FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: philminotti on May 16, 2021, 03:08:47 PM
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Or is that an old wives tale? If so, is it months, years, or decades?
Phil
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Theoretically true. If you consider that molecules not at absolute zero are free to move around and that seemingly solid objects are always fluid, then a crank can sag. But you have entropy too, so it's possible that you could lay it down one day and come back the next day and it's a dust pile of Fe.
I always store things as safely as possible. I've never seen a crank fall off the floor or fall over while laying on its side.
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I hear you on the safety issue... It's currently laying on my bench...but my wife and children have been known to repurpose my tools from time to time, and I would absolutely lose my shit if I walked into my shop to see it fallen over if I had it standing up!
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You can put back in its box, it will be safe there. It's ok to store them on their side. Think of how many crankshafts are stored in their boxes with only the nose and hindend supported.
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I hang'em.
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Could machine shops standing cranks on end due to lack of storage space and not because cranks bend be the daddy of this idea ?
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Yes. You can go to outer space vertical. Horzontal, just to the end of your garage.
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If you live on Long Island and get your crank cut at any shop it goes to one guy. He says he does about 80 percent of the cranks from the engine shops. We were talking about this subject and he said that laying a crank on its side will never bend or warp a crank.
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I hang'em.
Careful, they might stretch doing that! ;D
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After I install an engine in a car, I always store the car vertically, if I don’t intend to drive it for an extended period.
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This one always seemed silly to me. If you stand it on end, are the bending forces also still not at work, trying to pinch the counterweights together? The crank is more supported on it's side than standing, the way I see it.
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This one always seemed silly to me. If you stand it on end, are the bending forces also still not at work, trying to pinch the counterweights together? The crank is more supported on it's side than standing, the way I see it.
If you live on Long Island and get your crank cut at any shop it goes to one guy. He says he does about 80 percent of the cranks from the engine shops. We were talking about this subject and he said that laying a crank on its side will never bend or warp a crank.
I agree completely, silly to think it cannot support it's own weight, especially cast iron
After I install an engine in a car, I always store the car vertically, if I don’t intend to drive it for an extended period.
Yes. You can go to outer space vertical. Horzontal, just to the end of your garage.
8) Got a kick out of both of these
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Considering all new cranks that I have seen, come in boxes, with the crank horizontal, I would doubt it is a real issue. I CAN say, that if you have a bunch of FE cranks standing on the floor, upright, and one tips over, causing a Domino effect, chances are very good that some damage will occur!
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Considering all new cranks that I have seen, come in boxes, with the crank horizontal, I would doubt it is a real issue. I CAN say, that if you have a bunch of FE cranks standing on the floor, upright, and one tips over, causing a Domino effect, chances are very good that some damage will occur!
It usually happens when you are trying to get the 3rd one back and in a hurry :)
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Yes. You can go to outer space vertical. Horizontal, just to the end of your garage.
You actually go to outer space horizontally - the vertical part of the trip is comparatively short
As for the crankshafts - Doug's "stretch" comment is pretty awesome...
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I like to bury my cranks in the lawn. The dirt conforms to its shape and supports it evenly along its length. The grass seems to like the iron in the soil as well.
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Considering all new cranks that I have seen, come in boxes, with the crank horizontal, I would doubt it is a real issue. I CAN say, that if you have a bunch of FE cranks standing on the floor, upright, and one tips over, causing a Domino effect, chances are very good that some damage will occur!
It usually happens when you are trying to get the 3rd one back and in a hurry :)
And usually when you are wearing running shoes or sandals!
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Just had one done that was on it side for 35 years it was ok Harts in ohio is super if you need a shop.
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Imagine how noodly your cam must be when you go for the last journal holding it up with just the bolt. :'(
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While we're talking myths, I heard years ago that storing a block without the main caps installed would cause the block to "stretch" at the main journals. I put them back on to keep from losing/misplacing them. Nothing more frustrating than to see an ad for a block for sale without the main caps. I can see a set of main caps for sale from a "lunched" block but not the other way around.
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I just talked to Scat and they laughed. NO problem at ALL to lay a crank down. Callies already told me the same thing.
Randy
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I like to bury my cranks in the lawn. The dirt conforms to its shape and supports it evenly along its length. The grass seems to like the iron in the soil as well.
I thought that only worked with 3-3/4" flathead cranks in the garden.
They next owner is going to have to buy new tines for his tiller...
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I've never personally seen a crank out of a typical gas V8 have an issue from being laid on down for storage, but I have seen a diesel crank have an issue. Big weight difference tho.
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with a name like rusty crankshaft you should know all about it. ;)
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Well, after you bury the crank in the back yard for storage and all.......
If you don't want to do that much digging they also make great mailbox posts...the neighbors Honda doesn't even budge them!
The cranks we had bend (it was repeatable, over the years I worked at that outfit I saw 3 do it) were out of big Cummins V engines. Had them straightened and cleaned up and went back together. They're heavy enough that when they turn them they support the center of the cranks with 2 air cylinders rigged from the ceiling to keep them from flexing and causing the journal to taper.
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Not storage so much as laying to rest....
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Not storage so much as laying to rest....
LOL
Scrap is really high right now ($240-$290 ton, depending, in my area), so you might want to consider digging them up and making a small fortune. :)
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After I install an engine in a car, I always store the car vertically, if I don’t intend to drive it for an extended period.
Where's the "Like" button ?
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I have seen them hanging from a rack like wind chimes. Mine all stand up but that is a space issue. I have twelve of them standing up. Anyone need five 3 1/2" stroke 352/360 cranks?
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I think this rumor goes back to the 40's and 50's when there were a lot of stright 8 and 6 engines.
I remember going to dad's machine shop with him and they had all the cranks hanging in racks.
They all so had all the heads stacked on end.
Greg
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I always rotate, on a regular schedule, any crank I store horizontally.
Better safe than sorry.
Same for camshafts.
I have three engines stored on engine stands - I also rotate them on a regular schedule. It prevents the weight of the block from allowing the bell-housing area to deform and sag.