Eagle crankshaft and rod quality

[Fordman]

There are no cast scat cranks currently available.  I know when eagle first made FE offerings the quality was questionable and heard of several failures.  Has the quality increased over the years?. For a relatively mild street build, no high rpms or dedicated drag race deal is the eagle stuff good enough or should a person wait for scat to become available?. Looking for opinions.  Thanks!

[blykins]

Back around 10 years ago, Keith Craft had several engines destroyed because of cast Eagle cranks breaking at the 1/5 rod journal.  I have never used one because of that.  Not sure if it was a design issue that has been corrected, but I think I’d wait for a Scat.  Should be the end of this month if you want a cast crank.

Not a big fan of Eagle rods either, the cap fit and bore dimensions just aren’t on par with other manufacturers.

[JimNolan]

I used the Eagle Crank and Rods in 2014 in a 57 Fairlane's built 410. The crank was good but my engine guy that balanced the engine didn't like the Rods. (He was famous for building rods for exotic engines). He resized them and I drag raced the engine for 4 years shifting at 5000 rpm. I then put the engine in my 63 Galaxie and it still runs great (street only). I wouldn't be afraid to use their crank, especially for street use.

[pbf777]

  Not sure if it was a design issue that has been corrected, but I think I’d wait for a Scat.

     In my opinion this would be sound advice.      As one comment made by a representative at one of the suppliers relevant, in a discussion where I was trying to explain how they could reduce machining operations and costs, and produce a better product, the responding statement made was: "look, this stuff is manufactured by people that don't speak English, and on top of that don't care, so it just is, what it is, and we can't change that!   

 

Not a big fan of Eagle rods either, the cap fit and bore dimensions just aren’t on par with other manufacturers.

     And not just Eagle (though some are better than others), but most of these 'Off-Shore', defined as "4340 H-Beam Forged Steel" connecting rods; as I explain to those whom choose this product: the rods will probably require a resizing operation (if salvageable at all!) and associated cost, before you get to use then the first time!   

     And the then there's the crankshafts!......................likely to be 10/10 before your first use effort!    So how much did you save by buying the cheaper (even cheaper! ) stuff?   

     Scott.


     

[Barry_R]

I've had a couple Eagle FE cranks that broke at #1.  Will not use them.

[482supersnake]

Back around 10 years ago, Keith Craft had several engines destroyed because of cast Eagle cranks breaking at the 1/5 rod journal.  I have never used one because of that.  Not sure if it was a design issue that has been corrected, but I think I’d wait for a Scat.  Should be the end of this month if you want a cast crank.

Not a big fan of Eagle rods either, the cap fit and bore dimensions just aren’t on par with other manufacturers.

Brent, do you think that is a realistic timeframes? Seems like deliveries keep getting pushed back a couple of months when the time comes. I know Scat had some FE rods available a few weeks ago but they sold out quick.

[blykins]

We have steel cranks available, just not cast right now.  But I would expect the timeframe to be pretty close.

[jmlay]

I received s a cast crank yesterday and I was less than pleased. Scat needs to work a bit on their packaging quality and ups needs to work on theirs shipping skills.  Not sure if it is worse to not find one or have one you are unable to use… Box came with the snout sticking out of the box.

[blykins]

I received s a cast crank yesterday and I was less than pleased. Scat needs to work a bit on their packaging quality and ups needs to work on theirs shipping skills.  Not sure if it is worse to not find one or have one you are unable to use… Box came with the snout sticking out of the box.

Scat packs them quite well, especially with the foam blocks and such.  Hard to toss a 70 lb crank off of a truck and it not get hurt though.  UPS has ruined lots of stuff for me, even dumped a complete engine off the back of a tractor/trailer.

[GerryP]

...Not sure if it is worse to not find one or have one you are unable to use… Box came with the snout sticking out of the box.

The packaging isn't in great shape.  What kind of shape is the crank itself?  Your photos don't show damage to the crank.

[My427stang]

I got one in that poked through too.  Ended up being straight and unharmed.  They do seem to package the forged ones better. 

As far as Eagle, I am afraid of the Eagle cast based on other's experience, I did use an Eagle forged SBC crank in a 6-71 blow 355 that is moving slowly though the shop and it was a beauty. Hope she holds

FE rods, not a fan, of a set of 8 FE 6.49 H-beams, 3 were out of size on the big end and needed resizing, and none were match balanced as close as a SCAT.  We ran them, and after a season of racing on a 633 HP 433 (428 based) rod bearings looked great.  They are silly heavy though, I wish we could get a 6.49 SCAT I beam right up until I need to go Molnar for weight alone.

[Tommy-T]

I know anecdotal information doesn't help much, but here's mine.
I broke the crank in the 8-71 supercharged 454 FE I had in my Mustang. It was a factory 1UB and it snapped off right behind the #1 main.
I wanted to go with the RPM forged crank but the 3.980 stroke crank they offered had the BBC rod journals and I wanted to stay FE size. I also didn't want to use another used Ford 428 crank.
Bought an Eagle cast crank and 5 years later it's still pounding the ground turning that big 8-71.
That same engine is still running the RPM H Beam rods I built the original blown deal with. I will add that all of the RPM stuff I've used, both rods and cranks, need to be touch machined before they can be used.
All that said, I have a question.
I'm building a 482 for my Comet. It currently has a Scat cast crank and I Beam rods in it. I have an RPM forged 4.250 crank on my junk pile.
Is it worthwhile to swap out the cast crank for forged in a 600 horsepower motor?

[My427stang]

Is it worthwhile to swap out the cast crank for forged in a 600 horsepower motor?

I don't think so, I think that crank will live a long time and the rods could handle 200 more assuming the pistons aren't made of lead

[blykins]

I know anecdotal information doesn't help much, but here's mine.
I broke the crank in the 8-71 supercharged 454 FE I had in my Mustang. It was a factory 1UB and it snapped off right behind the #1 main.
I wanted to go with the RPM forged crank but the 3.980 stroke crank they offered had the BBC rod journals and I wanted to stay FE size. I also didn't want to use another used Ford 428 crank.
Bought an Eagle cast crank and 5 years later it's still pounding the ground turning that big 8-71.
That same engine is still running the RPM H Beam rods I built the original blown deal with. I will add that all of the RPM stuff I've used, both rods and cranks, need to be touch machined before they can be used.
All that said, I have a question.
I'm building a 482 for my Comet. It currently has a Scat cast crank and I Beam rods in it. I have an RPM forged 4.250 crank on my junk pile.
Is it worthwhile to swap out the cast crank for forged in a 600 horsepower motor?

No worries on the cast Scat at 600 hp.

[Barry_R]

I have run the cast Scat at 750+HP, but I would not recommend it.  One of the only ones I had break was at +/-716HP, and it was at #1 rod.
Probably draw the "line" somewhere below that level.
I have had a couple RPM cranks fail.  Some of them were very thin around the lightening holes in the rod journals.
The Scat steel is decidedly better in that respect.
I would recommend steel in anything running a belt driven blower due to the long FE snout, and the leverage at the pulley end.
I also steer toward steel in anything with a high cycle time such as endurance, extended marine use, or road race stuff.