Crane sucks
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
Crane sucks
I had the pleasure of being stranded today. Have not had the vette out in 3 months and it strands me
. Had a similar problem at the end of the summer. Bad ignition box. They changed it out under warrantee and the new one fails.
Now I get to argue with them because some kid on the other end of the phone will tell me it is anything but their product.
Anyone else had similar problems with the Crane
?
. Had a similar problem at the end of the summer. Bad ignition box. They changed it out under warrantee and the new one fails.Now I get to argue with them because some kid on the other end of the phone will tell me it is anything but their product.
Anyone else had similar problems with the Crane
?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
One thing I am super **** about is wiring. Everything I wire into the vette is soldered and heat shrunk. I also have the box installed with the provided weather pack connectors. I have a back up wiring harness that I keep stashed in the car in the event of an ignition box failure. This way the 2 ignitions are seperate. Simply put, no spark thru the ignition box, bypassing it lets the car run fine.
A capacitive discharge ignition often fail when hot, and works when cool. This is why I suspect they will argue. It will likely test good, but fail again when it gets hot.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Now that the car is home and no longer on the side of the road, I feel better. I did not call Crane because of the holiday weekend.
One thing I am super **** about is wiring. Everything I wire into the vette is soldered and heat shrunk. I also have the box installed with the provided weather pack connectors. I have a back up wiring harness that I keep stashed in the car in the event of an ignition box failure. This way the 2 ignitions are seperate. Simply put, no spark thru the ignition box, bypassing it lets the car run fine.
A capacitive discharge ignition often fail when hot, and works when cool. This is why I suspect they will argue. It will likely test good, but fail again when it gets hot.
One thing I am super **** about is wiring. Everything I wire into the vette is soldered and heat shrunk. I also have the box installed with the provided weather pack connectors. I have a back up wiring harness that I keep stashed in the car in the event of an ignition box failure. This way the 2 ignitions are seperate. Simply put, no spark thru the ignition box, bypassing it lets the car run fine.
A capacitive discharge ignition often fail when hot, and works when cool. This is why I suspect they will argue. It will likely test good, but fail again when it gets hot.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
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Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Maybe you should swap in an LT1 so you can have the more reliable opti! 
I know where you're coming from with the wiring. The last time my engine was out, I think I spent more time replacing and heat-proofing wires and connectors in the engine and particularly the header areas than I did doing anything else. And still I am (seemingly) perpetually chasing little gremlins here and there. Like you, I always make every effort to maximize every connection, route and protect everything even better than stock when possible, etc. But overall I can't complain for an older car. It's never left me stranded yet. But I'm sure as much as I drive it, my turn will come..... Let us know how your discussion with them comes out. I have a list of company's tech depts. that I have known and loved or known and hated.....
I know where you're coming from with the wiring. The last time my engine was out, I think I spent more time replacing and heat-proofing wires and connectors in the engine and particularly the header areas than I did doing anything else. And still I am (seemingly) perpetually chasing little gremlins here and there. Like you, I always make every effort to maximize every connection, route and protect everything even better than stock when possible, etc. But overall I can't complain for an older car. It's never left me stranded yet. But I'm sure as much as I drive it, my turn will come..... Let us know how your discussion with them comes out. I have a list of company's tech depts. that I have known and loved or known and hated.....
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
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From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
I had 2 Crane cams go flat on me back in my drag racing days and I haven't used them since, come to think of it I've never had another flat cam either.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
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From: San Pedro CA
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,624
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From: Dale City VA
I had a problem with a few Crane HI-6 boxs. I tried a few of them because they were cheaper than MSD. One was really no fault of the box IMO as we all know they are not water proof but a little rain (I mean very little) did kill one on my friends Monte Carlo drag car. The the replacemnet box just quit working after about 2 weeks for no apparant reason. I put a MSD 6AL on it and that MSD box has been working for the past 3 yrs or so mounted in the same place in the engine compartment. I had a few Crane boxes fail on some Mud Bogg trucks as well and replaced them with MSD boxes and Jachobs FC2000 boxes and didn't have any more problems.
Will
Will
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
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From: Jennings LA
yes that is a nice feature along with rev limiters, but the stock systems are reliable for the most part, as long as the opti stays dry 
unless you are runiing nitrous or turning high rpms you can't go wrong with standard HEI, cheap and reliable 
unless you are runiing nitrous or turning high rpms you can't go wrong with standard HEI, cheap and reliable
Thread Starter
Race Director
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Im a little leery of the MSD and definitely wouldnt do a Crane....Exact same experience with a freind of mines truck..2 failures within 6 mos and they were properly wired.
If I can find a dist. with the built in rev limiter (I think MSD has one, Mallory might) and a good coil I think Ill skip over the MSD box. I would think one good spark is enough to properly ignite an intake charge unless the car was way rich in the first place or idling for too long with a cam with tons of overlap.
If I can find a dist. with the built in rev limiter (I think MSD has one, Mallory might) and a good coil I think Ill skip over the MSD box. I would think one good spark is enough to properly ignite an intake charge unless the car was way rich in the first place or idling for too long with a cam with tons of overlap.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lahaina Hi
MSD has their problems also .I had mine reverse polarity and fry the wires.MSD said it happens.
I still get more use out of MSD 6al than Mallory High Fire or any of the others.
Jacobs I have not heard any complaints yet.I also only know 2 drag racers using them.
I would hate to have one go with the Nitrous engauged
Don't hate the car just the manufactures that lie to you about their products.
I still get more use out of MSD 6al than Mallory High Fire or any of the others.
Jacobs I have not heard any complaints yet.I also only know 2 drag racers using them.
I would hate to have one go with the Nitrous engauged
Don't hate the car just the manufactures that lie to you about their products.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
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From: San Pedro CA
I wonder if the best bet is to go to a full blown engine management system? I wonder what boxes NASCAR uses?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Mostly MSD. And quite a few of those don't even last 3 hours, which is why they run two.