cast crank 383/440 flywheels

[racingsnake440]

couple of questions:

can you get a balance plate so that you can use a neutral balance flywheel on a cast crank motor? I've seen them for 383 Chevys so that you can use a 350 flywheel but don't know if they're availible for Mopars

are cast crank 383s the same amount of imbalance as 400s and cast crank 383s?

finally does anyone have a flywheel for a cast crank 383 they want to sell?

thanks

 

[SGBARRACUDA]

I thought I'd relay an experience I had with cast cranks drilled out to work on 4sp and auto apps. In 1972-1976 I worked as a mech. at a shop in Tampa Fl. We did all the main. and repairs on all Hillsbourgh county Sheriff cars. At that time we used Wheeler Engine rebuilders for 383 400 440 complete long blocks. I installed a 400 long block in a 72 Coronet and as soon as I cranked it, it had a rear main leak. Well I wound up installing 2 new rear main seals, pulling the transmission twice tring to figure out where the hell the leak was coming from. After many calls to the rebuilder, I finally had a chance to talk to a man on the assembly line. He said and I quote " Oh hell, All of those cast crank engine were suppose to be pulled off the shelfs" He went on to tell me that Wheeler came up with the idea that if they were to drill the back of all cast cranks, that they could then use one part number for standard or automatic applications. Sounded good, but there was one big problem, The cast cranks were to pourous and oil would find its way under preasure and leak thru the bearing surface and leak out the center of the crank! Since this was an automatic Cop car, the fix was clean the center of the crank, fill it with JB weld, and drive a flat type Freeze plug in the end. Well that fixed it, after 2 weeks of hell tring to find the leak. So if your thinking of drilling the end of the cast crank to accept the long input shaft of a 4 sd, Be Warned.