440 steel crank upgrade
- Thread starter Cuda1979
- Start date
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Fast01
Well-Known Member
Yes, but you'll have to have the assembly re-balanced and change over to a neutral balance damper, flexplate/converter/flywheel, as the steel cranks are generally internally balaced, while the cast are external. Hence the need to change the damper/flexplate etc.
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Yes all steel 440 cranks are internally balanced. A forged crank will work no problem. Rebalancing isn't that expensive either. and pretty much a requirement if you're upgrading or getting new pistons and or rods
With one small exception.. The 440 "heavy rod" steel crank engine (AKA 440 6bbl) which has 6.5 in.-oz. for an external balance.
WSUTARD
Well-Known Member
I'm going to jump in here with another related question. I just bought a 440 with a cast crank and also want to change over to a forged one. Would it be better to go with an aftermarket, something like 440 Source, or find a forged on CL and have a machine shop work it over?
dano
Evil Handy Man
Do you need a forged crank? Stock Cast cranks can handle quite a bit.
Depends on how much you can get a forged one for and machine costs and what you're doing. I paid 75 bucks for my forged crank, plus 350 to have it turned .010 and rebalanced with new rods and forged pistons.
WSUTARD
Well-Known Member
Well I was more going for internally balanced bs external. Also, if I’m going to spend money on balancing and turning then it might as well be a forged crank.
This is sort of what I was looking for I guess. $400-$500 roughly. I would spend $75 extra to get a forged crank assuming the cost for machine work is the same for cast.
moparcrazy
Well-Known Member
Hello Cuda1979 How Much horse power & torque are you trying to get out of your build and what kind of driving will you be doing ? all street ? all track ? if your building a street car with some track use, then your cast crank Will Suet you just fine,
I'm pushing well over 600 HP & 600TQ on a Cast Crank with LY Rods, going on 3 years racing this Bad Boy on a Trans Brake Leaving at 3000 RPM shifting at 5000~5200 RPM Running 10.36 @ 129MPH Yup Cast Crank Baby !!! Oh and forgot to mention, including a 250 shot of nitrous with a Progresser.
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WSUTARD
Well-Known Member
Are you still externally balanced or did you (can you even) concert the cast to internal balanced?
dano
Evil Handy Man
Unless you plan on swapping flywheels and balancers all the time or switching from manual to auto to run in different classes then external isn't really an issue. That $75 can become a slipper slope because then you need a balancer, flywheel, or torque converter.
This happened to me when the machine shop internally balanced my cast 340 crank. I now have shiny new SFI balacer and flywheel to the tune of ~$550.
moparcrazy
Well-Known Member
Yes sir I’m still running externally balanced with SFI balancer and a B&M torque converter, nothing special
Thanks for all the replies I’m wanting to build a hot street engine with around 500 hp. The reason I’m wanting a steel crank is because I don’t want to put a lot of money in this engine and then have a cast crank break on me. But if some of you guys are running a cast crank with no problems then I might just stick with the cast crank.
Fast01
Well-Known Member
You'll have no problem with a cast crank at that level. Leave well enough alone in my opinion.
moper
Well-Known Member
The cast crank is fine. Have it turned, run a lighter piston if it's being rebuilt, and have it internally balanced. Then you only need the balancer and any neutral convertor. YOu won't break it at 500hp.
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