Ohio Crank Questions

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demon seed

The Original Demon Seed
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This is for all you guys and gals across the line (USA) that may have done business with or know something that has with a company called Ohio Crank. They are selling a stroked 440 short block with pistons, crank and rods. I'm looking for advise from anyone that has good or bad info on this company and obviously the products they sell.

Thanks guys, it's for my son's car who's bend on being able to show me his taillights. :burnout:
 
Why dont you just walk around his car? It'll be cheaper... ;)

I have not used Ohio Crank products, but I know they sell a few different lines of products like everybody else. The imported (lesser expensive stuff) should be checked if it's used. They have had the same Q/C issues other importers (Eagle, 440.source, Cat, Scat, etc) have with machine work quality. In the cheapest lines material quality (such as Eagle SIR rods..) can be an issue. I wont use the $280 rods, I prefer the H beams that are a couple hundred more, but all will need to be checked for accuracy before you use them. Same deal with crankshafts. I've found most cheaper lines to be on the smaller side of "in spec", so if there is any taper issues, or the rods are on the larger side of "in spec", the oil clearances end up out of spec. I've never had to, but I know of other builders who had to turn the cranks down .010 uindersize to get the clearances where they should have been in the first place. The added machine costs (for inspecting and cycling the rods) ends up adding a few hundred to a bill. Still much less than the good stuff, but not as cheap as everyone thinks. Orderring parts in a kit form does not guaranty the parts will fit well together, it means they come in the same shipment and cost a little less because of it. They MUST be carefully inspected and measured before you do any balacing or work on them. Some rods are so bad, they need to be replaced, and they wont take them back if there is any work (like grinding to balance) on them.
 
moper said:
Why dont you just walk around his car? It'll be cheaper... ;)

I have not used Ohio Crank products, but I know they sell a few different lines of products like everybody else. The imported (lesser expensive stuff) should be checked if it's used. They have had the same Q/C issues other importers (Eagle, 440.source, Cat, Scat, etc) have with machine work quality. In the cheapest lines material quality (such as Eagle SIR rods..) can be an issue. I wont use the $280 rods, I prefer the H beams that are a couple hundred more, but all will need to be checked for accuracy before you use them. Same deal with crankshafts. I've found most cheaper lines to be on the smaller side of "in spec", so if there is any taper issues, or the rods are on the larger side of "in spec", the oil clearances end up out of spec. I've never had to, but I know of other builders who had to turn the cranks down .010 uindersize to get the clearances where they should have been in the first place. The added machine costs (for inspecting and cycling the rods) ends up adding a few hundred to a bill. Still much less than the good stuff, but not as cheap as everyone thinks. Orderring parts in a kit form does not guaranty the parts will fit well together, it means they come in the same shipment and cost a little less because of it. They MUST be carefully inspected and measured before you do any balacing or work on them. Some rods are so bad, they need to be replaced, and they wont take them back if there is any work (like grinding to balance) on them.

You funny guy Moper, "walk around his car". Thanks for the advice though. I told him we could easily stroke the 400 he now has but he's been looking at 440's also. I guess he likes my motto, go big until you break it then go bigger!
 
Well, you have to remember, anyone who I want to show my tailights to I just take one out of a box and show them.."see?" ;)
 
Funny thing I heard about these guys on the weekend. A buddy purchased a Chevrolet block and components. He ended up with coolant leaking into the block due to the poor casting. Munched all 8 slugs and all the bearings. They would not do a thing for him! He eventually got a block,and nothing else from the manufacturer. Poor customer service in my mind.
 
sox and martin said:
Funny thing I heard about these guys on the weekend. A buddy purchased a Chevrolet block and components. He ended up with coolant leaking into the block due to the poor casting. Munched all 8 slugs and all the bearings. They would not do a thing for him! He eventually got a block,and nothing else from the manufacturer. Poor customer service in my mind.

Whoa, I'll call that a bad experience with Ohio, and us being up in Canada I wouldn't even expect them to return our calls if there was a problem.
 
