I've recently taken over most of the mechanical responsibilites for my car. During the last Timing-Belt change, I noticed my rubber band..err belt ;) to be off-center on the exhaust camshaft gear. Upon further inspection, there's a small weight, held between the belt-gear and the camshaft. I see three possibilities:
1) Factory engine modification to compensate for..something (although the green book mentions nothing)
2) "Tune-up" by one of the car's (2) prior mechanics (they're getting phone calls this week)
3) Malicious tactic by one of the cars prior mechanics to fleece me for money while "hunting down the problem"

Has anyone heard of this before? Is there any reason to leave the weight in place? (there's a specific idle problem that i'm currently blaming on the weight)

Thanks,
Chad
--
'93 960; 253k miles

Lance 760t is right DO NOT REMOVE. It act as a harmonic balancer for the exhaust cam gear.

Is it a rubber damper located behind the exhaust cam gear? If so, this is a damper that was installed on early 960s to combat timing belt breakage issues. Don't remove it!