Cast Crank How Much H.P.

[1BIGJIM]

Guys, any idea how much H.P. you can put to a cast BBC 454 Mark 4 crankshaft? I do not plan on making over 500HP.
Thanks
JIM

[BGMAN203]

I don't see that being a problem, just make sure you have it checked to make sure its straight and isn't cracked.

[Dennis Moore]

There has never been a (factory installed) forged steel crankshaft in any 351 Cleveland or 460 Ford engine. All of these engines came/come with cast iron crankshafts (only some Windsors, the 427FE and the Boss 429 had a forged steel crank).
The Ford guys claim that a cast crank works great and that you can build a very powerful 460 engine with the stock cast crank and the stock 3/8" bolt connecting rods!
The Ford 460 Super Cobra Jet crate engine (550 hp @ 6250 rpm) comes with a cast iron crankshaft and 3/8" bolt connecting rods.
The Ford 460 stroker crate engine (514 cubic inch/625 horsepower @ 6250 rpm) comes with a cast iron crankshaft.
We all know how smart those Ford guys are, so a cast iron crankshaft must work great!
Based on this, I would have to say that a cast crankshaft should work great in your big block Chevy.
Sincerely
Dennis Moore

[058]

Yeah, we all know how smart us Ford guys are:D But I need to add the Chevy crank does not come close to the strength of the Ford by design and materials. Design: The Chevy doesn't have the journal overlap like the Ford crank. With the 2.200" rod journals and the 2.750[?] mains there isn't as much iron between the rod and the main. Ford cranks are 2.500" rod journal and 3.00" mains and have a shorter stroke[3.85"] than the 454's 4.00" Materials: Ford cranks are cast from Peralitic [sp] nodular iron also known as crankshaft grade iron. It is app. 1/3 again stronger that gray iron. I doubt GM cast their cranks with this material as Ford developed and held patents on this iron since 1951.

[Blown 472]

They also put steel cranks in 429 truck motors and boss 302's.

[Dennis Moore]

The cast iron crankshafts used in the 514 stroker kit and 514 crate engines are not cast by Ford but are supplied to Ford by Scat Crankshafts in Redondo Beach, California (as are the 302 stroker and 351 stroker cast iron crankshafts). However I am sure they are of high quality, just like everything else sold by Ford!
Dennis Moore

[Fiat48]

I look at things through a little different light. Every time a performance application is called for, Chevy does a forged steel crank. I take that to mean if Chevrolet thought they could get away with a cast crank in a performance application they would do it in a heartbeat. 500 HP is a perfromance apllication.
If Chevy doesn't feel they can get away with a cast crank, who am I to argue?
With the quality and low prices available on forged steel cranks both GM and aftermarket why gamble? That's my .02.

[Kurtis500]

Dont know the hp numbers but heres my chevy set-up. 454 .030 over, h-beam rods, 12.5:1 forged, 990 heads, tunnel ram, big solid cam, 2-660's, 110 octane, 2 years and over 60 passes, most over 7000rpm. Cast chevy crank and 2 bolt main. Going to switch soon....playing with fire too long.:D

[Tolly]

058 said...
Ford cranks are cast from Peralitic [sp] nodular iron also known as crankshaft grade iron. It is app. 1/3 again stronger that gray iron. I doubt GM cast their cranks with this material as Ford developed and held patents on this iron since 1951.
I don't know about the patent deal, but GM made a lot of Nodular iron cranks for 389-455 Pontiacs in the 60s. They weren't all Nodular, some were regular cast cranks, some were nodular, and some were steel, it all depended on the engine. It was not unique to ford products.

[Race Bob]

Ive seen more than a few suburbans over the years with busted cranks and not one was makin 500 horsepower when it comes to BBC marine steel is the only way to fly.