Geared balance shaft reliability?

[shakescreek]

Finally got the 2005 passat home I bought back in Dec. for a donor car.
Plan is to put the bhw into an 2003 4door blazer I have. I had assumed I would be doing a balance shaft delete, but after pulling the motor today I popped the pan off and discovered it has the geared balance shaft module in it. Try to decide now whether to run it as is or go ahead with the delete.
My understanding is that the hex oil pump driveshaft that was problematic in the original chain drive modules is still used in the gear drive units. Has anyone here put high enough mileage on a geared module to know if the hex shaft stands up any better than in the chain drive units? Also wondering what the stock map sensor is on the bhw's? This one has a 3bar map so wondering if it's been tuned or if they came stock with the 3bar?
Thanks guys.

 

[Uberhare]

If I had it apart, I would just delete and be done with it. No more worries, or risk of having to do it again.

 

[zzdiesel]

Easy to check the shaft to see if there is any wear on it. Also, The later gear drive units apparently had a longer shaft. My car with the gear drive is now approaching a 100k.

 

[zzdiesel]

If you decide to delete, I would be interested in buying the gear drive for cheap. If I ever pull my deleted engine I would happily put the gear drive in.
.

 

[shakescreek]

ZZ since you have both what's you're perception of the differences driving them? I assume since you would like to add the geared module to you're deleted car it is substantially smoother? I've heard some say they seem to have quicker revs with the delete, do you notice a difference in this area?
Also if I drop the oil pump to check the hex drive do you know if they are one time use(tty) bolts?

 

[afarfalla]

stay with your geared module, you won't be happy with the delete when your car is idling at a light, I have the delete and just bought a used geared module

 

[zzdiesel]

Geared drive automatic, very smooth.
Deleted, 5 speed with single mass flywheel. Stage 2 tune.

Not comparing apples to apples, but my impression is the geared drive is significantly smoother. Tuned so can't really compare revving.

I don't think they are stretch bolts. If there is any wear the shaft could be turned end for end and have a new wear surface. The two chain ones I removed had no significant wear. I wonder if the ones that do wear have a misalignment problem.

 

[johnboy00]

Here are a couple of random thoughts:

There have been several reports of rounded hex shafts. If I had to guess, at least 5 maybe 10. Typically it causes turbo failure from oil starvation.

FWIW, I have 180k Miles on my geared balance shaft with no issues.

The standard hex shaft is 77mm but there is a 100mm upgraded part.
These guys sell a kit which includes the shaft and some other pump parts. I'm not sure where you can buy it seperately. http://www.kmbpartsdirect.co.uk/products.html

At a minimum, check your hex shaft and replace it if its worn. Get the longer one if possible. If it looks really bad, you might want to consider the delete.

 

[PickleRick]

Id delete it. Less to fail. Its going in a blazer (assuming its a 4.3 and if its a pre 1996 Iirc it's not a balanced engine) so chances are it will be similar or less vibration as stock. I have a 91 s10 4.3 and it's similar in idle feel to my 05 passat with delete. I cannot recall when chevy started to balance their 4.3 engine but it was @ 94 or 96. Around the time it became a true vortec motor.
Secondly, you'll be using a small block chevy flyweel or torque converter so that will have much more rotating mass than your average bhw with a passat single mass flywheel.
Your blazer takes an 11 inch clutch stock and near 30 lbs flyweel although im not 100% sure if the stock flyweel (should be 153 tooth) is internal or external balanced. Thats nearly 2 full inches larger than the the 240 mm audi and dwarfs the 228mm found on the euro tdi/1.8t
If you're automatic it's been a while but i believe the stock torque converter is around 40 lbs dry.
Im not sure your diesel will like your stock gasser stall on your converter but if you are 700r4 or 4l60e, which you should be, youll be able to get a 6.2 or 6.5 diesel converter to match up to it from a k5 blazer or similar full sized truck.

 

[truman]

I'm 200k geared
So far no problem

 

[shakescreek]

Since I'm not getting any reports of failure from those running the geared modules I think I will just leave it in. I'll pop the pump off and check the hex shaft and replace it if it shows any significant wear. The Blazer it is going in is a 2003 4 door with the 4.3 and 5 speed manual. It only has 114000 kilometers on it and is in pretty mint condition. Really like it to drive but don't like the way it burns fuel thus the bhw swap. I'll be using a 40 lb 168 tooth flywheel.
Can anyone answer whether the 3bar map is stock on the bhw or not?

 

[PickleRick]

Im pretty sure 3bar is stock, ive got 3 of these cars now (one for the boat, one in my dd and one for a rainy day) but it's pouring rain and i haven't had a chance to look.

 

[shakescreek]

Thanks guys, ecu is likely stock as well then. Anyone know what these things run for boost on a stock tune?

 

[Windex]

A stg II tune can blow up a stock turbo in about 200,000km - ask me how I know.

 

[Volk14]

If you decide to delete, I would be interested in buying the gear drive for cheap. If I ever pull my deleted engine I would happily put the gear drive in.
.

You have a PM. I have a geared setup.

I did a delete a while back on one of my cars and honestly didn't notice any difference in vibration. I think it's a matter of preference and budget.

 

[shakescreek]

Volk14 your pm doesn't seem to have come through. Maybe try again?

 

[JETaah]

I just pulled a geared module out of a customer's car with 95K. It couldn't have been in there very long.
The hex shaft was pretty beat up but, it may had a lot to do with the install.
The adjustable gear that is to be meshed upon assembly was not done properly and there was a good amount of lash which was causing the weights to hammer away (which is what prompted me to inspect it.)

Got rid of it. Problem solved. Now for all the rest of the home made problems....

 

[Volk14]

Volk14 your pm doesn't seem to have come through. Maybe try again?

The message was sent to zzdiesel. Sorry for the confusion.