Is removing the ball plugs on a cut crank necessary?

[DeNoZZo]

I just had my crankshaft cut .020 on the rod journals and my mains polished. I have heard that any time the crank is cut, it's good practice to have the soft ball plugs on the crank drilled out and replaced with set screws. This is supposedly so the crank can be better cleaned. I had things arranged for my machinist to do this, but he sent me an email back today saying he called graveyard motorsports and they don't recommend this, but they gave him some tips on cleaning it better.

Do you guys think it is necessary to remove the plugs in this situation?

 

[TSIfreek]

The balls are removed to clean out all the crap inside the crank when it gets machined. Personaly I think it a good Idea as this makes sure the crank is spotless inside as oil travels threw there for your bearings.

 

[donniekak]

You could pump 10 cans af brake cleaner through the oil galley's, and still find grit when you pull the plugs. #1 reason cut mitsu cranks fail, contamination caught around those plugs.

 

[DeNoZZo]

You could pump 10 cans af brake cleaner through the oil galley's, and still find grit when you pull the plugs. #1 reason cut mitsu cranks fail, contamination caught around those plugs.

I told him to go ahead and do it. I would rather be safe then sorry.

 

[defrag010]

Yes. I've been grinding cranks since 2004 and I do this on every crank that has balls/plugs. It would really make you sick to your stomach if you saw all of the goop and coked up oil that accumulates behind those balls even after the crank has been sitting in a vat for a few days. Donniekak is 10000000% correct about this being the #1 cause for ground cranks failing. Everyone has been blaming it on the hardening depth of the journals for years and years but this is the true cause.

 

[TSIfreek]

Yes. I've been grinding cranks since 2004 and I do this on every crank that has balls/plugs. It would really make you sick to your stomach if you saw all of the goop and coked up oil that accumulates behind those balls even after the crank has been sitting in a vat for a few days. Donniekak is 10000000% correct about this being the #1 cause for ground cranks failing. Everyone has been blaming it on the hardening depth of the journals for years and years but this is the true cause.

Well said thank you for your post

 

[SlowChild3]

Wish I would seen this post before I bought a good used one! So the little ball bearing thing needs to come out to clean the debris? How do you remove and install? Something I can do?

Sent from my Eris using Tapatalk

 

[1995gsx20g]

Yes. I've been grinding cranks since 2004 and I do this on every crank that has balls/plugs. It would really make you sick to your stomach if you saw all of the goop and coked up oil that accumulates behind those balls even after the crank has been sitting in a vat for a few days. Donniekak is 10000000% correct about this being the #1 cause for ground cranks failing. Everyone has been blaming it on the hardening depth of the journals for years and years but this is the true cause.

hmm..

and to think i was gonna scrap the 2.4 crank i had laying around because the journals were no good. THANKS GUYS

 

[wird06DSM]

Well i think u just solved my question of why i just had a motor trash after 40 miles

 

[954g63gst]

Mine walked also 150mi after dsm graveyard installed Frankenstein kit. The balls are still in there. I bought a new crank w/o oil fillets and it came with set screws. Make sure after drilling out the ball and taping for set screws you put lock tight on the set screws. You don't want those coming loose.

 

[BogusSVO]

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I will agree, remove the balls and get the crud out.

 

[636chris]

Please do not clean engine parts after machining with brake kleen it does not work well enough . Im currently in my 4th month in machine shop for high performance apps. and the only thing we use is soap and water (yes dawn dish soap works).