Another Broken Crank

OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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I did not realize Callies has a narrow rod journal crank. Why is it so much cheaper than the Socal crank? The Callies crank I might could actually squeeze into the budget...
 

Chevy1925

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Oct 21, 2009
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Strictly curiosity here, but how exactly?

its a better material and little more material in journal areas.

I did not realize Callies has a narrow rod journal crank. Why is it so much cheaper than the Socal crank? The Callies crank I might could actually squeeze into the budget...

Callies is .040 narrower, socal is .250 narrower. large difference in material there. Also, the callies price is non internally balanced (most place list it for more with internally balanced). this crank is over 10lbs heavier than a stock crank before any kind of balancing is performed. this gives you the opportunity to move weight around a bit on the rotating assembly.
 
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OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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All my opinion:
It's just the luck of the draw sometimes.
Do you know if the builder balanced the rebuilt engine?
What balancer did you use?
Yes he was supposed to have it balanced, stock lbz rods, mahle delipped OE pistons, stock flexplate and stock balancer.
 

NevadaLLY

Adam B
Feb 24, 2019
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I’m doing a build - crank looked good. Is it worth magnafluxing? LLY. I’ve already had it balanced for my rotating assy. Has 180k but all bearing surfaces were perfect.
 

Chevy1925

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Mag it for sure but it’s doesn’t guarantee that it won’t break. Guys have still had them snap
 

Bdsankey

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Every crank I’ve used in my own stuff has been a used 01-05 crank. My LLYs crank is out of a core block with ~170k miles on it. My LB7 is an unknown mileage LB7 crank. Best idea? No. But they’re both fluxed, polished, and balanced with a good damper. At the time I built my LLY motor I didn’t intend for it to make the power it has or will be.


If it’s in the budget the Callies narrow throw is a good piece but it won’t resist snapping like a SoCal simply due to how much narrower the SoCal is.


AF, imo, on a new crank is an awesome idea. Has it proven to solve the issues? No, but it does seem to help and it’s not a massive investment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Chevy1925

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Am I making a big mistake using it?

i cant answer that. everyone has a budget and that crank could last another 200k.

LBZ to LML have the highest risk of snapping imho. GM put the most weight on the crank snout and flex plate to accommodate lighter pistons. LB7-LLY will be the next step up if you use their balancer and flex plate as it is lighter weight which means the machine shop can balance the rotating assembly to them and help the crank out. add in an AF cam and things are looking better. the durastar crank will have better material than any of the stock cranks BUT if you buy one, the machine shop you use MUST know what they are looking at and be able to specifically verify thrust areas are made correctly before use. i have not weighed one of these cranks yet but if they are heavier than stock cranks (i seem to remember they are a bit), i would also ask the machine shop to take some weight off the balancer and flex plate. yes they are now specifically matched to the rotating assembly but its less leverage on the crank. would internally balanced be better? yes but i wouldnt do it to one of these cranks. if you are going to spend that kind of money, do it to a narrow rod journal crank. Callies NRJ crank is 10lbs heavier than a stock crank, this makes taking weight off the balancer and flex plate a breeze OR you can internally balance it for even less leverage on the snout (you will be buying a new balancer and/or flex plate). i dont have a Socal weight written down but ill bet its close or slightly more than the callies NRJ but pure speculation. AF cam can be used in either of these, you just have to justify the cost.

an LML block, socal NRJ crank, carrillo rods, and fingers pistons will pretty much put you in the 1500hp capable area and it will be pretty damn reliable at HP below that (assuming the other small details are done correctly). beyond that, the block aint going to take it for long.
 

OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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Looks like all season (Dirty Hooker) is building my short block..

socal street rods
mahle race cast pistons
callies Durastar Crank
re-using my stock Cam (still de-bating on a new af cam)
re-using my arp main and head studs
bd flex-plate
socal damper

I was going to use lbz rods but it's $400 to re-condition them so I would feel dump not to spend the extra 1400 for better rods.
Also it was gonna cost me $800 for lb7 pistons plus $200 for de-lipping plus $300ish for rings, for $400 more I'm going to get the race cast.
 
