Yes, in fact, that was an option for me when rebuilding the Series II 3800, suggested by both the machine shops that I've been using. The crank can be balanced without a balancer shaft, but the engine will produce more vibration that way.

To do it, you will need to have the balancer shaft bearing pulled and reinstalled wrong (so that the oil hole through the balancer bearing doesn't line up with the passage in the block, effectively plugging the oiling system.) You will also need a hard ground spacer for the timing gear, or take the balancer drive gear and machine off most of it (to reduce it'* mass.)

That'* the whole idea of removing the balancer shaft..reduce the rotating mass of the motor and accept the increased vibration.

I am the original poster of the thread. The 93 3.8 */c motor is out of my sandrail, so I dont care about vibrations. I removed the balancer on my Kawasaki zx-11 and boy that thing spun up fast! Thats why I was thinking of removing this one. I guess with the supercharger and all; the balancer would probably rob very little so Im gonna leave it in this time. Yes the engine is tore down right now awaiting a budget rebuild. Bearings, rod bolts, honing/moly rings, valve springs, valve keepers, mild porting. Anyone else have any suggestions for me (performance wise)??? I am already running headers and k and n intake. Like I said, its in a sandrail. Thanks for the input.
-Dave

Good Plan.

Your ZX-11 has a crank with all the rod journals and pistons in the same plane. It also has a nuetral balance on the harmonic balancer/generator rotor as well as a nuetral balance on the flywheel/drive gear. A lot of racers on the ZX-6 and ZX-7 removed the balancer to race with just to get the motor to spin up quicker. (worked because the balancer was a larger percentage of the total mass of the rotating assembly.)

The 3800 is a different animal. The pistons are not in the same plane, they are not even in the geometry of the engine (since the angle of the cylinder banks is 90 degrees, yet the firing order is 120degrees.) Also, you'll notice with the heads off that the pistons are moving in a lop-sided pattern...what you end up with is two pistons comming up on one bank and the 3rd piston comming up on the opposite bank and corner of the motor... This is kinda hard to describe, but the engine is lopsided. The balance shaft is timed to swing it'* mass into the opposite corner and smooth out the running.

I hope that makes sense...I'm leaving mine in during the engine rebuild. I want the smooth running and the little bit of extra rotating mass doesn't seem worth it to remove.

Thanks everybody, im gonna leave mine in then. I understand what you mean after looking at the crank throws. 2 pistons are at tdc then only 1 is at tdc. Thanks everybody for their input---Thats why I posted my question here!!!