Crank snapped at pulley

[MalcolmV8]

Was that a stock damper with a metco 4lb ring? Looks like it in pics but hard to tell.

First time I've seen a 2.3 do this. Just a new crank should fix you up. Well and matching main and rod bearings to match your setup. Unless the crank snapped far back enough that the timing chains came loose but typically it seems to just be the end snout.

 

[MalcolmV8]

This has happened with guys running Eatons before, and on several occasions.

Where did you see this? The only Eaton snapped lower I saw had an off balance with his metco ring and it was wobbling like crazy. It always concerns me though, even with an Eaton.

 

[SVTBrandon95]

Was that a stock damper with a metco 4lb ring? Looks like it in pics but hard to tell.

First time I've seen a 2.3 do this. Just a new crank should fix you up. Well and matching main and rod bearings to match your setup. Unless the crank snapped far back enough that the timing chains came loose but typically it seems to just be the end snout.

I think so; I bought the car with this setup so idk for sure , I'll try to get the belt off the end of the snout that's showing in the pic so I can pull the pulley off the car and get some better pics out of it . It's just dark & pouring rain right now & I didn't wanna exactly be crawling around out there messing with it haha. But if I could get away with just a crank that would be awesome ... Im anticipating doing a full rebuild but hoping for the better of course if that's even possible

 

[c6zhombre]

Sorry to hear.

For those surprised at this happening, this is the unfortunate risk of running an uncaged lower pulley. While increased stress from larger blowers definitely contribute to this happening, NO smaller blower is immune from the risk of this happending. This has happened with guys running Eatons before, and on several occasions. Some people run uncaged lower pullies for years without an issue. Others, such as the OP, aren't as lucky.

I could have sworn I've seen failures on this site before as well thru the years...and they weren't all 3.4 whipples! lol. Some were either smaller aftermarket blowers or eatons.

The uncaged lower is just dangerous....kind of like running stock stamped idlers....some people can go thousands upon thousands of miles and nothing happens, but then someone else goes around the block and boom!

 

[PWORLDSTANG]

Where did you see this? The only Eaton snapped lower I saw had an off balance with his metco ring and it was wobbling like crazy. It always concerns me though, even with an Eaton.

I haven't quite figured out searching with the new format to provide a thread, but A search for user Steeda30 will show he broke two crank snouts. This was back in the day, and he may have broken a third but from what I remember he stopped posting. I do remember that he was running a ported Eaton, uncaged, upper/lower combo.

I don't recall the names or thread titles of other failures, but I do recall seeing it a few other times from an Eaton, as well as a 2.3L (all uncaged lowers). These instances are all infrequent but do happen.

 

[SVTBrandon95]

I haven't quite figured out searching with the new format to provide a thread, but A search for user Steeda30 will show he broke two crank snouts. This was back in the day, and he may have broken a third but from what I remember he stopped posting. I do remember that he was running a ported Eaton, uncaged, upper/lower combo.

I don't recall the names or thread titles of other failures, but I do recall seeing it a few other times from an Eaton, as well as a 2.3L (all uncaged lowers). These instances are all infrequent but do happen.

What all did he end up doing each time ?.. did it trash the whole motor heads & all or was he able to get away with another crank etc.

 

[PWORLDSTANG]

I could have sworn I've seen failures on this site before as well thru the years...and they weren't all 3.4 whipples! lol. Some were either smaller aftermarket blowers or eatons.

The uncaged lower is just dangerous....kind of like running stock stamped idlers....some people can go thousands upon thousands of miles and nothing happens, but then someone else goes around the block and boom!

This is true Jeff. I think with the larger blowers it's just more frequent. I would have not clicked this thread at all thinking this happened on 2.3L blower. However I recall a couple of instances on ModularFords that I am recalling so my memory isn't exclusive to SVTP.

 

[PWORLDSTANG]

What all did he end up doing each time ?.. did it trash the whole motor heads & all or was he able to get away with another crank etc.

