mdp c230k

Actually the main reason to balance an engine is twofold. First the engine can rev higher without whipping itself apart due to the crank shaft flexing and snapping. Second, all the power created is transfered down the crank to drive the car rather than being lost internally (the flexing crank uses up energy and the increased friction on the bearings does too). The weight does matter but the rotational balance is very important too.

Brandon @ Kleemann

MBZ as well as every other OEM has a tolerance parts must be within- in this case mass. All rotoating components will be +/- some amount based on the part in question. Pistons can vary by a few grams, same with con rods.

Certain manufacturing methods provide more consistant results than others- MBZ parts do not vary in the same way as say a Chevy 350. As Lynn mentioned as long as the parts are within spec- it goes together.

The "damper" is a dead mass on the crank pulley through which no belt force is transmitted- it is "tuned" to a freq. This freq happens twice in the rev range of an I4 engine. The sole purpose of this damper is to reduce the vibrations of the engine at these two points. Are these forces enough to break the crank is the damper is removed?- no. Its a question of building an inherently bumpy engine in a way that attempts to smooth it out. You cannot tell any difference with the stock pulley or alloy one- I think even Buellwinkle will back me up on this one.

Buellwinkle

I can't tell the difference from idle to redline on my car with the ASP pulley vs. stock in noise or vibrations other than additional S/C whine during hard accelleration. This also applies to an SLK230 I drove with a Kleemann alloy pulley, before and after.

I would think that if the pulley caused a heavy object like the crankshaft to vibrate or shake I would notice it.

trench

Thanks for the visual.

BT