Engine Balance

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Oct 7, 2003 | 11:05 AM

TxBandit

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Engine Balance

Is the 300 an internally or externally balanced engine? Also, what is the tooth count on the flexplate for a 3 speed automatic application? Does this engine have the same bellhousing bolt pattern as a 302?

Thanks,
Troy

Oct 7, 2003 | 12:04 PM

HardworkinFORD

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From: The best is the U.S.

Don't know the tooth count, but it is internally balanced and should be the same bolt pattern as the 302. Maybe someone who does a little more than I on the mechanical side can speak up.

Oct 7, 2003 | 05:18 PM

NM5K

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From: Houston TX

I don't know if I would call it internally balanced. Maybe partly, but you still depend on the harmonic balancer on the front of the engine, and also the flywheel/flexplate holes are critical, and should only go on one way. Those are external balancing tricks, I would think. I think if you take the balancer off the front, the engine should run rough as heck. MK

Oct 7, 2003 | 08:08 PM

StrangeRanger

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From: Copley, OH

The 300 IS internally balanced. What you are calling a balancer is a vibration damper. It has a zero imbalance. The bellhousing pattern matches the SBF but you cannot use the SBF flywheel because of the balance issue. As to the tooth count, I'm pretty sure Ford has used both 157 and 164 tooth flywheels with the 300 at various times.

Oct 7, 2003 | 08:58 PM

Silver Streak

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From: Broken Arrow, OK

I've been very sick for a few days and am kinda groggy, but wasn't the 157 tooth only used on the early Windsors with the 5 bolt bellhousing? Then they ditched the 5 bolt for the 6 bolt and used the 164 from then on. If that's the case, the 240/300 would have never had the smaller gear because it wasn't introduced at the time of the 5 bolt bellhousing.

Oct 7, 2003 | 11:34 PM

paulfix

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The inline six is internally balanced as told above. this only applies if the crankshaft remains unflexed ( when under great load the crank can twist and thus cause the rotational loading to cause the engine to become unbalanced). THe crank on the 300 is plenty stong enough for this but a motorcycle I once had , a Honda CBX 1000cc six would bend the twist the crank and the engine would go from being silky smooth to very rough.