An inline six cylinder is inherently balanced. It would run just as well with only a pulley on the front of the crankshaft. Even changing the weight of pistons, connecting rods, and the flywheel/clutch assembly won't make a measureable difference in how smooth it runs. Can anyone show me a crankshaft that has failed because of a different balancer being installed, or even an objectionable vibration developing? Nope- - - -I didn't think so. Real world experience- - - -not theoretical bovine effluent- - - -I've run stovebolts with balancers for a small block V8, and a 250/292 six, and swapped Chevy balancers onto GMC engines with no noticeable ill effects. Go ahead and pontificate- - - -the words are worth exactly what it costs to read them.
Jerry
PS- - - -Joe, how many 235's and 261's are out there running 216 balancers? Mostly so the belt width is correct when one of those engines is swapped into an early model truck with a wide belt. There's a huge weight difference.