Demon seed
just FYI - 440 Source's response for wrong machined parts was much the same - send it back, wait 6-10 weeks, we will give you a call!! - and you get to pay shipping, customs, etc both ways.
It only cost me and $110 to get a set of new rods reworked here in Calgary to fit as it was not worth all the hassel.
Check and double check - or make sure you are dealing with a very reputable machine shop.
 
388dart said:
Demon seed
just FYI - 440 Source's response for wrong machined parts was much the same - send it back, wait 6-10 weeks, we will give you a call!! - and you get to pay shipping, customs, etc both ways.
It only cost me and $110 to get a set of new rods reworked here in Calgary to fit as it was not worth all the hassel.
Check and double check - or make sure you are dealing with a very reputable machine shop.

So 383dart are there any good shops in Calgary that specialize in 440's or stroked 400's. The shop I used for block reworking etc., in Edmonton, when I did my 383 and the 2 440's before that went in the toilet when the lead man retired.
As a side note, you wouldn't have a brother named Garry working up north for far to long?
 
I've dealt with D&W machine on Edmonton trail for 6 or 7 SB I've built in the last 3-4 yrs. they do pretty good machine work, but as usual there "bread and butter" is chevy stuff and so as far as timing you will wait awhile. In the fall is the best time to get any work done as come spring they are full out and have more business than they can handle for the first 6mths of the year.
I believe they are the only shop left in the city with deck plates for Dodges.
You might also try Brads Performance and Machine - out near Strathmore, Apparently does good work, but a tad expensive - maybe in the long run - NOT!!
For head work I would go to Builtrite Head and Machine works up near the Stampede grounds.
No brother Garry - least not that father ever told us - LOL

You might want to chech Hughesengines.com for a 451 or 500 rotating assembly. Talk only to Dave . They have a Canadian distributor in Sasktoon.
 
388dart said:
I've dealt with D&W machine on Edmonton trail for 6 or 7 SB I've built in the last 3-4 yrs. they do pretty good machine work, but as usual there "bread and butter" is chevy stuff and so as far as timing you will wait awhile. In the fall is the best time to get any work done as come spring they are full out and have more business than they can handle for the first 6mths of the year.
I believe they are the only shop left in the city with deck plates for Dodges.
You might also try Brads Performance and Machine - out near Strathmore, Apparently does good work, but a tad expensive - maybe in the long run - NOT!!
For head work I would go to Builtrite Head and Machine works up near the Stampede grounds.
No brother Garry - least not that father ever told us - LOL

You might want to chech Hughesengines.com for a 451 or 500 rotating assembly. Talk only to Dave . They have a Canadian distributor in Sasktoon.

Hey thanks alot Leo, that's the info I'm looking for and I appreciate it.
 
A bit more - all my balancing has been done by a guy located north of the city Ron Derry. He is a bit of a character but does good work and usually has your work ready for pickup when he says it will be - likes cash sales too!!
Also does shot peening, pressfitting rods, rod resizing but balancing is his forte.
maybe we should converse offline for other info if you like - not too interesting for the rest on here.
 
I'm always interested in what's happening up north.

Where's Calgary again? ;)

Unless you buy a dyno'd complete, or a shortblock form a reputable source, check everything. I have a hard time trusting anyone but myself anymore. This Indy crate deal makes me nervous. I cant get it to make the power they said it did on their dyno it falls about 50 short, and it leaks out the pan from poor assembly. Not bad for $9500+shipping, eh?
 
Moper
JFYI (and Geography lesson for the day)- Calgary is located 2488.85 miles (3982.16kms if you are so inclined) northwest of Hartford, CT just before you hit a great big friggin Mountain range and is very close to some of the best natural scenery in the world, home of the "Greatest show on Earth" - the Calgary Stampede (and of course the Flames - but few (okay none) Mopar machine shops LOL. Demon Seed lives in Okotoks, 15 miles south of Calgary.
 
I've seen the Calgary Stampede rodeo stuff before. Someday I'll drive thru there. At least, that's a dream of mine..Driving as much of north america as I can in one long cruise. I know it's beautiful scenery. Some day...lol
 
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