[66Moostang]

Hello, I'm new to this website and also to engine building. I had a question which probably will require a simple answer.

I have a crankshaft from a Ford 200ci Inline 6 cylinder. The Crankshaft had about 55K miles on it and looks to be in really good shape. Would it be recommended to balance it before putting it in a new engine? It is going to be a mostly stock rebuild other than a tri-carb intake and hydraulic cam.

Any information you could kick my way would be very much appreciated!

[matt167]

The Ford 200 I6 does not need crankshaft balancing as the engine is neutral balanced.

I just recently built a 200 I6 up compleatly custom, with a Turbocharger. havn't got everything finished but the engine is built..


with your engine, being your doing a pretty much stock engine, warmed over.. your going to want a later cylinder head ( '78-'83 castings are best, D8,D9 and EOXX castings ) for the bigger valves and better flowing head. Tempo/ Taurus 2.3 HSC flat top pistions to bump the compression, shave the head .025 . this will bump the compression to 9.5:1- 10:1 depending on your final combination.... remember, the stock head gasket is a steel shim gasket .025 compressed thickness and it's no longer available, the thinnest gasket made now days is .045 compressed so that will effect your compression if you do not compensate for it.

[66Moostang]

Originally Posted by matt167

The Ford 200 I6 does not need crankshaft balancing as the engine is neutral balanced.

I just recently built a 200 I6 up compleatly custom, with a Turbocharger. havn't got everything finished but the engine is built..


with your engine, being your doing a pretty much stock engine, warmed over.. your going to want a later cylinder head ( '78-'83 castings are best, D8,D9 and EOXX castings ) for the bigger valves and better flowing head. Tempo/ Taurus 2.3 HSC flat top pistions to bump the compression, shave the head .025 . this will bump the compression to 9.5:1- 10:1 depending on your final combination.... remember, the stock head gasket is a steel shim gasket .025 compressed thickness and it's no longer available, the thinnest gasket made now days is .045 compressed so that will effect your compression if you do not compensate for it.

wow that quite a bit of information haha, but i thank you so much for it. I was going to get flat top pistons i forgot to mention. Is your turbocharger custom or is it available online somewhere? I have looked into turbochargers but couldnt find anything for a 200 I6.

[matt167]

Originally Posted by 66Moostang

wow that quite a bit of information haha, but i thank you so much for it. I was going to get flat top pistons i forgot to mention. Is your turbocharger custom or is it available online somewhere? I have looked into turbochargers but couldnt find anything for a 200 I6.

My turbocharger is from a 1978 Buick Regal Sport.. was from a 3.8L V6 engine... The Tempo/ Taurus 2.3 HSC flat tops are the only cast flat tops made that will fit the 200 I6, the bore is the same 3.68. my engine is .030 overbore..

you can go to www.classicinlines.com for the pistions, Mike, the owner/ operator sells split sets so you don't have to buy 2 sets of 4 to get 6 pistions.

go to www.fordsix.com for more info about turbocharging a 200. I'm not the only 1 with a Turbo 200

[machine shop tom]

Originally Posted by matt167

The Ford 200 I6 does not need crankshaft balancing as the engine is neutral balanced. ...........

Whether or not a crankshaft is internally balanced has nothing to do with the need for balancing. The relative weight of parts and the consistency of those weights is what determines the need for balancing. Some cranks, in-line fours and sixes, for example, do not need bobweights. In these cases, the crank is spun-checked separately on a balancing machine and the rods and pistons are weight-matched.

tom

[Double_v23]

For that build I would just have your local machinist make sure that all the components for each cylinder (piston, rings, rods, bearings) all end up weighing the same. Or you could get a precision scale and do it yourself but the machining will probably be less than the scale