New crank cracked?

[Dave Koehler]

There ya go! How soon we forget.

[1972ho]

Here is a good example of a crank someone needs advice on,351 cleveland crank.

[Dave Koehler]

welded journal. Always tough call on whether it's a real crack or a weld void / overlap.
Even a nicely welded cranks looks like doo doo under the black light.

[AC sports]

Here are some closer pix. Best I can do.
May actually be forging void as suggested.
Safe to run?

[miniv8]

I'd run that, yeah.
Looks very much like a casting/machining overlap, and its on the backside anyways.
If the ocd kicks in hard just have it ground.

[GRTfast]

That is a forging void.

I tend to agree with this. Especially considering it's in line with the forging seam. When I've seen cracks like in the pic Scotty posted, they were caused from heat, just like cracks in the face of a flywheel. I've tried to grind them out but rarely do they go away with a minimal grind. Since the crank is new, it hasn't been subject to any trauma. I think it just didn't clean up completely from the rough forging when it was ground.

If so, is the crank usable for high performance ? Grind it undersize to try and clean it up?

I wouldn't use it without cleaning it up. Any surface discontinuity is a stress riser. It will probably be fine, but I tend to err on the side of caution if given the option.

[MadBill]

Cracks don't stop and re-start as in the first of the close up pix. I bet the crank rings vs. thuds if it's hung on a wire and tapped with a hammer.
Also, it's in a low stress region. I run it with no worries.

[Dan Timberlake]

For OP, not RE: that nasty-*ss welded crank.

I agree the "seam" is not in the worst orientation, and assume it does truly not extend into the fillet/radius, although visual is not the best way to ascertain that.

Is this build it and forget it?

Or, is the pan going to come off several times a year for inspection, so the crack/seam could dye penetrant tested to monitor "progess?"

[AC sports]

Ideally I don't want to touch it after building but I won't sleep easy. It does continue into the radius which is why I'm concerned. Even if it's a welding void, surely it can't be good in the radius. Barely visible there...but nonetheless.

[Dave Koehler]

Ideally I don't want to touch it after building but I won't sleep easy. It does continue into the radius which is why I'm concerned. Even if it's a welding void, surely it can't be good in the radius. Barely visible there...but nonetheless.

uhhh, wait a minute. After all this you still haven't had it tested? That's on you.

[AC sports]

Nowhere local to test it unfortunately , hence my post asking for opinions.

[Dave Koehler]

OK, but you have been shown how to check it yourself via 2 or 3 methods, ranging from free to not real expensive. Become that guy.