Author Topic: Inline-four crankshaft  (Read 476630 times)

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Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #135 on: August 15, 2014, 02:21:29 AM »
Gee, I started this 'crankshaft' thread three years ago... and today I just received my billet crank from Moldex! Looks good- at a glance- but "validation" will take a little longer.
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Offline Hot Rod Lincoln

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #136 on: August 16, 2014, 12:27:42 AM »
Good thing you weren't in a hurry     :lol:

I need to read your thread I guess. What did you decide on for the power adder ?

Da mn interesting project      

Dare to be different   :cheers:
« Last Edit: August 16, 2014, 12:41:12 AM by Hot Rod Lincoln »

Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #137 on: August 16, 2014, 01:03:04 AM »
Power adder: engine simulation shows me needing a high-helix 8-71 to hit my goal of 4 HP/c.i.
A modern twin-screw blower would make it so much easier; but doesn't fit my self-imposed restriction of early-Thompson-era vintage "look".
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Offline ronnieroadster

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #138 on: August 20, 2014, 07:19:33 PM »
Gee, I started this 'crankshaft' thread three years ago... and today I just received my billet crank from Moldex! Looks good- at a glance- but "validation" will take a little longer.


 Good old Moldex go to them as long as your never in a HURRY! Good thing you ordered the crankshaft before ever needing it.  :-P
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #139 on: August 20, 2014, 08:21:25 PM »
Gee, I started this 'crankshaft' thread three years ago... and today I just received my billet crank from Moldex! Looks good- at a glance- but "validation" will take a little longer.

I just started on my destroked 1 liter MG/Rover K series twin cam. 

As soon as I finish dimensioning everything, the crank will be the first thing I order.

I also know it will be the last thing to arrive.

Jack, yours is going to be really cool, and I can't wait to here it fire up.  :cheers:
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline RichFox

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #140 on: August 20, 2014, 09:10:52 PM »
Moldex may be fine. I don't know. I have used Crower rods and one crankshaft. Came in reasonable time and I have no reason to complain.

Offline Dynoroom

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #141 on: August 21, 2014, 12:23:29 AM »
I have bought billet cranks from Crower, Bryant, Scat, Moldex, Kings Crank, Velesco, LA Billet, & HTC (Hank the Crank) the last two are no longer in biz.
For me Henry Velesco was more than fair price wise & always delivered within 1 week of his quoted time frame of 12 weeks. Moldex was always way late on out Buick V-6 cranks. The others did well also.
Michael LeFevers
Kugel and LeFevers Pontiac Firebird

Without Data You're Just Another Guy With An Opinion!

Racing is just a series of "Problem Solving" events that allow you to spend money & make noise...

Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #142 on: August 21, 2014, 12:51:01 AM »
Moldex took just under five months to build and deliver my crank. I was originally told about eight weeks- but I didn't really expect that to happen.

Just got my hemi head back from tweaking the intake port shapes (a little over 20% flow increase @ .400" lift and above). It was at Sonny Leonard's shop, but Bill Anderson did the work. This will help considerably to reach my power goal.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2014, 01:28:46 AM by Jack Gifford »
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Offline Saltfever

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #143 on: August 21, 2014, 06:45:54 AM »
The discussion with Jon a few pages back was interesting but a key point is missing. All industrial applications specify not only the type of drive (electric, gas, diesel, etc.), but continuous load and useful life. The mean-time-before-failure is usually generous and cost effective. When an applications engineer specs a part they are not thinking in racer terms. Many times you can “overdrive” or abuse a part if you are willing to accept a much shorter life. It becomes your experiment to determine a useful life under your conditions but you certainly should not rule out a part because your environment fall outside a nice spreadsheet.

Offline Saltfever

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #144 on: August 21, 2014, 06:59:37 AM »
Billet cranks are always a very long-lead item everywhere. But the problem is that you need to know your final bob-weight so the counterweights are close.

Jack, did you have your rods, pistons, rings, etc. on hand before you placed your order with Moldex?

Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #145 on: August 22, 2014, 02:15:41 AM »
I don't have the rods, even now. I acquired the pistons, pins, buttons, and rings after I ordered the crank. I had already spoken with Joe (at Moldex) at length about these items. Joe wasn't concerned with the exact weights- he knew I was having full-skirt high-dome (hemi) billet pistons made and will use Pontiac-length aluminum rods. I had also told him of my plans to experiment with "counterweight stuffing" (full-circle shapes, to reduce oil aeration)- thus the "ball is in my hands" regarding determination of eventual mass of counterweights.
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Offline Saltfever

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #146 on: August 22, 2014, 02:57:40 AM »
Thanks Jack for getting back to me.
That is kind of my problem right now. I need a crank for the El Mirage May meet next year and it is almost too late to order. I don’t have my final rod assembly and I wanted the counterweights to be as thin as possible without having to add expensive heavy metal. I know with drilling or heavy metal there is some latitude on the mass of the counterweight but I wanted to try and minimize secondary balancing work. 

Offline Dynoroom

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #147 on: August 22, 2014, 09:58:40 AM »
Salt, you're going through the expense of a custom billet crankshaft $2800- $3300) and you're worried about the cost of tungsten for balance ($150-$200)?  :roll:
Michael LeFevers
Kugel and LeFevers Pontiac Firebird

Without Data You're Just Another Guy With An Opinion!

Racing is just a series of "Problem Solving" events that allow you to spend money & make noise...

Offline Saltfever

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #148 on: August 22, 2014, 04:23:33 PM »
Salt, you're going through the expense of a custom billet crankshaft $2800- $3300) and you're worried about the cost of tungsten for balance ($150-$200)?  :roll:
LOL! . . . Excellent point, Mike. Sometimes we get so focused it takes real experience to point the way.   :cheers:

Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Inline-four crankshaft
« Reply #149 on: August 23, 2014, 02:14:07 AM »
... Sometimes we get so focused...
Hmm... my problem is that I get un-focused. :roll:
M/T Pontiac hemi guru
F/BFL 1-mile Loring record 2020