How to tell forged (steel) crank from cast crank...Please HELP! New pictures...

[daniel_depetro]

I bought a remanufactured 400 engine (long block) that is suppose to have a forged steel crank in it. How can I tell if the crank in my engine is forged or if it is just the standard cast crank?

I didn't notice any numbers/markings on the ends of the crank but being installed the rest is hard to see.

[451 valiant]

The harmonic balancer will have a weight on it on the front if it's a cast crank. A steel crank does not. I didn't think 400's came with  steel cranks from the factory, not sure though.

[daniel_depetro]

400s all came with cast cranks from everything I have read, however this one is suppose to have a steel crank in it. I just wanted to make sure. It is a long block thus there is no balancer on it.

[NYrr496]

A 400 could have a 383 crank in it, then it could have a forged crank.

[Dcuda69]

AFAIK all 400's were cast cranks(ext. balance) I beleive 383 forged cranks(internal balance) are a bolt-in. A cast crank will have single "parting line"(from the casting process) and a forged crank will have a wide(looks like 2)parting line. I think you need to find out one way or the other so can purchase the correct balancer! good luck with your project!!

[sr71mopar]

According to Ma, 400's from 72-3 with 4 speeds should have steel cranks.
Forged and cast are easy to tell apart by looking at them.

[ski]

Here's a pic I just took and another I found in my picture folder when I was resizing it.  The crank on the right in the first pic is a cast 318.  The one on the left is a forged 383.  The second pic explains it nicely and is a file photo that someone else took.

[oldkimmer]

If it is indeed forged it will have a pilot hole for a manual trans, cast will just have a divet ..............kim............

[rigpig]

Ya'll need to remember the forged cranks on the six pack engines used external balancing.

Bob

[rharveysr]

The harmonic balancer will have a weight on it on the front if it's a cast crank

  Explain this one to me please!

Rick

[rigpig]

because of the heavy rods used on the 440 sixpack engines they were the only forged cranks to use extenal balancing.

Bob

[451 valiant]

The harmonic balancer will have a weight on it on the front if it's a cast crank

  Explain this one to me please!

Rick

Here's a link that shows the difference between the balancers.  Down the page shows forged, six pack and cast crank (6pk and cast have the extra weights on the front). hope this helps:

http://www.440source.com/dampers.htm

[JohnnyfromChicago]

Sounds like your gonna need to pull the pan to check it against the pictures here to figure out what balancer to keep it from coming apart.

[daniel_depetro]

OK, there are drilled weight indentations on it and it appears it is a true drilled for a stick crankshaft. I did not see any 'parting lines' on my crank as I rolled the engine upsiode down on the stand (I did not actually spin the rotating assembly). It also has a circled '13' or something stamped on the end like a forged unit should. The cylinders on the right of the picture look like they have the rounded edges on the counter weights like a forged crank should have. Although the cylinders on the left of the picture look like they have sharp edges...

You experts tell me, is this a forged or cast crankshaft?






This is suppose to be a stock 400, how did it end up with a forged crankshaft?

[68S]

That looks like a forged crank. Check out the pics Ski posted they should help you make the cast/forged determination.
As far as why the engine might have originally received a steel crank, sr71mopar already posted that for you too

According to Ma, 400's from 72-3 with 4 speeds should have steel cranks.
Forged and cast are easy to tell apart by looking at them.

Good luck with the project,

Pat

[daniel_depetro]

As far as why the engine might have originally received a steel crank, sr71mopar already posted that for you too

According to Ma, 400's from 72-3 with 4 speeds should have steel cranks.
Forged and cast are easy to tell apart by looking at them.

True, but this 400 has a casting date of 7-26-77.

I just wanted to be sure and have a second, third, fourth,... 50th opinion...

[268darts]

Did it come out of a motorhome?

[daniel_depetro]

I have no idea where it is from. It was a 'new' remanufactured long block engine from Fliteline Engine Supply that I paid $325.00 for off of eBay about a month ago. They said it was .030 over and it came with a new Melling M63HP high pressure oil pump. I asked what it was out of and they did not know. They said Challenger/Charger VIN: LP23, N or M so that wasn't much help. It is all fresh so I figured I couldn't get a good junkyard engine for that price, especially with a fresh forged crank that was drilled for a stick (manual tranmission) like they advertised. Heck it is hard to get just the heads redone for what I paid for this engine. Too bad the compression is a sad 8.0:1. It should still make for a fun driver with all of my parts I bought for it.

[68S]

To me 77 does seem a bit late to still have the forged crank but I am no expert either.
Seeing as how these cars and their related parts have been around for so long now, you never really know what you might run into. Since your shortblock is a reman piece that crankshaft could very well have come out of a 383 or an original 400 four-speed application but it should not matter to you either way. All that really counts is that you have the good stuff and it looks like for $325 you scored a winner with that motor. The 8:1 compression part needs some help though. You will be seriously limited in cam selection with a low compression ratio like that.

Pat

[fasttcars]

it's a forged crank...

[440WIP]

 8:1 compression - put a blower on it................
Daryl

[NYrr496]

Pull it apart and deck the block.

[fasttcars]

id also have it properly  balanced ....

[abqdart]

T U R B O...........

[loiq]

Got pics of the tops of the pistons?

[daniel_depetro]

Nope, it came all assembled: long block (with heads already installed/torqued) I just bought some MP steel shim head gaskets, so I'll be pulling the heads off to switch gaskets. I can get some then.

[Steve DeTar]

I'm replying so this can go up to the top again.

[Capt Jack]

this thread should be pinned or added to tech.  just helped me out again   

[67 dartgts]

Hello:
Coppied from MOparts.

The 383-440 steel crank bal is on the left and the 400 cast crank is on the right.



Maynard

[ksdartguy]

Yes, for what ever reason, It is a Forged Crank 

Rick