318LA Myth's still being created!

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They started cast cranks in '68. Some later engines got forged too depending on application.
 
My 74/74/76 hp 360s have a shot peened crank. Kim
That's what I recall. 4 barrel 360's got shot peened. Is there a way to tell if a crank or other parts have been shot peened? Probably the cast 340 cranks too.
 
Yes, they look a little different because of the metal being compressed with the balls of shot. Kinda more grey looking. I’ll take a pic next week. Kim
 
The Bible clearly says "let he among us who is without sin cast the first crank"
 
Yes, they look a little different because of the metal being compressed with the balls of shot. Kinda more grey looking. I’ll take a pic next week. Kim

You said balls....
 
The later steel cranks were found in truck 318’s. I’ve found many in my years.
1974 Dodge pickup 318-auto cast crank. Still have it. Had to have clutch for the steel crank If I remember right
 
Clutch is the same regardless of crank.
True. But I think all forged were drilled for the pilot bearing and not all cast were. At least that is what I seen.

The few cast crank 318's I did installing the 833 4 speed, they were not drilled so we just tossed a 273 forged crank in. Back then it was easier and cheaper that having the crank drilled and we had the crank out anyway. At one time I think I had 6 273 forged cranks in the garage. I have just 1 now.
 
I've had forged cranks that were not machined for a pilot bushing. All were drilled deep enough for a manual transmission, but, some didn't get the final machine work.
 
It doesn't matter whether you have a cast crank or forged crank when it comes to buying a clutch.

Right but what he was saying was that to get the 318 with the forged crank in later years it had to be a truck with a manual transmission (clutch). I think that was pretty much across the board, as I had a 77 400 virgin engine with a beautiful steel crank and it was out of a 4x4 truck with a manual transmission. I think they did that all the way to the end of the big block's run.....possibly the 318 as well.
 
All big blocks with a manual transmission had forged cranks. 318's were a mixed bag. Most of the 1/2 ton trucks and van's automatics had cast, but, not all. All the heavy duty applications I ran across had forged cranks. I've seen both with 3 speeds and 833 4 speeds.
 
Huh? Cast or forged.Cast is poured in a mold. Forged Is pounded and pressed into shape with a forge. The base material is a ingot or billet if you will. Yes, one is iron and one is steel. Cast iron or forged steel. How to Pick a Crankshaft - Car Craft
I had a guy tell me that there is such a thing as cast steel and I didn't believe him either. I don't know enough to argue so I just shrugged and scrolled on past without arguing about it.
 
There is cast steel, though I don't know it's been used for cranks ever.

I remember very well back in the day discovering a 'new' Mopar in a junkyard or in some old lady's yard and popping the hood and letting your eyes fall on the engine only to have to say, "It has a 318...." It's the same let down now when I meet a really attractive woman only to note she has a ring on her finger, or a dog, or a Biden sticker, or all three.
 
mancini lists 318 and 340 cast crank stroker kits as cast steel crank, their 360 kit is a scat 9000 series crank, also cast steel. that was a quick search/check of what's available from just one supplier. :thumbsup:
neil.
 
OK, you can cast iron. You can forge iron. You can cast steel. You can forge steel.

I think the SCAT 4 inch crank for my 5.9=410 is a cast steel. I will be great for my 425 to 500 horse build. It is semi knife edged.
 
I think you're probably just about dead on with perhaps the only exception being 318 truck cranks. They were similar I believe to the 400 cranks used in manual transmission trucks. Those were steel cranks right up until the 400's demise. I traded for a virgin 77 400 years ago that was a truck engine out from in front of an NP435 and it had a factory forged crank.

Glad you mentioned this RRR, never understood the mis-information the factory put in the "bible" The Direct Connection books in the late '70s, and into the '80s. I mean if the DC guys didn't understand crank usage what chance did we have? They claimed ALL late 340s, and ALL 400s, late 440s, had cast cranks. We know different today!
And I'm sure I've got one of those pontiac cranks!
 
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