WARNING ABOUT EAGLE CRANKS!

[kikgas01]

After only 150 miles mine started to hammer. Good thing I shut it off when I did!
My engine was brand new 440 stroked to a 500 with a EAGLE rotating assembly.......


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d182/kikgas02/brokecrank001.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d182/kikgas02/brokecrank004.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d182/kikgas02/brokecrank002.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d182/kikgas02/brokecrank003.jpg






Here is their response to me. They think it was broke prior to installation. They are calling their product JUNK!...........

That is a strange place for a crack to happen. Usually, cracks will originate in corners or other stress-concentration points. Heat-related fatigue due to improper oiling will not be a single crack. It will look more like a spider web around the entire journal. That could possibly have been there prior to installation. Was the crank turned or modified prior to installation? If you had noticed that before installation, we could have replaced it easily.

Also, if you wanted an 8-bolt flange, why didn't you order it with an 8-bolt flange (part number 444241506760)?

We have never had oiling issues with our Chrysler cranks before, so I do not believe it is a design problem.


Here is my 2 emails back to them.
email 1...
Of course it wasn`t that way prior to install. Why,should your crankshafts be broken prior to install? it was a BRAND NEW crank with 150 miles on it. Luckily I shut it off when it started to hammer or it would have ruined my entire engine.. I got by with a 3,700 dollar repair bill instead of having to buy another brand new 440 stroked to a 500.
email 2.....
I know another person who races 440`s and shelled 2 of them with Eagle cranks and guess what? It`s between 1 and 2 crank journal! Just like mine but over a little farther. If you don`t want to hear my concern that is fine. I have posted my problem on several websites with pics of it and can post the previous email about it possibly having a crack prior to installation if you want? I just wanted you to be aware of the problem and thought maybe I could be a asset to you, your company and your product just by checking your product against other products and comparing them so you could get a better product for the public but I don`t think you are interested. Thanks for responding anyway.
ALL I CAN DO IS WARN EVERYONE TO CHECK THEIR CRANKS FOR A CRACK BETWEEN 1 AND AND 2 JOURNAL ON THE CRANKSHAFTS!!!!

[shawnp]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. I have run nothing but Eagle stuff for many, many years from 600hp to over 1000hp applications on our race car. I have never had a bit of problem with the products and the customer service I get has always been 2nd to none.

[zipper06]

When i lived in Ms. around 2003, i had a friend with a 434" motor, break 2 4" cranks (same engine)on the 1-2 jurnal. Fortunately he caught both before the rest of the motor got trashed. 1 crank came out in 2 pcs. We only lived 45 min. from Eagle, they blamed it on a bad batch of heated cranks, but replaced both no questions ask. I've used Eagles for over 10 yrs. no problems. I've also been in their shop and they have improved in the last 5 or 6 yrs.

JMO

Zip.

[hammertime]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. I have run nothing but Eagle stuff for many, many years from 600hp to over 1000hp applications on our race car. I have never had a bit of problem with the products and the customer service I get has always been 2nd to none.

x2 here also .. 1000hp plus 250 hit of spray.

Id be talking to the shop who put it together and making them deal with Eagle if you call eagle and get it taken care of.

[itsabird]

could be a tad, too much hardening.

[kikgas01]

EITHER WAY, THEY won`t do anything about it. You would think they would want to see it. Word of mouth can make or break ya as well as customer service. I know 3 people who won`t be buying Eagle crap now.

[hammertime]

EITHER WAY, THEY won`t do anything about it. You would think they would want to see it. Word of mouth can make or break ya as well as customer service. I know 3 people who won`t be buying Eagle crap now.

Again if you had a engine shop stick it together .. talk to them also

[Tod74]

Centerline wheels suck too.

[lively]

Centerline wheels suck too.
lol lol lol

[kwkracing]

Why was the engine pulled apart at 150 miles? That crack did not make it loose oil pressure. Was the end of the crank wobbling? Or was it 600 1/4 mile passes that add up to 150 miles?

[cepx111]

kwkracing, he said it started hammering, but your right, that's alot of 1/4 passes.


