For a while Eagle sold a 10/10 crank that had been turned 0.010/ 0.010. Called it their lightened crank. What reality they were machining them in the US to align the rods and mains. What can't be explained is how much lighter the crank was by turning it 0.010/0.010. Since it then needs more bearing to fill that space, wiping out any weight savings from the turning. The biggest problem I have with the import engine parts id the metallurgy in the metal refining processes. I do gun machining for some folks in the machining area of my shop. I have come across metals in imported firearm parts that show inferior quality in things such as sears and slides on several occasions. Some stainless parts which have carbon steel contamination which leads to rusting that often can't be machined out. One slide in particular had three waves diagonally that I was unable to machine out. The rockwell test shows that the three waves were a different rockwell than the rest of the slide. So I suspect that if their quality in the metal produced for their firearm industry is questionable why wouldn't the metal in their engine parts be any different. SO back to the question at hand, for a driver part time racer, and in some cases a full time racer I guess they are ok to use as many do. It again depends on the budget and the use. Often time when a bottom end comes in and it has compressed it's last bit of air, it is difficult or impossible to determine the cause of it's destruction. So really the bottom end and often the top end is only as strong as the weakest part. Many builders have been accused of being less then good from the failure of a poor part. In the end it's a balance between the cash flow and good enough. Like has been said, there have been plenty 427/425 and 396/375 muscle cars running oem parts that raced their entire lives. I personally would use an oem forged crank over an import. The oem rods are forged I beams. I have one I keep laying in the shop for talking points that is bent probably 35 degrees and never failed. A large bolt oem rod will hold a lot of horse power.

 

SCAT makes decent stuff for the money. I have built a lot of street engines with SCAT cranks and rods. Never a problem.

Since you are building a 496 I would direct you to buy the crankshaft with center counterweights. SCAT offers both 6 and 8 counterweight 4.250 stroke BBC cranks.... buy the 8 counterweight crank. It's a little more money but will well worth it.

Will

 

Jim]:
I'm not sure if this is correct but I thought I recalled something about the Comp Star stuff being imported from China but checked and finished here in the U.S. .

It's so bizarre how things change I recall over a decade ago when I was building my motor the SCAT (for some reason I always thought they were called CAT) stuff was what people would steer you away from and the Eagle stuff was the way to go. I have a set of SCAT 4340 rods in my 468 that held up nicely. Now SCAT is the preferred stock instead of the Eagle stuff.

 

The shop helping me has been building motors for over 50 years. They recommended SCAT over Eagle because as stated above the Eagles are manufactured and machined in China. SCAT cranks are manufactured in China but all the machining is done here in the USA. They told me that Callies manufactures high end cranks and their quality is much better but at a much higher cost. They did say that Callies also sells less expensive cranks which are China made and he did not recommend those at all. They said that unless I'll be running over 1000 hp and drag racing, the SCAT forged cranks are more than acceptable for hp street use.

 

 

Crower or HTC

 

So where does Ohio Crankshaft's offering fall within these other budget cranks ?? And just where do they come from ??