I am getting ready to have a stage 3 done @ Delta. I was talking to one of the mechanics about it and asked about having the crank or the whole rotating assembly balanced. He strongly pushed me not to have either done , to paraphrase, "its a waste of money and he don't want to rob me like that." He said that with the way these single journal cranks are you cant truly balance them. My question is have any of you guys had it done and was there much diff in vibration? I know the GTRs vibrate pretty bad but I dont want to spend another 200-250 to have it done if there is no benefit/difference. I piss enough money away as it is don't need to throw another 200 down the toilet.

They can be balanced, But you have to send the entire rotating assembly off. The pistons and rods need to be weighed, then check the counter weights to see if they are correct for the current bob weight.
IMO if your keeping stock rods and pistons, It is probably a waste.

It's the 50 lbs of unbalanced shit hanging off the back of the crank on the gtr that makes them vibrate. The v-twin doesn't help any, but it's not the main cause of the issues.

Stage 3 or Level 3?

Is that a legitimate question or are you just trying to bust my nuts for mis-speaking?

He's asking legitimately.

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It is actually a Level 3, not stage 3, that was my bad on that.

Didnt realize that they offered a LV4 untill just recently (as in a few min ago when I got the quote sheets) , leaning a bit towards that now.

It was both. He was busting your balls with a legitimate question.

Was a legitimate question lol. Was going to say, if it's just a level 3(stage2), I wouldn't worry about balancing but if you were dropping the coin on a full built motor stage3(level4 I think?), what's another $150-200 to have everything balanced if you're going to be turning a lot higher rpms.

Cool, that's what I was looking for. Looks like consensus is if I am retaining factory rods/pistons, no need to balance, if I am going aftermarket, balance this vibrating bastard. Its a lot to think about. Do I just go ahead and go all out for around $4500 or back it off a bit for $3100 (plus prop(s) for either build) Decisions, decisions, decisions......

Go big or go home

Could always invite one less friend...


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That being said, if you go with the 3100 option... my guess is you'll eventually go to the next step... so why waste time


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Does the level 4 show balancing on the quote?

In my opinion and experience. Balancing a rotating assembly helps in pretty much every application. In this case it would cost less than of of the cost of the obnoxious exhaust system needed to go with those mods.... it's been well documented that these rotating assemblies and flywheels aren't balanced well from the time theyre assembled.

If you aint first your last! IMG_1334.JPG


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Part 2:

Now that a Level 4 also on the table as an option, you guys that have had this done to your own motors or the guys that have experience in doing the upgrades, in your opinions will the level 4 have more reliability/longevity? I am just looking at it this way, the level 4 has some upgraded, more "heavy duty" parts ( billet connection rods billet roller rockers HD push rods). I could be thinking about it all wrong but with the increase in HP and the motor turning up higher, connecting rods for example will be under more stress, possibly more than the factory rods were intended to handle. Am I over analyzing it / looking at it all wrong or is this a legitimate POV?

On the level 4, you'd be replacing those rods I believe. Not sure the breakdown on Delta's "levels", but you even said in your post you'd be replacing them. Not real sure what you're asking.

Is reliability/longevity better because of the upgraded internals is what he's asking.

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I personally think it's a crap shoot either way. You are pushing the motor further than it was designed to be pushed, though I don't particularly think briggs builds a real awesome, reliable, engine to start with. You are replacing known weak links, but then you are pushing them harder too... I'd say do what you want to do. Take care of it. Don't spin it up to 7k rpms all day every day. It may last longer than a stock engine. It may not. Some stockers don't make it 50 hours, some modded engines last several thousand...

Im with him^^. I love horsepower but i know shit happens.

Sounds like he wants all the Horsepowers and all the RPMS, yet wants it reliable. The reliability is more diminished by the throttle hand than the Horsepowers and RPM's...

My take on it,,yes you are improving the OEM strength with better parts..With that said, you are also asking more out of the rest of the OEM parts you don't change.

Reliability is highly affected by your throttle hand as CB stated, also how well you maintain things plays a part here too.

Know how, want to and common sense are all at play here not just heavy duty hot rod parts.

After re reading my "part2" question I see that I did not frame it well at all, it made sense to me but I realize I am the one who wrote it and "knew what I meant". I realize that does not work for anyone that is not in my brain, thats my bad on that. I am asking for an opinion between the LV 3 and LV4 upgrades, where grenading the motor is concerned. LV 3 is just basically a top end build Heads, valve job, springs, all new gaskets, cam, plugs, ECU retune, exhaust, lifters. LV 4 is all that plus Billet C-rods, roller rockers P-rods and pistons.

Real question here is: is it really worth the money to go ahead and get the bottom end rebuilt also or will the stock bottom end handle the added stress of a LV3 upgrade?

I understand that a stock motor babied and ran at 3k rpms for its entire life will probably last forever. I know that when you "hotrod" a motor you can get into alot of different problems. I am just trying to sure up the weak link, and in my mind with an upgraded motor producing more RPM HP and torque that would be the factory connecting rods that were designed for a 37 hp motor. I know a bunch of you guys have been inside your motors or several other other motors and have a vast amount more knowledge on the internals than do I. Just picking yalls brains.

Thanks for all of the help and responses so far.

I think stock motors have issues running at 3k rpm's.

When you do the internals, you're also building more power. Also building compression in a different, arguably better, way. I never had billet rods or aftermarket pistons, but have had everything else on all my motors. It is what it is man. Just a different way to do it.

Again, I think anything with the briggs is a crap shoot either way. Do what you want to do.