You know what it is dont you, they dont know how to make them one off Mopar cranks like they do the chebbies...lol :lol: >Cp

[Tod74]

I can't imagine there is a single crankshaft manufacturer out there that has not had at least some failures.Nothing is indestructible.

[kikgas01]

I was NEVER at the track, it wasn`t even broke in yet. I drove it 40 miles to try to break it in and put 100 miles on it or so. I DON`T LIKE GOING TO THE TRACK THATS HOW THINGS HAPPEN, I like the street/car shows. I have this for cruises and car shows not racing at a track.

[kikgas01]

Their latest response to me! GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! I called customer service and they SAID the machine work WAS done overseas and this jerk sent me this!
I'm not going to get into a useless pissing match with you. I am part of customer service, and I know for a fact we do not tell anyone that because it is not true. Some initial machining is done overseas, but journal sizing and all critical machining is done here.

You obviously have made up your mind and there is no sense trying to convince you otherwise.

----- Original Message -----
From: cooter davenport
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 11:18 AM
Subject: RE: I was wondering if all of your products were this good???

Customer service said all machining was done overseas

[kwkracing]

SO you drove your street car 100 miles and pulled the engine out to inspect the crank? We never got a answer? Hammering? I guess its possible to drive it for a few minutes, the crank to crack, expand and knock the bearing out that quick. But what is the story?

[kikgas01]

You just said it. It started knocking after about 150 street miles, I pulled it back out and found a crack in the crank. Plain as English. I was simply pointing out that I have a bad crankshaft and and just giving everyone a heads up. Simple.

[kwkracing]

Have you physically miced the journal to see that the size has changed? Because even with that crack, it shows no sign of the bearing grabbing the crank, which would be associated with a knock in that quick of a trip. Sounds like there where other clearance problems , and you just happened to notice the crack. Post a picture of the bearing that was on that journal. What was the oil pressure?

I am not trying to argue with you, it just seems like you have more wrong than you are blaming eagle for. I have several cracked crankshafts in blown engines under moderate power. Stuff happens, repair it or replace it. I hear several people bad mouthing eagle, i disagree. You get what you pay for. They make good entry level performance parts that are afordable for budget racers.

http://www.winbergcrankshafts.com/cranks/mopar.shtml

Each crankshaft starts as a non-twist, progressive die, 4340 steel forging. All processes are done in-house at our manufacturing facility, including numerous quality checks. The result is a top of the line, 100% American made Forged crankshaft.

[zipper06]

I know it's out of pocket money, but if i owned the crank i would have it xrayed to see how deep the crack is. Magnaflux with not tell you this, it will only show the crack which you can already see.
About Eagle's operation, yes the forgings are rough machined oversea's just as Scat, Callies Compustar, Ohio crankshaft, just too name a few. Once they come to Eagle they are heat treated, rough ground and indexed, then polished then nitrided and elecro etched (logo) I donot believe most cranks are magnafluxed by any of the manufacturs.
I do think that Eagle should have stood behind the product though. I guess it has to do with who bought the crank, since most of the public cannot purchase their products directly, only thru their dealer network. In the situation that happened on the 2 cranks that i mentioned in the earlier post, living as close to Eagle as we did, we were in on the ground floor when Eagle started and bought direct, just as I/we still do from bullit, BTE, PTC, and a few other local manufacturs.
I'm in agreement with the other posters, talk directly with the shop/company that you purchased it thru, talking with Eagle directly, they won't feel the impact as they would from one of their dealers.

JMO

Zip.

[MEMRACING62]

are there any cranks left that are still forged & machined here, kinda surprised callies wasn't?

[zipper06]

are there any cranks left that are still forged & machined here, kinda surprised callies wasn't?

Yes the good Callies are American forged, but not the compustar, also Lunati and some of the Howards cranks are American steel. Callies does Howards cranks. There are of course others, like the cranks NASCAR uses, but you're talking $2,000.00/$4,000.00 cranks.

Everybody is trying to get in on the entry level sales and that's why they are useing the Chinese forgings.

Zip.

