Mike, I found this thread from the link you posted on ModFords looking for interest.
It has been about six years since Brian (03SVTCobra10th) originated this project. As you and others may already know it was completed about a year later by John (WS6JJP) after Brian became ill.
In the years that have passed we have found better less expensive entry level fixes for the average enthusiast. The most cost effective was the crank snout stud. The crank is drilled and tapped for a high strength ARP stud that anchors back by the #1 main bearing. The stud is 9/16 and made from a substantially better steel than the grade 10.9 OEM fasteners. When tightened to its 180 ft/lb spec the 8740 version of the stud will clamp the hardware on the front go the crank together with a 24,000 lb squeeze which approximates 3x the OEM fastener. This is a picture of the stud in the crank just after drilling and tapping,
While no solution is bullet proof this one has performed well over the years with no reported snout failures. It requires an $8 stud from ARP and corresponding washer and nut that puts the cost of parts just under $25.
The biggest problem with the OEM lower, other than deterioration, is ability to use aftermarket lowers like Metco and others offer. With the use of the studded crank the standard Metco lower hub works well and allows the use of interchangeable pulleys.
For those who operate their engines at a much higher performance level than the average street enthusiast (read racer) the next step up uses a custom BHJ damper fitted with a custom lower hub that accepts Metco lowers and also an industry standard drive for an external wet sump oil pump. This two main parts in this solution are the damper and the hub. This is the damper,
This is the hub,
This is both assembled with the external wet sump drive, they are robust.
The foundation for each of these is the 9/16 ARP crank stud. The stud is important because it removes a tensile loading from the snout that along with the undercut fillet at the first journal transition on the snout is the instigator for snout breakage. The stud removes the tensile loading and replaces it with a massive compressive load to secure all the hardware on the front of the crank.
There is one final step beyond this and although it looks similar it uses a custom crank with a 1.400" snout instead of the 1.25" OEM snout. The snout is lengthened 0.700 inches. the reason for th length increase is the stock crank has a press fit length of 0.7" for a 1.25" diameter. This crank uses a 1.4 inch press fit length for a 1.4 inch diameter. In the center of the snout is a 5/8" stud that gets torqued to 240 ft/lbs with an equally massive clamping force. The BHJ damper can be upgraded to work with the larger snout and the lower hub works with either equally well.
This is a picture of a crank with the extended length 1.400" snout and the 5/8" stud hole,
This crank is made out of a Timken Super Steel that is fatigue and strength-wise superior to vacuum remelt 4340 or 300M steel as it is called by the marketing guys. Notice the size of the snout compared to #1 Main bearing.
No matter which of these or other solutions you may pursue you absolutely must replace the stock Ford woodruff key with a tool steel square key. The stock key looks like a piece of a dime you cut off with shears and then attached long thin extensions to each end to gain extra width the dime did not have. It is those extended ends that are torn off first and then the remainder of the mild steel key rolls over gouging your crank snout and damper.
Be sure to have your cranks cut for 3/16 inch square keys and only use tool steel keys (available at Grainger) — no matter what solution you pursue. BTW if you are interested in additional detail there is more information available about how to build these different protections. It is in on ModFords in the 03/04 SVT Cobra Forum in the Terminator Table of Contents (TT0C) at the top of the forum. Go into the Engine section and look for Crank Tech I and Crank Tech II.
Ed
It has been about six years since Brian (03SVTCobra10th) originated this project. As you and others may already know it was completed about a year later by John (WS6JJP) after Brian became ill.
In the years that have passed we have found better less expensive entry level fixes for the average enthusiast. The most cost effective was the crank snout stud. The crank is drilled and tapped for a high strength ARP stud that anchors back by the #1 main bearing. The stud is 9/16 and made from a substantially better steel than the grade 10.9 OEM fasteners. When tightened to its 180 ft/lb spec the 8740 version of the stud will clamp the hardware on the front go the crank together with a 24,000 lb squeeze which approximates 3x the OEM fastener. This is a picture of the stud in the crank just after drilling and tapping,
While no solution is bullet proof this one has performed well over the years with no reported snout failures. It requires an $8 stud from ARP and corresponding washer and nut that puts the cost of parts just under $25.
The biggest problem with the OEM lower, other than deterioration, is ability to use aftermarket lowers like Metco and others offer. With the use of the studded crank the standard Metco lower hub works well and allows the use of interchangeable pulleys.
For those who operate their engines at a much higher performance level than the average street enthusiast (read racer) the next step up uses a custom BHJ damper fitted with a custom lower hub that accepts Metco lowers and also an industry standard drive for an external wet sump oil pump. This two main parts in this solution are the damper and the hub. This is the damper,
This is the hub,
This is both assembled with the external wet sump drive, they are robust.
The foundation for each of these is the 9/16 ARP crank stud. The stud is important because it removes a tensile loading from the snout that along with the undercut fillet at the first journal transition on the snout is the instigator for snout breakage. The stud removes the tensile loading and replaces it with a massive compressive load to secure all the hardware on the front of the crank.
There is one final step beyond this and although it looks similar it uses a custom crank with a 1.400" snout instead of the 1.25" OEM snout. The snout is lengthened 0.700 inches. the reason for th length increase is the stock crank has a press fit length of 0.7" for a 1.25" diameter. This crank uses a 1.4 inch press fit length for a 1.4 inch diameter. In the center of the snout is a 5/8" stud that gets torqued to 240 ft/lbs with an equally massive clamping force. The BHJ damper can be upgraded to work with the larger snout and the lower hub works with either equally well.
This is a picture of a crank with the extended length 1.400" snout and the 5/8" stud hole,
This crank is made out of a Timken Super Steel that is fatigue and strength-wise superior to vacuum remelt 4340 or 300M steel as it is called by the marketing guys. Notice the size of the snout compared to #1 Main bearing.
No matter which of these or other solutions you may pursue you absolutely must replace the stock Ford woodruff key with a tool steel square key. The stock key looks like a piece of a dime you cut off with shears and then attached long thin extensions to each end to gain extra width the dime did not have. It is those extended ends that are torn off first and then the remainder of the mild steel key rolls over gouging your crank snout and damper.
Be sure to have your cranks cut for 3/16 inch square keys and only use tool steel keys (available at Grainger) — no matter what solution you pursue. BTW if you are interested in additional detail there is more information available about how to build these different protections. It is in on ModFords in the 03/04 SVT Cobra Forum in the Terminator Table of Contents (TT0C) at the top of the forum. Go into the Engine section and look for Crank Tech I and Crank Tech II.
Ed