Author Topic: Has anyone broken one?  (Read 2214 times)

Offline JMB340Challenger

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Has anyone broken one?
« on: April 30, 2015 - 04:55:34 PM »
I'm "spinning" off a different post I read earlier with a question I've had for some time now. Has anyone ever broken a cast 318 crank in a naturally aspirated small block? I have a pretty radical 340 that I spin hard, and have had no issues. I'm curious if there are any examples out there of a broken or badly wounded one.
1970 Challenger. 11:1 340 .030 over 2.02/1.60 Ported 915s, Harland Sharp roller rockers, Victor 340 intake, Holley 750 mech secondary DP, 232/242@ .050 .528 hyd cam, MSD 6AL, MSD mech advance distributor, full manual reverse valve body 727 3500 stall, 8 3/4 489 w/ 4.10s, Truetrac differential




Offline 73restomod

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2015 - 06:04:10 PM »
In my younger years I got one to spin all the rod bearings while racing a ricer at speeds I won't disclose. However, it was due to inadequate cooling system, not strength.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2015 - 09:01:07 PM by 73restomod »

Offline JMB340Challenger

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2015 - 06:20:04 PM »
Haha! That's awesome. I really hope I get some feedback on this. I know they aren't indestructible, but like I said, naturally aspirated...it's going to take a lot of abuse or negligence to hurt one I think.
1970 Challenger. 11:1 340 .030 over 2.02/1.60 Ported 915s, Harland Sharp roller rockers, Victor 340 intake, Holley 750 mech secondary DP, 232/242@ .050 .528 hyd cam, MSD 6AL, MSD mech advance distributor, full manual reverse valve body 727 3500 stall, 8 3/4 489 w/ 4.10s, Truetrac differential

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2015 - 07:50:32 PM »
I guess anything man made can break with enough abuse applied , but I have yet to see a crank break , in fact I had a 400 with the weak cast crank in it & I knew the crank was junk so I tried to break it by slamming it from over my head down on the edge of a curb , broke the curb no prob , I know I would have bent the crank but break it , not a chance

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline jhaag

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2015 - 10:21:38 PM »
Well I have to differ. 1977 I owned a 70 TA/340 6 pak. It was my daily driver. Left for work 1 morning and 2 blocks from home sitting at a stop sign, the crank broke in half. Don't know how the original owner had driven the car, but I had never raced it. Don't know the exact miles, but maybe 40 or 50,000. Can't tell you much more, I was 19 and that was 40 years ago.
love 70 Challengers

Offline cudabob496

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2015 - 12:32:32 AM »
maybe spinning out of balance caused the cracks that resulted in the break
72 Cuda, owned 25 years. 496, with ported Stage VI heads, .625 in solid roller, 254/258 at .050, 3500 stall, 3.91 rear. 850 Holley DP, Reverse manual valve body.

1999 Trans Am, LS1, heads, cam, headers, stall, etc! Love to surprise the rice rockets with this one. They seem so confident, then it's "what the heck just happened?"

2011 Kawasaki Z1000

Offline TelisSE440

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2015 - 01:33:54 AM »
In my younger years I got one to spin all the rod bearings while racing a ricer at speeds I won't disclose. However, it was due to inadequate cooling system, not strength.

Ok, sorry if being too curious but i have to ask what did the ricer have and if you won  :burnout:

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2015 - 07:19:41 PM »
4 spd shock load dropping the clutch should break a crank but 9 seasons dropping the clutch @ 4500 RPM never hurt mine !

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline Strawdawg

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Re: Has anyone broken one?
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2015 - 03:20:38 PM »
severe detonation will eventually break any crank.  Pre-ignition will do it a lot quicker.