So what would cause this thing to explode?

[MediumD]

Pic attached is (most) of a crank reluctor wheel from my friend's 97 LSC. It doesn't appear to have done much other damage, fortunately. But the question I have is... why would a solid piece of metal that's not load bearing in any way just randomly explode?


Oh, and since we're already at this stage in the project... anybody seen a cheap Cobra manifold for sale?

 

[deadmark8]

ive read of that happening to mustang cobras, i believe its because they are powdered metal....i could be wrong its been a while since ive read about it. if i can find the book ill read it over again and post back

 

[danny_holtermann]

dead mark you are right, I Have a book on modular ford 4v motors and their strong spots and weak spots, this is the weakests spot int the motor, it is made of powdered metal and should be upgraded as soon as that timing cover comes off

 

[CobraStar_LS8]

but is it common???...have many of us experienced that???

 

[jrherald420]

Cobras yes, i dont think that most Mark 8 see the RPMs that Cobras do.

 

[danny_holtermann]

no, but if you have the timing cover off, you might as well repolace it

 

[BAD97LSC]

i throw those away like house trash lol!!

 

[MediumD]

dead mark you are right, I Have a book on modular ford 4v motors and their strong spots and weak spots, this is the weakests spot int the motor, it is made of powdered metal and should be upgraded as soon as that timing cover comes off

Anyone other than Accufab make a replacement? This car does see high RPMs pretty often, and I don't really want to put another powdered metal piece of :q:q:q:q in it.


Edit: I guess MMR does, but that's a pretty expensive piece...

 

[driller]

Has it ever seen an impact wrench on the crank???

 

[MediumD]

Not that we can tell, doesn't look like anything's ever been opened up on this motor. Well, it did just see an impact when we pulled the balancer bolt.

 

[kustomizingkid]

Not too suprising... lots of kinetic energy when it is spinning at 6500rpms....

 

[MediumD]

Yeah, if they can make a timing gear, flex plate, pulleys, crankshaft, etc that actually have outside force acting upon them that DON'T explode... they should be able to make a wheel that does nothing but spin that doesn't explode.

 

[driller]

Well, it did just see an impact when we pulled the balancer bolt.

I hate to see an impact wrench used on the crank. The oil pump is vulnerable to damage as well as the crankshaft sensor ring.

 

[MediumD]

I'd rather impact it off than use any of the other tricks I've heard of so far. If you have a good method, post it up.

 

[kustomizingkid]

I have impacted every crank pulley bolt I have ever removed... if a huge ass bolt going into a giant solid chunk of metal are that weak well... it's :q:q:q:q to begin with.

 

[shiryu0]

i too have also used an impact to get them off, always......putting in them back on is the important part, torque it right and everything..............