Stock GM steel crank

Will a stock GM steel 454 crank work with blown alky? I am looking to make about 12-1400hp. Thanks

 

Unfortunately a stock crank won`t last very long at 12-1400 hp.

 

I can only speak for a SBC forged crank. I am (was) running a 408, 8-71, alky, bird hat injected and have spun the key out of the crank and hub in the last three runs (tried to run). My set up was only about 950 HP.

The collateral damage has been two AFI super dampers, the damper taking out my 63 tooth lower blower pulley and the pulley hitting the enderle pump extension so hard I had to replace it. All of this was with an Eagle 4340 crank. My downfall was trying this combination with only one key way in the crank and it only being the 3/16" woodruff type keyway. I need two keyways and have finally bit the bullet and ordered a "blower" crank. Therefore the (was) running statement.
I know nothing of the big block so I am not going to suggest that your stock one wont work, but be prepared to "hurt" things!

 

We ran a 5140 Forged GM crank up to about 1k HP with a really mild 462" blown motor.

I've heard rumors that they will take 1200HP, but I've never confirmed it.

 

Please Don't Do It

That would not be very smart trying to put 12 to 1400
HP through a crank designed to handle 500 HP max.
If you like throwing away money please send it to me I can use it the right way.
By buying a sonny bryant crank for a spare for our deal.
Please do the right thing and buy a good crank.
I don't like to see fellow racers get hurt.
Weather if it's in your pocket or even worse YOUR LIFE.

 

i'll probably take a beating on this... but you did ask for opinions

if it's set up right and tuned right... imo you'll be fine. i only say this because i run a bbc iron block on 90% (of the yellow stuff) and have no problems. but do yourself a favor and do a little work in the beginning to make it blower friendly. have it double keyed and the proper clearances cut.

guys like to throw rocks at my little stock iron block/crank boat motor... but it works and lives. and i know of another guy that leans on his (almost identical set-up) harder than me and his shit hauls ass (consistent 4.0-4.2 1/8ths). it's all a matter of proper set-up, tune-up, and maintenance... regardless of whose name is on the parts

few things to consider:

-in the same $-ballpark you might consider an eagle... i also have another methanol motor with an eagle in it and that thing just won't die! has 3 seasons on it (blown 14-71 upper 6 second tune-up)

-i would suggest NOT doing anything externally balanced or large stroke

 

Altered Boy has said the magic word, ... double keyed.

I have not seen any damage on my SBC Eagle crank, other than it has taken out the key and layed over the keyway. If I had tried this combination with the double keyed crank earlier, maybe I wouldn't be side-lined right now, waiting for the delivery of a crank!

Double Keyways, preferably (sp?) 1/4". That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it!

 

Thanks for the info. Can't say I'm surprised to hear that. I have a new 8-71 kobelco hh that needs a home. I haver two motors, one is the 468 and the other is a -12 408" sbc. The 408 is a N2O motor that has never been fired and the 468 has GM alum heads that have been worked pretty good. I know from this board and from people like fowler that the sbc needs alot to work properly with that much hp. Trying to find the most economical way to start blown alky. So on the 468 I'm sure the tune wont be right enough to live. LOL. Maybe should run the 408 with N2O for awhile then change over. Was hoping the parts to change the 468 would be cheaper (maybe some used stuff, easier to find).

 

also would say ditch the balancer... hub and pulley is the way to go. my personal opinion is that the balancer pushes the belt/pulley too far out in front of the front main and gives is a lot of leverage to try to kill the snout

 

Years ago former TAD racer Bill McCornack (sp) ran stock steel cranks.

 

crank

I have personally run a 454 stock steel crank in a blown alky 468" chevy 35 lbs of boost. car was 2700 lbs and ran 7.60s -7.80s so id say aroud 1200 to 1400 hp. never hurt it. ran it with a fluiddamper w/ no crank support and had zero problems. it was double keyed.

 

Do you think that a 468 with the Kobelco 8-71HH and the ported GM alum heads can make 12-1400hp? The heads are some old set of factory heads from the late 60's or 70's. Haven't done to much research on them yet, not really sure even what valves are in them. If I find the motor has some potential I will pull it apart and check everything out. For all I know the crank may be 10-10. If so, sounds like a crank is in order anyway.

 

Crank

I Ran A 509" With A Steel Chevy Crank, 14/71 Hi Helix 45 Over 38 Lbs With Chevy Conventional Heads. We Never Had A Bearing Or Crank Issue, Went 7 Teens In A Doorslammer. I Figure It Had To Make 1400 Hp At Least

 

jcrvette... in the head dept i always kinda recommend lean towards keeping things simple. maybe a set of off the shelf 'ported/worked over' heads but not anything 'one-of-a-kind special massage job' where you have $4,000 per head etc. just because in my mind a blower motor is eventually gonna break something and hurting 'super-top-secret' parts can hurt the ole back pocket. if you have a bottomless wallet then this isn't an issue... but if you had a bottomless wallet we probably wouldn't have started talking about stock GM cranks

 

Thats right about where I'm at now.

 

Back in the eighties we had a blown BBC, Rodeck block, etc.

Two of the smartest moves I ever made:

#1. Marrying my wife.

#2. Getting rid of the BBC and buying a hemi.

RG

 

randy, randy, randy... all this time i thought you were a REAL RACE CAR DRIVER?? my bad

IN THAT ORDER??? SERIOUSLY??? come on man we expect you to have your priorities in the 'proper order' around here!!

of course i kid... i kid man... just playin! cause i know none of what any of us do in racing means much without our friends and family

 

I didn't know buying a hemi was an option, but if it is... do it . I just converted over to the dark side after beating my brains out for several years with a screw on a chevy. Ran good, just had a hard time making it live. Had more in it than i would have had if i'd bought a hemi with older technology.

 

I tried to make the switch in the late 1970's, but couldn't come to grips. I had an ARIAS Hemi/Chevy (almost there...but not quite) in an altered.

Then, in the 1980's, we ran a blown Rodeck in a Top Gas West dragster and that didn't last very long. After that, I ordered a funny car from Steve Plueger in 1989 and a few months later I ordered a complete blown alcohol 541 from Brad Anderson Enterprises which included the latest BAE 3 heads. After taking delivery of my first real hemi I finally felt like I had a real racing engine.

I married my girlfriend in 1984 and she has been a real trooper, putting up with all my bad habits (race cars). She should be getting a Wally for that.

RG