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Bdsankey

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Looks like all season (Dirty Hooker) is building my short block..

socal street rods
mahle race cast pistons
callies Durastar Crank
re-using my stock Cam (still de-bating on a new af cam)
re-using my arp main and head studs
bd flex-plate
socal damper

I was going to use lbz rods but it's $400 to re-condition them so I would feel dump not to spend the extra 1400 for better rods.
Also it was gonna cost me $800 for lb7 pistons plus $200 for de-lipping plus $300ish for rings, for $400 more I'm going to get the race cast.

I think you'll be very happy with that engine. In my opinion, it doesn't get much better for a street truck engine.
 

OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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What about head work, I know I need springs around 750 give or take a little. How do the stock pushrods and rockers do?
 

Bdsankey

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What about head work, I know I need springs around 750 give or take a little. How do the stock pushrods and rockers do?

Pushrods and springs go together IMO. I personally only run the Manton/XDP or SoCal valvetrain as I feel their value per dollar is hard to beat. Springs are more of a pressure and RPM requirement vs a flat out HP number. With the rest of the engine you're putting together I personally would do it now so you don't have to open this thing back up again and try to mess with springs on the engine if/when your goals change.
 

OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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I called a local junkyard, I can pick up a lbz engine with 110K on it for $5,000 complete with injectors and turbo ready to go. By the time I sell the injector cores and stock turbo I'll have around $4,000 in the longblock. Think I'm going that route
 

Bdsankey

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I called a local junkyard, I can pick up a lbz engine with 110K on it for $5,000 complete with injectors and turbo ready to go. By the time I sell the injector cores and stock turbo I'll have around $4,000 in the longblock. Think I'm going that route

Didn't you just state DHD is building an engine????? I would recommend you nail down a path on what you want to do and how much you want to spend vs going back and forth.
 

OleBlackyLBZ

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I don't have the fuel and air to get the good out of a 1,000 hp engine anyways, sorry to disappoint you guys but $20,000 worth of engine parts and another cp3 and turbo just isn't in the budget. I'll run the junkyard stocker at 650 for however long it'll last. My last stocker done me good..
 

OleBlackyLBZ

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May 22, 2020
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Didn't you just state DHD is building an engine????? I would recommend you nail down a path on what you want to do and how much you want to spend vs going back and forth.
I said it "looks like" dhd will be building it. But I was going to try to pull the trigger on something today and I changed my mind last minute...I did nail down a path, I found a deal on a junkyard engine I'm not willing to pass up. If I'm going to get jumped about it I'd just rather not post anymore. I do however appreciate all the help from you and james in particular, it's nice having people on here that know what they are talking about.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
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I don't have the fuel and air to get the good out of a 1,000 hp engine anyways, sorry to disappoint you guys but $20,000 worth of engine parts and another cp3 and turbo just isn't in the budget. I'll run the junkyard stocker at 650 for however long it'll last. My last stocker done me good..

i dont knock ya for it. as you can see, im driving a stock truck these days
 

Bdsankey

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I don't have the fuel and air to get the good out of a 1,000 hp engine anyways, sorry to disappoint you guys but $20,000 worth of engine parts and another cp3 and turbo just isn't in the budget. I'll run the junkyard stocker at 650 for however long it'll last. My last stocker done me good..
I said it "looks like" dhd will be building it. But I was going to try to pull the trigger on something today and I changed my mind last minute...I did nail down a path, I found a deal on a junkyard engine I'm not willing to pass up. If I'm going to get jumped about it I'd just rather not post anymore. I do however appreciate all the help from you and james in particular, it's nice having people on here that know what they are talking about.


Not knocking on you, more so coming at it from the standpoint that guys are going to give recommendations on what you state or ask in this thread. It's a big jump to go to a built bottom end, that's for darn sure.
 

zakkb787

<that’s not me...
Sep 29, 2014
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Believe me brother we ALL dream of a build bottom end big fuel big air truck. Hell, this is my 3rd stock air stock bottom end truck. Nobody gonna knock you for not dishing out 5 digits on a motor. Think some of us were just confused at the sudden change in plans given all the talk but we get it. I’d definitely recommend at least a decent refresh of the junkyard engine if you can swing it (gaskets water pump and studs if you have them I forget just the basics) just to be sure you’re getting your money’s worth out of the new used engine.