Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific Mouse & Rat Motor Discussion & Conversions

Soft crankshaft?

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Old 11-25-2007, 04:44 PM
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Default Soft crankshaft?

I just got donw putting back together a 1997 5.7 vortec in a Chevy 1500 truck It had a pretty bad spun rod bearing and I had to get a reman crank and new bearings and 4 of the rods got reconditioned. Started it up and it ran good except a little miss but got that taken care of it ran for about 30 mins then we took it for a drive. It throw a rod and head no evidence of a spun bearing.... do cranks ever have soft journals like cams have soft lobes not to mention the machine shop gave us the wrong gasket kit and timing chain it was for a pre 1006 any chance the crank was soft?

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Old 11-25-2007, 04:51 PM
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Hrmm, maybe possible, but most likely a badly machined crank. I've had this happen to friends of mine before. Put a .010/.010 crank in, engine runs for 5 minutes, then, clunk, clunk, clunk. All on stock non-performance motors.
Old 11-26-2007, 07:33 AM
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How do you figure a soft crank caused a thrown rod?
The only thing that would do is wear the journal down faster.
I've seen a lot of turned cranks put in and waste bearings because the oil galleys are not properly cleaned, but you say there was no sign of a spun bearing.
I'd say it was a weak or over torqued rod bolt.
Old 11-26-2007, 02:05 PM
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Why would you only recondition 4 of 8 connecting rods? Thats an expensive mistake. I agree with 8a8mfh on a weak rod bolt. You would have to have a crank that was turned .030" or more before running into a problem with the crank. Did the motor start knocking while you were out driving the truck just before the rod let loose?
Old 11-26-2007, 05:55 PM
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WTF do you mean 'throw a rod'? Did the rod break? Thats not the cranks fault. Did a cap come off? Again, not the cranks fault.
Old 11-26-2007, 06:49 PM
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vortec motors have cracked cap rods and cant be reconed...maybe your prob
Old 11-26-2007, 09:14 PM
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Originally Posted by 02fastbird
vortec motors have cracked cap rods and cant be reconed...maybe your prob
All the P/M rods we have seen that have come out of the newer engines the caps have not been cracked as they are machined and can be resized but can not be straightened if they are out of alignment as they will break.

Double check and make sure the rod was not installed on the piston backwards
Old 11-27-2007, 07:04 PM
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Originally Posted by 02fastbird
vortec motors have cracked cap rods and cant be reconed...maybe your prob
GEN 1 vortecs use forged rods just like back in '55.
Old 11-27-2007, 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 8a8mfh
GEN 1 vortecs use forged rods just like back in '55.
Yep. His motor should have gen 1 rods in it.



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