That I don't remember. I'm posting from my phone and I haven't been able to dial in my searches wth the new format yet. But I remember vividly that his name is Steeda30 and this happened to him at least twice. He may have gone .30 overbite on the motor, then stopped posting. Wish I could help more but my accessibility is limited at the moment.

 

[MG0h3]

What all did he end up doing each time ?.. did it trash the whole motor heads & all or was he able to get away with another crank etc.

Like Malcolm was saying, typically it is just the snout outboard from the timing gear. If thats the case, your valves and pistons would still be in time and youll be ok.

Id probably run out in the rain and yank that bitch outta there to see. Def. be into some drinks already......

Ive never held one of these cranks in my hand...Malcolm is that the timing gear key in last picture; behind the belt and still in the crank? Trying to google a picture with the gears installed and crank out of the engine.

 

[SVTBrandon95]

Like Malcolm was saying, typically it is just the snout outboard from the timing gear. If thats the case, your valves and pistons would still be in time and youll be ok.

Id probably run out in the rain and yank that bitch outta there to see. Def. be into some drinks already......

Eh I got work in the morning so I guess I don't wanna do that tonight haha . I'm gonna try to yank the pulley out in the morning though before heading into work and I'll take some pics of it and post them up

 

[MalcolmV8]

Malcolm is that the timing gear key in last picture; behind the belt and still in the crank?

It sure is. You can see where the front main seal runs on the back of the damper. The damper presses up directly on the timing trigger wheel which in turn is up agains the timing gear. It looks like there's a possibility his crank timing gear was part of what broke off.

 

[MG0h3]

kinda what I was thinking. Bet the gears are laying in the pan. Still not guaranteed carnage at the heads though.

 

[SVTBrandon95]

kinda what I was thinking. Bet the gears are laying in the pan. Still not guaranteed carnage at the heads though.

What exactly does that mean?
I'll post some good pics in the Am . It's kinda hard to tell what goin on with the belt in the way & angle I'm at. Not much room in there

 

[Goose17]

Can someone school me on what a "caged lower" is...? My 04 drivetrain is stock. I am more familiar with modded GT500's and I haven't heard any discussions about caging a lower pulley there.

 

[MG0h3]

google 03/04 cobra crank timing gears or something like that and use the image tab. The crank is driving the timing gears/sprockets which in turn run the chains etc...the amount of crank that is still attached to the pulley/damper suggests that the timing gears were no longer being driven by the crank. Looks like they would have been riding on the part that snapped off. They couldnt have come out of the front cover so they'd end up in the oil pan.

Hard to say for sure til you look in there though.

https://www.google.com/search?q=03/...ved=0ahUKEwino-6izKfRAhVs04MKHeqrDwcQ_AUIBygC

 

[MG0h3]

Can someone school me on what a "caged lower" is...? My 04 drivetrain is stock. I am more familiar with modded GT500's and I haven't heard any discussions about caging a lower pulley there.

you can google a 03/04 caged lower pulley for an image. Purpose is to transmit some of the stress from the pulley/crank to the block. The blower and the fact that the lower sticks out so far places a lot of leverage on the crank.

 

[03cobra#694]

I may have missed it, but what tensioner were you running OP?

 

[cj428mach]

Can someone school me on what a "caged lower" is...? My 04 drivetrain is stock. I am more familiar with modded GT500's and I haven't heard any discussions about caging a lower pulley there.

Lots of information on caged lowers in my thread
https://www.svtperformance.com/foru...e-4lb-caged-lower-back-from-the-dead.1087017/

 

[SVTBrandon95]

Didn't have time to get the pulley off this morning ; was running late for work. I'll take it off when I get home


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[01yellercobra]

I may have missed it, but what tensioner were you running OP?

This, plus how tight was the belt? A lot of guys like to run belts tight enough to put the tensioner against the stop. Not a good thing IMO. I did that with my first centri set up. Then I saw what it did to the front main bearing and never did it again.