230 Crankshaft source

[etzmolch]

Can anybody tell me where I can find a good usd crankshaft for a 230 Dodge Engine with fluid drive? My was grinded to the last possible value and can't be used any further.

 

Thanks 

Andre

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have no clue if the folks in Turkey are still in operation or not but they were selling tons of vintage Mopar parts at one time.  While mentioned here many times, seems there is no concrete link to them or their e-bay listing and I even tried the E-bay Turkey in country site...my searches did not do much but from your side of the pond you may get lucky.  VPW could be a source but initial cost, shipping and customs could place you well over the top quick...good luck...you may be in for a long drawn out process.  Our new classifieds are now active, suggest a wanted ad placed there.....

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, etzmolch said:

Can anybody tell me where I can find a good usd crankshaft for a 230 Dodge Engine with fluid drive? My was grinded to the last possible value and can't be used any further.

 

Thanks 

Andre

Check your local automotive machine shops until you find one that rebuilds crankshafts. They do this by building the journals up with welds,and then grinding them back down to stock OD's. Rebuilding a 230 crank this way is no different than rebuilding a crank for a new Mercedes this way,so it should be no problem as long as you give them the stock main and rod OD's.

 

And yes,straightening and balancing them is a part of the process.

 

Why buy a used crank that MIGHT have to be straightened and ground undersize,when you can just get yours rebuild to new specs for probably less money and a lot less time when you consider shipping?

 

If worse comes to worse you can ship your crank to Power Engineering in Denver,Colorado  and have them do it. I used to work there myself back in the 70's,and know for a fact they ship internationally.

 

Still,it is best,cheapest,and quickest to have it done locally if possible. There is nothing high-tech or mysterious about it.

[Andydodge]

I would also suggest trying to find a crankshaft repair shop locally......there MUST be someone in Germany, France, Poland, England who does this work and would surely be cheaper than trying to source a crank in the USA and then paying for the freight............have you guys that are in Germany thought about banding together to swap ideas, suggestions, info as it maybe beneficial.........regards from Oz.......Andy Douglas

[plymouthcranbrook]

You might PM this member as I believe he is in either Holland or Germany.    I tried member search but apparently it is not working.  His name is Go Fleiter  He might know of someone.

Edited August 14, 2018 by plymouthcranbrook

[dpollo]

Go is in Dusseldorf  has a 51 Plymouth convertible and often contributes to the Old Plymouth forum

[etzmolch]

Thanks guys for all of the suggestions. I am aware about the high shipping cost and the possibility to get a scrap crankshaft. I did also check some companies who are able to build up the journals by welding but all said me the risk is on my side because they don't know the material composition of the crankshaft. 

Will investigate further to see what is possible. 

The engine was rebuilt in a "professional" workshop. After high oil consumption I decided to remove the head and the surprise: I didn't find any honed cylinder walls (after ~2500mls), honed surface completely gone. 

Contacted the workshop, they removed one connecting rod and the connecting rod journal is rutted.  Unfortunately the crankshaft was grinded to the last possible value. 

First answer from them.: Engine got dust... I ask how dust can enter the engine? After a lot of discussion I made an oil analysis. Really less silicate was found but a lot of metal residues.

Now the components, I bought are the problem, or the wrong oil or, or....  They did all right. I did wrong.  Still in "fight" with them...

[Andydodge]

