eagle crank
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
eagle crank so im building a 383 and im not sure if i sure spend the extra money and go forged or just get the cast steel crank. im doing forged rods and pistons for sure. anyone ever used one of the cast steel cranks before? wanna know how much they can take.
Ignore the cheap price point. Using a cast Eagle crank is a sure way to ruin a perfectly good engine. Avoid ANYTHING cast at all costs. Makes no sense to have only 2/3rds of the rotating assembly forged.
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 512
Likes: 1
From: Harrison Township, Michigan
+1. I have the same philosophy. Either use the stock crank or just go forged.
I have the cast Eagle crank but I'm not putting a ton of power down either. They say they're good to 500hp/flywheel. I also went with cheap pistons too. So far no problems on the bottom end (that I know of, we just got it in the machine shop for top end problems and we're about to pull the oil pan to check everything).
Having said that, if I could do it all over, I would get the quality stuff. I just didn't have the patience to save up for forged bottom end. Plus I needed the car running ASAP at the time.
Having said that, if I could do it all over, I would get the quality stuff. I just didn't have the patience to save up for forged bottom end. Plus I needed the car running ASAP at the time.
I think everyone jumps on the philosophy band wagon of what Evers a popular opinion to quickly ... Sure there have been some eagle cast cranks go south .. But out of the thousands or more sold if they were truly junk don't you think it would be in your face constantly and the company would close? Or don't you think there would be more solid information from thousands of pissed broke crank owners? I would tend to think so .. So with it being a fact that thousands+ eagle cast cranks being out there and you guys saying " I got a friend who has a buddy that knew a guy who heard eagle cast cranks are ****" is really just kind like a dumb parrot repeating things with out a clue.. I Do know eagle has standards and eagle parts have limitations .. So if you buy a 500hp crank and your set up is good for 650hpand you break an eagle cast .. Well it's just your dumb *** fault... I also don't deny there are bad parts out there from time to time , but don't be so close minded about a whole brand!
Last edited by defaultexistence; Apr 13, 2011 at 09:29 AM.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo I think everyone jumps on the philosophy band wagon of what Evers a popular opinion to quickly ... Sure there have been some eagle cast cranks go south .. But out of the thousands or more sold if they were truly junk don't you think it would be in your fase constantly and the company would close? Or don't you think there would be more solid information from thousands of pissed broke crank owners? I would tend to think so .. So with it being a fact that thousands+ eagle cast cranks being out there and you guys saying " I got a friend who has a buddy that knew a guy who heard eagle cast cranks are ****" is really just kind like a dumb parrot repeating things with out a clue.. I Do know eagle has standards and eagle parts have limitations .. So if you buy a 500hp crank and your set up is good for 650hpand you break an eagle cast .. Well it's just your dumb *** fault... I also don't deny there are bad parts out there from time to time , but don't be so close minded about a whole brand!
What kind of RPM/HP/valvetrain/heads are you planning on running? Isn't the peace of mind worth the extra couple hundred bucks? Or the fact that you'd never have to worry about upping your RPM/HP limits without an increased risk of crank failure? 
Maybe I'm being close minded here...hm.
I have the cast eagle stroker crank and I had to go way conservitive on the cam just because my builder F'd up and didn't listen to me when I asked for forged. Go forged and have it ballanced and put together by a GOOD builder. Cast cranks are tempermental with the tolerance on the align hone/bore of the main caps and bearing sizing. if it's not dead nutz on you run the risk of breakage more so then with forged. If you find a good builder you wont have a problem. Just find a good builder and do it once and never have to worry about it again. Mine is apart after 2k miles and I never thought I would be one of those guys that is having endless problems like I ran into on the forums when I was looking at building. Choosing the right builder is more important then anything else.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,985
Likes: 112
FWIW I went with the cast Eagle but with forged rods & pistons on my 383...and experienced the 2 piece crank mod as a result. Driving 30 mph nose broke off and took out the block
fortunately the builder replaced everything and this time I spent the extra $ on a forged Eagle. The builder just charged me the difference (his cost) on the cast which he got Eagle to warrenty against the price of the forged. It was about $150 difference.
This was a NA motor with a mild cam
fortunately the builder replaced everything and this time I spent the extra $ on a forged Eagle. The builder just charged me the difference (his cost) on the cast which he got Eagle to warrenty against the price of the forged. It was about $150 difference.
This was a NA motor with a mild cam
FWIW, I've seen a 383 cast eagle crank break, but I've also seen them hold together. I kind of think they're hit or miss in the cast department. I'm running a forged eagle crank in my 383 and it's holding strong. If you're looking for a pretty good amount of power, I'd say spend the change, and go forged.
Most people don't know and then on top of that if you get someone like I had do mine he did exactly what I told him not to do. So what can you really do? I didn't even know he had done it untill it was paid for and I went throught the part numbers and found out it was cast.
deff go forged, i help build a lt1 383 with a friend, machine shop assembled the short block. eagle cast crank lasted all about 4-5 months before it broke in half right in front of the #1 rod. destroyed the block. all for saving $300.00 over a forged unit.
I'm a firm believer in buying AMERICAN forged and machined parts. I'd possibly step down to "american finished" parts on a mild setup, I just don't see the point of cutting costs on some of the most important components of your motor.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 1
From: Kingfisher Oklahoma
I built a cast eagle 383 and the thing ran great and performed well until I started having thrust clearance issues, the cranks thrust surface was basicly milled away by the bearing, my machinist thinks the converter balooned or something to that effect, but the converter looks fine.
I now am running the forged eagle crank, its a nice peice.
I now am running the forged eagle crank, its a nice peice.