Author Topic: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker  (Read 1503 times)

Offline 73cudakid

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Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« on: January 05, 2009 - 11:24:15 AM »
Yes i know its easier to just get one from 440source.com, but...Im building a 451 stroker from a 400 with a 440 crank. Had a buddy of mine cut the counterweights down for me on his lathe for free, but he cant turn the mains. Called around a got a price of $130 to cut the mains down from 2.750" to 2.625". I think thats about the best price im gonna get around Pittsburgh to do it. Anyone else out there done this and how much did you pay?
Thanks
Dave




Offline moper

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Re: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2009 - 11:42:27 AM »
It's a forged crank, right? Otherwise it's going to cost a bunch to get it balanced. I think $130 is fine as long as the work's good. My last crank was $400, but that was turning mains and rods, stroke corrected, and indexed.

Offline 73cudakid

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Re: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2009 - 01:36:25 PM »
Actually it is cast. Is the bobweight that much different between the cast and forged.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2009 - 01:50:28 PM by 73cudakid »

Offline 73EStroker

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Re: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2009 - 02:50:08 PM »
Actually I would get a forged crank for the reasons that Moper suggested. I used a 68 440 forged crank with the 4 spd bushing in my 451 project. If you need a budget good used forged crank damper I have one for sale as I used a new fluid damper. This damper does not even have a groove where the seal rubbed against it and the rubber is not oozing out of the gap.
Barry (Salmon Arm)

Offline 73cudakid

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Re: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2009 - 04:45:52 PM »
Do the cast cranks need weight added or removed? If it needs removed i could care less. I already have the block ready to go, the crank counterweights cut and LY rods resized with ARP bolts. Just need the pistons and rings and get the rotating assembly balanced. Just wanna get the mains cut so i can do a final fit before its balanced.

Offline moper

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Re: Grinding a 440 crank for 451 stroker
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2009 - 06:22:04 PM »
You are using a mildly lighter piston, and the same heavy rod, but you reduced the counterweight by turning it down on a lathe. Counterweights that were already too light and require a heavy balancer and weight on the convertor. If you had posted earlier, I would have said get Brandon's. After balancing, it IS cheaper than using even a factory forged crank. You will need Mallory metal added to the cast crank to get it internally balanced.