LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Crank Recommendations

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Old May 3, 2010 | 03:38 AM
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Default Crank Recommendations

I'm doing a rebuild/upgrade and am unsure which crank would best fit my needs. I've got splayed 4 bolt mains, forged 6" Eagle rods, forged .030 over Manley pistons, TPiS AFR heads, cc306 cam, Crane gold 1.6 rockers. I later plan to try my hand at a direct port nitrous setup as I've always wanted to build one, and will probably throw a 200 shot at it.

My stock bottom end spun a couple mains and one rod bears and the crank has some nice grooves. I can have the machine determine if it is fixable or just go with a completely different setup. Mind you this is a budget build, I have about 1500 left to play with and I know alot of that will be eaten up with machine work, getting the mains fitted and such. Will the stock crank be able handle that kind of power, or should I push my build date back to buy a good crank(forged Scat or Eagle) and build it right? I haven't heard good things about the Eagle cast ones which is what I was originally looking at.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 08:37 AM
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id say a Callies crankshaft.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 09:19 AM
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another for callies
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Old May 3, 2010 | 01:08 PM
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hes on a budget... maybe a compstar
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Old May 3, 2010 | 01:11 PM
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www.ohiocrank.com

I'm using one of these in my 383.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 01:34 PM
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I'm definitely on a budget. If I were to spend the cash on a Callies I would have just gone stroker, and I don't want that right now. Pretty sure I'm just gonna see if I can get my stock on cleaned up. Not like you hear of them breaking on 400 whp, the nitrous will be a strict track only use.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 03:09 PM
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you said you had $1500 to play with and the block already had splayed caps, it needed to be line bored.. line bore should set you back around $150-$200... leaving you with a nice chunk of cash for a good forged crankshaft,rering kit and a balance job..

Compstar is made by Callies, its thier budget forged crank, should cost around $650 or so, i dont care for eagle or scat either, some people like them, i've seen more than a few that werent so good... i wouldnt be scared of trying a forged ohio crankshaft.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 04:53 PM
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Find out if the stock crank can be turned. Stock cranks are stout especially on a mild juice budget setup.

If I were going to get a crank I would get a rotating assembly, by the time you buy a crank etc it is usually alittle more to have the entire assembly.

Budget setups are good but very easy to spend when you don't need to and not have money for something that should be replaced.

Think it through add it all up and expect some gotchas and leave money in budget for them.

Good luck
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Old May 3, 2010 | 06:07 PM
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I'd either get a Compstar or Lunati Sledgehammer and build a 383 stroker.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 06:17 PM
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I've got the splayed caps, they are not on the block yet. I would rather pay to get it drilled right, rather than mess it up myself and then have a junk block. I'm setting aside 400 for that, so I figure I have 1100 left for boring, cleaning, other machine work, gaskets, bearings, fitting the long tubes to the current exhaust and any other little things I come across.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 06:43 PM
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my bad, the way i read it was you had the splayed mains block already.. like you had spun some mains or something and just needed a linebore...

by the time they clean the block,install main caps, lineboring,boring cylinders,decking the block, install cam bearings and freezeplugs, your looking at $750 probably, unless you know someone..

i myself wouldnt put 200hp shot on a stock crank, splayed mains or not.. especially if your going to have that much money already tied up in the block, rods and pistons..
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Old May 3, 2010 | 07:14 PM
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What makes you think you need a 4-bolt splayed conversion? I would save the money and invest it somewhere else.

The 2-bolt mains are not a weak link in these motors.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 07:17 PM
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stock cranks are badass even them old ones out of gen 1 engines..i made 750hp with a 150 shot using a 1969 2 bolt 327,1969 327 crank and stock rods with bolts..i never turned it up passed the 150 shot but i know people who have done 800hp or so on stock cranks with 4 bolts..are they on barrowed time hell yeah and even i was but it worked..

this crank will do you right.you just got to run a 2pc to 1 pc main seal adapter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LUNAT...Q5fAccessories
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Old May 3, 2010 | 07:32 PM
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Originally Posted by RamAir95TA
What makes you think you need a 4-bolt splayed conversion? I would save the money and invest it somewhere else.

The 2-bolt mains are not a weak link in these motors.
this,

i would get a eagle forged stroker crank and spend that money - and the money to have them installed - for block clearancing

personally i would not replace the crank with a stock size one
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Old May 3, 2010 | 07:36 PM
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I would melt those Tpis heads down and make paper weights out of them while you're at it.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 09:04 PM
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Naw, I'm gonna use the stuff I have. The thing didn't even knock when I decided to pull it, I didn't think the crank was gonna be this bad. I gathered parts over the winter while the car sat and now that I got the crank out I didn't know what to do, that's why I'm asking those that know better than me. I'm taking the works to the machine shop tomorrow to get looked at and I'll let him determine if the crank is usable.

I'm not going stroker cuz I had a hard to time keeping tires on this thing last year, even with drag radials. I've kinda got a sleeper look going on am using my stock 16x7 RX-7 rims, and even so I'll have a hard time fitting anything more than a 255 under the rear fenders without mods. The rear end will also be on borrowed time with upwards of 400 rwtq. I'm trying to make this more a top end powerplant so I don't break things, I think I'm gonna achieve that.

Also off topic, but I have a Meziere electric water pump. Do I HAVE to get the old one pressed out or is it easy enough to knock out with a hammer?

Last edited by WhiteHot; May 3, 2010 at 09:10 PM.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 09:10 PM
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You can knock the stock impeller out with a hammer.

What do you think about ditching the splayed mains?
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Old May 3, 2010 | 09:23 PM
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Originally Posted by RamAir95TA
What do you think about ditching the splayed mains?
yea i think you'll be fine on studded 2 bolt mains, and a stock crank. Those TPIS heads aren't going to be making much power...
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Old May 3, 2010 | 10:39 PM
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Are the heads really that bad? I'm trying to understand why. They look very nicely ported and they have to better than stockers.

Yeah, I'll just sell the main caps or something, I've got some ARP rod bolts I'm not gonna use either. I'll find out what my machine guy thinks about the crank tomorrow when I bring him the block to bet bored.

Either way this car will be in low 11s if I can keep rear ends in it. Should be fun enough for me on the street.
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Old May 3, 2010 | 10:44 PM
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The rod bolts are a good idea. I would follow through with them.
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