Etmolch...........I know that what I am going to say is probably not much use or help at present but I have been thru this before myself..........in 1972 I had started work, in a well paying job, I was 18, I had bought the 1940 Dodge sedan originally as a parts car for the 1940 Dodge Coupe I had.......however I decided to "restore" it and checked around and found a guy who was supposed to be the best professional engine reconditioner in Sydney..........so I dropped off the engine, a few weeks later I picked it up as a "long" engine, ie, with the sump and cylinder head already bolted on.........with new pistons, rings, all bearings, crank and cam ground, new timing chain, seals and gaskets....a NEW engine....so I bolted it back in with the new carby, etc, etc............after about 800 miles I noticed that the rear main was leaking...........so I dropped the sump and found machining swarf and metal filings in the sump.....I pulled the rear main to check the bearing condition and the found the bearings were buggered, scored and the crank needing regrinding.............I rang this shiheaded turd who reco'd the engine.....NAH.............not my fault says he.............this taught me a valuable lesson...............trust nobody and believe no one........I then decided that the car was getting hot rodded so I bought a 318 V8 Poly powered Australian Chrysler and pulled the engine gearbox, diff etc and installed them in the 1940 Dodge................I had not done this before and was just turned 19..........after getting the car mobile again and using it I decided that the 318 Poly needed rebuilding..............so I pulled it out, took it to another engine reconditioning place and told them that I would assemble the engine but they could do all the machining as well as a full balancing job, I bought a few more tools, a proper workshop manual, read it and taught myself to assemble an engine ..........that was 45 yrs ago and about 30-40,000 miles and the engine is still running fine................the moral of this story is try to do as much as you possibly can, believe and trust no one.............not only will you stop those bastards that prey on us old car people but you will learn how to fix the car yourself.................have you checked out places that specialise in the military versions of our mopars in the UK as they maybe able to help..............regards, Andy Douglas   

[PT81Jan]

On 8/14/2018 at 2:32 PM, Andydodge said:

........have you guys that are in Germany thought about banding together to swap ideas, suggestions, info as it maybe beneficial.........regards from Oz.......Andy Douglas

 

Hmm, could be done indeed. But we are not many guys here in Germany that know of each other (member map). So the best method for me is to swap questions and answers right HERE in that forum.

Once I see a question from an German / European guy that requires a local info (and I am able to give an answer), I have the chance to step in.

 

Unfortunately I do not have a spare crank, but eventually a really good engine rebuild workshop in our area. Just can`t remember the name, but I will ask a friend who is a professional classic motorcycle engine rebuilder. I am sure he knows the address. Will send a PM to the PO then, if of interest.

Jan

Edited August 16, 2018 by PT81Jan

[Fredrik]

Hi! New member here! I have a partsengine here in Sweden, the crank is there in the block but unknown condition. The block is stamped d24 I think and its connected to a fluidrive. -fredrik

[Cpt.Fred]

sorry, no spare crank here either. i'm going to call a few people and look around, though.

watch ebay and classifieds closely, engines do turn up every once in a while, but getting pricey lately...

 

best of luck to you!

 

Fred

[P15-D24]

10 hours ago, Fredrik said:

Hi! New member here! I have a partsengine here in Sweden, the crank is there in the block but unknown condition. The block is stamped d24 I think and its connected to a fluidrive. -fredrik

 

Both you guys show get the forge number of the crank so you can verify it will work. If you post them I will check Hollanders to make sure they interchange. 

[etzmolch]

Thanks guys for your offers. This will help no question. Fortunately I bought last year a complete drive unit from a forum member from Sweden. (Was a really nice trip btw.) 

So at least did not see the car in the garage only. Swapped the engine and can drive this summer. But the other was the original one (same number as on the chassis) and I want this one back in the car.

 

@Andy 

You are absolutely right, trust nobody. Unfortunately the plan from the beginning was to let the workshop do all the machining and assemble the engine my self. The opportunity I have....

So wrong decision I made at this point... But I thought when they do I can focus to all the other things. 

Will not happen again.

 

Regards Andre

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, etzmolch said:

@Andy 

You are absolutely right, trust nobody. Unfortunately the plan from the beginning was to let the workshop do all the machining and assemble the engine my self. The opportunity I have....

So wrong decision I made at this point... But I thought when they do I can focus to all the other things. 

Will not happen again.

 

Regards Andre

Well,it doesn't always end that way. The thing you need to do is look for local car clubs,or at least clubs "local" enough you can go to their shows or runs occasionally to meet and talk with people who also own and drive old American cars. Meet a few people and ask them who did their engine work and who they would recommend to do yours.

Try to avoid mass re-manufacturers of modern engines for businesses if you can because  there are "quirks" to old designs they won't know about.

 

And since you already have another engine in your car but want to rebuild the original to put back in there,I will give you the same advise I give to new American owners of old cars. Contact vocational/technical schools in your area,find one that has an automotive machine shop course,and enroll in those classes and rebuild it yourself under supervision. Yeah,that will take longer than just dropping it off for someone else to build,but you don't need it right away and you won't be able to put a price on the pride you will get from doing it yourself.