Snip it is my understanding that internal or external balance is a decision made by the designer. Even the legendary Chevy small block which is internal balanced as I understand, the 400 cu in version of it is externally balanced leaving one to do some extra work when installing a 400 crank in a 350 to make the popular stroker 383 due to the external balance configuration of the 400 crank, as I understand it. yeah, but comparing a v to an inline is an apples-and-oranges thing. Snip Yuh, agreed, but it seems to me that I compared a commonly available engine with multiple parts interchangeability that can be found as both internal or externally balanced depending on the displacement of the thing. That should make it an apples to apples comparison, or maybe a sour grapes to sour grapes to some. The point being, as far as I know there is nothing particularly magic about the number of cylinders and whether it is internal or external balanced. A design feature which is most probably a decision made by whomsoever designed the thing. In either case if one intends to do some major modifications on an engine, determining what means Is required to balance it should rate right up there in some of the first pieces of information to find out. Knowing before you install and tighten the last bolts how it should be balanced and the precautions required to avoid bolting together parts that will lend themselves to creative self-destruction could possibly avoid some expensive, embarrassing moments. John _______________________________________________ AMC-List mailing list AMC-List@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.amc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/amc-list or go to http://www.amc-list.com