Technical Drill and tap the crank on a 283??

Thought I'd ask your opinion, the 283 crankshaft hub is is press fit, no retaining bolt. I've had a few but never worried about it. Should i be now or just carry on as usual? Only accessories are the water pump and alternator.

 

If it's a stockish engine, no AC or PS, I would not bother.

 

You really going to “bore” us with such a question.

 

I read that wrong, i thought "what the fuck is a Scottish engine " yeah it's .030 over, original heads that have been redone, small camshaft, 4bbl, e.t.c.

 

Hey you're the one that was bored enough to click on it

 

GM didn’t feel it was necessary and your only running water pump and alternator so it’s probably fine BUTT I always tapped the crank so I could draw the balancer on with the correct installation tool.

 

I had a 307 than I ran over 25 years. No crank bolt with long water pump and power steering. Never had an issue.

 

I had my 261 drilled and tapped for a SBC crank bolt when I got it built.

Was it necessary? Probably most likely not.
But for what it cost at the time, ( nothing as my machinist was going through the rebuild anyways ) why the heck not.

 

Yeah this is a 1963 and it had never been rebuilt, so it wasn't a problem. I's making sure i wasn't making a mistake by leaving it alone

 

I had a forged 283 crankshaft drilled and tapped for a damper bolt, while having it checked out and polished, maybe turned .010/.010 as well (can't remember). Seemed like a good time to do it. Not a stock rebuild.

 

I suppose if the crank is just sitting there, on a table doing nothing and you can drill and tap it easily, Why not? It'll help installing the hub and it is not hurting anything.

 

Motor is together, started to put the hub on and thought about it, so i figured I'd see what my buddies thought

 

A friend of mine always had a saying when showing some new whatever mod.
He would say "looks easy", same with d&t a crank, easy to f#@k it up.
Some sort of centering sleeve or pilot should be incorporated to ensure the drill continues to go straight and not rely solely on the factory center in the crank nose.
Sure, many have done it, some successful, some not so much.

 

If the engine is not in the car you could drill and tap it yourself. I’ve done it by making a quickie drill guide out of tubing and washers.

 

I'm curious. How are you supposed to install the hub without the center being tapped. You say it's a press fit. What do you do, heat it a bit, smack it on with a hammer?

 

Are you crazy man!?! That's caveman stuff.... you put a piece of 2X4 between the hub and the hammer

 

With the cost of lumber these days you should take better care of your 2x4's. Hows about a log or something similar?

 

That's true! Never thought about that!

 

the 55 chevy shop manual shows a big hammer and a driver, that fits the center of the damper.

The 66 chevy shop manual shows a similar tool, but it has a fancy gizmo that captures the outer ring, to keep it moving with the center hub.

But a 2x4 works great, been doing it that way for 45 years, no problems.....on those engines that don't come with a bolt hole. I use the screw type installer on those that do have a threaded hole.

 

Deep down in my memory bank I seem to remember tapping one on with a hammer and with every blow I thought about how wrong it felt to be doing it.

 

I'll beat that thing on there Tuesday, gotta swing by and get one of them Mahle repair sleeves for the hub, it's got a pretty good groove in it.

 

It's against the law to beat on a harmonic balancer, but that little crank hub is just asking for it

 

Lets get grandpa to hit it a couple of times. He can do it. Come on grandpa, quit dropping the hammer

 

I can see some slapping themselves on the forehead and thinking ,,,,are they really gonna beat that on there ?
I’ll bet you,,(Lloyd ),,,,and squirrel will be the topic of a pretty serious conversation in the right corners,,,,,and it won’t be pleasant !
I’m certain PM s are being sent right now,,,,,can’t y’all feel your ears burning ?

I’ve always been run down by the naysayers,,,,and the upper crust ,,,shall we say,,,,LoL .
To be honest,,,,sometimes you just do what is necessary and go on .
I have done it,,,,,not in a long time .
Everyone I’ve done I just went ahead and drilled it and tapped the threads .
Maybe I was just lucky ,,,,LoL .

Tommy

 

Just use a large hammer with little taps and certainly do it late at night when nobody else is around to watch you.

 

well...it was good enough for Chevy, it's good enough for me.

 

Tommy I've seen so many of them rebuilt, and none of them were drilled. Like squirrel said, even the shop manual shows em installed with a hammer. Only issue i have with it personally is the thrust bearing.

 

the thrust bearing is pretty big on those things...several square inches...very low stress on it. Especially when you consider the inertia of the crankshaft, and the fact that it gets seated against the thrust surface the first blow, and there's a film of oil to cushion it...

 

But wait Jim,,,,,that was in the old days ,,,,,those morons at GM didn’t have the slightest clue what they were doing .
By printing that article,,,,they are responsible for the moral decay of society !
Can you imagine how many delinquent teenagers grew up into being hot rodders because of this,,,,,we ,,,,I’m ,,,,well it,,,,,what did they ,,,,,!
Oh well,,,,never mind,,,,LoL .

Tommy

 

I always hammer them with a block when no crank bolt/hole isn’t there.