As I've posted before, I will never again build a 2.6 without the balance shafts. I got real tired of welding up the p/s pump bracket. I also took out the a/c compressor bracket in about 5 pieces (the pot metal one - the cast iron ones seem fine), and I fractured two a/t cooler lines right at the block brackets. My mirror does the big buzz at cruise, too. I figure there's more the vibration is cracking, too, but I just haven't found it yet. Did I mention that the a/t to t-case adapter broke, too....

The 2.6 with shafts is as smooth as a v6, almost as smooth as an I6, except down real low in rpms where the power pulses are enough farther apart to notice.

Note the short chain driving the oil pump. I like to oval out the more middlish bolt hole in the short chain guide so you can adjust the chain clearance a tad. I think the spec is .5 - 1mm between guide and chain, all the slack gathered at the guide.