• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Stroker Cranks??

F

FUNKYTEE5

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver, Wa.
Ok so I'm starting to collect parts to put a stroker together. I'm curious as to who's using what crankshaft? From what I've read and researched some say that the heavy 12 counterweight cranks is the way to go due to less harmonics and what not. Are harmonics or vibes really an issue with a motor that'll see a rev limiter at 5200rpm and never see sustained rpms over 3500? I'm just wondering because I have a buddy with a 88 wrangler with the 258 and the light crankshaft. It has 235k and runs very smooth. Smoother than my 4.0 at all rpm's. Am I missing something or what's the deal? 20 pounds is alot when you're talking rotating mass! Thanks for input:)

FUNKYTEE5
 
The harmonic you're talking about is an issue in a narrrow RPM band between 6,000 and 6,500 RPM.
 
I'm running the heavy crank. I did it because I was running a manual tranny. I'm now running an automatic. You do notice that the engine does not rev quite as quick. With an auto, you don't tend to lug the engine down in rpm's as much, so the heavy crank isn't as much of an asset. Theory would tell me that the lighter crank would probably be better on an auto and the heavy crank on a manual.

How about some input from the guys running the light crank.
 
Light crank, kinda wishing I'd gone heavy. I have fairly deep gearing (80 to 1) so it's not that big a deal. Manual tranny. I sometimes need a throttle blip to get it moving on VERY steep obstacles.

She sure loves to rev all the way to 6,000, though! Very sporty feel, much like a brand new 99+ 4.0, but with much more gusto.

CRASH
 
:D I scored a light (89?) crank for free from a buddy; it's going in front of an AW-4 so it sounds like I finally got that right... Now all I need is the rest of the motor to build up around that so I can swap it in place of my existing. Dang this toy gets spendy.
 
CRASH said:
Light crank, kinda wishing I'd gone heavy. I have fairly deep gearing (80 to 1) so it's not that big a deal. Manual tranny. I sometimes need a throttle blip to get it moving on VERY steep obstacles.

She sure loves to rev all the way to 6,000, though! Very sporty feel, much like a brand new 99+ 4.0, but with much more gusto.

CRASH
Click to expand...

How did you get your engine to rev all the way to 6000rpm? Do you have the ASE chip?
I have the 12-counterweight heavy crank and the stroker IS a little smoother than my old 4.0. It revs up fast enough when I blip the throttle, but the revs definitely don't drop back as fast when I depress the clutch to change gears. I can also crawl off road at very low speeds with the engine down to 500rpm and it'll just keep chugging along. If you do a lot of slow offroad driving, the heavy crank is definitely the better choice. If you're a dragster, go for the light crank.
 
The right combination of the wrong parts. :D

Dr. Dyno said:
How did you get your engine to rev all the way to 6000rpm? Do you have the ASE chip?
I have the 12-counterweight heavy crank and the stroker IS a little smoother than my old 4.0. It revs up fast enough when I blip the throttle, but the revs definitely don't drop back as fast when I depress the clutch to change gears. I can also crawl off road at very low speeds with the engine down to 500rpm and it'll just keep chugging along. If you do a lot of slow offroad driving, the heavy crank is definitely the better choice. If you're a dragster, go for the light crank.
Click to expand...
 
Renix computers don't have the rev limiter - my 89 pulled power to 5400 on the chassis dyno (peak power @ 4700 RPM) and it will rev higher with the Comp Cams 235-4
 
That's right......previous to my stroker build, my rev limiter was valve float at 5,000.

Now it's all good well into the 5,000 range, but it does start falling flat at about 5,400.

CRASH
 
Eagle said:
The harmonic you're talking about is an issue in a narrrow RPM band between 6,000 and 6,500 RPM.
Click to expand...

Ok so, to clear things up a little bit for the masses! The light crank has no problems with vibes or harmonics unless your thinking about building a motor that'll rip to 7,000rpm right? Which is generally not the case with these stroker builds:) I do see how spinning the extra 20lbs can greatly benefit a manual trans. rig. in crawl mode! The 12 weight crank definitely has the advantage there. Other than that what other advantage/ disadvantages would there be? Is there anyone else out there using the lighter crankshaft that has any input?

FUNKYTEE5
 
wascobi said:
would a 258 from a '77 gremlin x have the heavy crank and 707 rods? how can you visually i.d. them?
Click to expand...

Heavy cranks have 12 counterweights. Light ones have I think 4? Dunno about the rods. Check Dino's site for that info:)

FUNKYTEE5
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
1991 Cranks, Fires, then dies.
Replies
15
Views
2K
Runnin'OnEmpty
R
anthrax323
Mini-stroker torque converter issue (232 crank)
2
Replies
25
Views
4K
anthrax323
anthrax323
9
Cranks, no start.. P1694
Replies
3
Views
847
98heepcheroke
9
S
Crate Stroker- Hesco or Golen
Replies
11
Views
3K
bajabronco
B
4
4.7 stroker, whatchu got?
2 3
Replies
58
Views
5K
Anak
Anak
Back
Top