Broken crankshaft... Non corvette..57 Chevy
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
Broken crankshaft... Non corvette..57 Chevy
I am a longtime C3 forum member. The question I have is: I have a friend who has a 57 Chevy with a 350/ th400. Today we discovered that the lower pulley,along with the balancer have about 25 degrees of TOTALLY free play. No resistance whatsoever. Even with a loose timing chain there should be some resistance from the internals (pistons) but this engine has none. The engine runs fine although I didn't drive it. Has anyone ever seen a crankshft nose broken? I suspect this is what we will find when we get into it tomorrow AM.. Very strange... 
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Sounds like the key in the crank broke, he does have one in there dosen't he ? and the balancer is spinning on the crank. If the crank was broke the balancer would fall off. I would not drive or start it like this because the balancer could fly off, very dangerous 
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
Yep... That's what was wrong. The keyway was 3 times it's normal width and the key was mangled too. A new key and balancer was the solution. Seems that "Bubba " had been at work.. the center bolt had SHOCK washers and a rubber cushion. 
Looks like it had been there for a few years. Thanks
Looks like it had been there for a few years. Thanks
Glad they changed that 