[kikgas01]

I know it's out of pocket money, but if i owned the crank i would have it xrayed to see how deep the crack is. Magnaflux with not tell you this, it will only show the crack which you can already see.
About Eagle's operation, yes the forgings are rough machined oversea's just as Scat, Callies Compustar, Ohio crankshaft, just too name a few. Once they come to Eagle they are heat treated, rough ground and indexed, then polished then nitrided and elecro etched (logo) I donot believe most cranks are magnafluxed by any of the manufacturs.
I do think that Eagle should have stood behind the product though. I guess it has to do with who bought the crank, since most of the public cannot purchase their products directly, only thru their dealer network. In the situation that happened on the 2 cranks that i mentioned in the earlier post, living as close to Eagle as we did, we were in on the ground floor when Eagle started and bought direct, just as I/we still do from bullit, BTE, PTC, and a few other local manufacturs.
I'm in agreement with the other posters, talk directly with the shop/company that you purchased it thru, talking with Eagle directly, they won't feel the impact as they would from one of their dealers.

JMO

Zip.
Heat it up and oil oozes out of the crack..........

[zipper06]

Heat it up and oil oozes out of the crack..........

That being the case the crack has too go all the way to the cross drilled oiling holes. I would think xray shots would show that and would be enough to get Eagles attention, especially since the crank shows no other physical damage. Probably a $50.00 investment to get back some of the $500.00 plus original payment for the crank.

JMO

Zip.

[cncmotorsports]

All Eagle cranks are finished over seas, they do not finish any of them in the USA. As for issues, I could write a book of the problems we have had with there products over the last 8 years. All in all, Eagle is by far the largest, aftermarket supplier of cranks and rods. Yes, it sucks, but this stuff happens.
For the money they are a good product, but you have to check them out very carefully before use.
If you bought this crank from a well known buyer that does some volume with eagle, they could have warrantied the crankshaft for you.

Did you balance the crankshaft ? and are you running a fluid Damper ?
From the looks of your pictures this looks like a scratch, not a crack.
Did you check the sizing of the journal ?

[promod45]

i had bought a eagle cast crank for a 455 pontiac and the journals looked good and mic out good but the rest of the crank looked like it was swiss cheese it was the sadest crank i have ever seen and sent it back and i got another one that looked the same, it was not even close to smooth on the counter weight like a stock cast crank from chev or ford or any other car company. After that i have not been a big fan of there stuff but i have seen there top line cranks and they looked good so i would have to say there lower end is not what i would buy

[deepockets]

so asuming it failed due to bad forging, who's crank you gona run now?

[kikgas01]

Once again,the crack is all the way through, oil oozes out the crack when heated, no need for xrays. I bought a ohio crank.NO fluid dampner and it was purchased as a balanced rotating assembly...

[deepockets]

cnc motorsports, i have one of your 4.150 mopar cranks on my watch list on ebay that i'm considering, how would you handle this in the event of it happening?

[cncmotorsports]

This is a touchy case to handle, you need to carefully take everything into consideration.
Poor engine building practices cause most failures, however we have seen our fair share of product failures do to poor quality.

If it was a balanced kit from us, we could get the crankshaft warrantied.

This is the toughest thing everybody needs to look at. When your dealing with Chinese or imported products, there is no constancy with any of it..

There is a reason why it is less expensive, you get what you pay for.

All in all, Eagle does have some flaws, but they do make a pretty good product for what you paying for it.

As for the cast cranks, some of them are pretty rough, but they are designed for mild performance.

www.cnc-motorsports.com
Buy threw the site, much cheaper, or call

[kikgas01]

I got what I payed for LOL.. :lol: The crankshaft still sits in my garage. Works excellent for a doorstop. I`m sure most stuff is good, I just got a bad one. Things happen. A better question is,did I learn from my experience? It sits right next to my Moser axel that snapped in my old Camaro with a 468. They(Moser) sent me a new one and didn`t want the old one. I snapped the end clean off.

[mopar1962]

how was your oil pressure before this happenned? what psi? To many variables to consider but heres a good next build,try a 400 block,440 block main webbing is crap when compared to a 400 block,and the 400 has a bigger bore,stroke it and outrun a same built 440 all day long.

[kikgas01]

It had 40 lbs hot.