position, and the notch in the 12 O'clock position.
If the gear case had been removed in the past, it may not have been timed correctly, which would result in the pulley marks not aligned with the balance shaft itself.

If the shaft was bust I think you would hear quite the noise and probably have an oil pressure issue as well.
Any metal in the oil?

 

run it without the balance belt and see if the vibration goes away

 

Yup, I used the bolt + checking both alignment marks on the pulleys. I also like to verify the old belts VS the new via putting a paint mark on the pulleys and the belts and transferring that to the new belts (as you can see in the picture). This helps me as a "QC" check of sorts along with verifying the pulley locations. Also the belts (and everything else) looked to be original Honda and did not appear to have been messed with before. This is probably the 4th F23 belt swap I've done, and have never had this problem.

I don't have any metal in the oil.

I've thought about doing that as well.

 

Do a compression check.
Verify spark plugs are all consistently burning.
Only problem with pulling off the B-Belt is you will lose both shafts, so the engine will shake quite a bit more, but not sure if that will help you eliminate either shaft.

 

I had an odd vibration and some of it was the belts were a bit tight, made the car sound like it had a supercharger. sounds like you lined everything up properly.

its not TDC in the above pic is it? The front balance shaft looks like it on the wrong mark. I'm guessing its not but just checking.

 

Transmission looks nice. I like how they polish and round all of edges on the case. I have just spent a good 8 hours or more cleaning a few of mine and they still don't look that good without some paint.