A Break like No Other!

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PETROLHEAD
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A Break like No Other!

Post by PETROLHEAD »

Ever seen a crank break right across the web before?


I hadn't until unearthing this bust motor and investigating the crank pulley wobbling about in the breeze!


Weird thing is that nothing else appears damaged, at all, so i suspect it broke upon starting up or turning over rather than when running at any engine speed.
2015-12-17 16.54.46.jpg
2015-12-17 16.54.32.jpg
SHREW

I AM the Law!


Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 ie, Giulietta QV, 159 ti Sportwagon, Daihatsu Charade Turbo SR

alfachris
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by alfachris »

My alfa 33 broke the crack like that then in was about four years old with 69k on it and alfa rebuilt it. I've got a pic somewhere

alfasuddriver
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by alfasuddriver »

alfachris wrote:My alfa 33 broke the crack like that then in was about four years old with 69k on it and alfa rebuilt it. I've got a pic somewhere
Funny you should mention that Chris as I showed the above picture to my Dad who used to sell new Alfas in the 80's. He said he's replaced perhaps 4 cranks that have cracked, the last one being a Sprint 1.5 Greencloverleaf that was about 4 years old. He said it's always 'journal' number 2. The car will still run but it knocks.Strange, perhaps a casting fault?

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PETROLHEAD
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by PETROLHEAD »

What are you all doing? I've never broke anything like that! :lol:
SHREW

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Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 ie, Giulietta QV, 159 ti Sportwagon, Daihatsu Charade Turbo SR

Alfasixnut
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by Alfasixnut »

I had an "A" series crank break across the web at the flywheel end.
I was in my Frogeye Sprite going on holiday and it started knocking between Penzance and Lands End so I returned to Penzance and spent a day on my back in a gravel car park. I checked the top end - all ok so decided to drop the sump, pulled the big end shells, hitching to Redruth and return, to get new shells. I then washed as best I could in the sea, stayed in a B & B (making the pillow filthy despite 3 hair washes). Then I put it back together and started it up - it still knocked.....so I went surfing for three days and tried to nurse it home........gave up in Cambourne, spent a day in a garage - pulled the Sprite engine out and apart to find the two piece crank!! then getting a SH crank out of a scrap engine and putting it in the Sprite. :roll:
Last edited by Alfasixnut on Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PETROLHEAD
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by PETROLHEAD »

Now thats motoring with "Character!" :D

Well done Phil, regardless of catastrophy, do you think that time of your life could have been much better :?:
SHREW

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Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 ie, Giulietta QV, 159 ti Sportwagon, Daihatsu Charade Turbo SR

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902a
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by 902a »

Nürburgring 2009, 1700 8V...

Image

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PETROLHEAD
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by PETROLHEAD »

Wow!

Thats an identical break that is.

Did you find a reason or was it simply fatigue failure?
SHREW

I AM the Law!


Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 ie, Giulietta QV, 159 ti Sportwagon, Daihatsu Charade Turbo SR

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902a
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by 902a »

I guess, the vibrations compared to 16V worse guided timing belts at high revs are the cause of the crank breaks at the 8V .
I've never heard of a broken 16V crank ..

Ali

alfachris
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Re: A Break like No Other!

Post by alfachris »

Found the photos of the broken crank at 68500 miles in June 95
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WP_20160206_12_28_51_Pro.jpg

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