Ohio Crankshaft race prepped block.

[splitdecision71]

I have seen threads about a lot of unhappy customers with Ohio Crankshaft and some of their products. That being said I am in need of a block. Mine has cracked and the have a Motown and Dart that I'm considering as a replacement. I need if finished and ready to go. Has anyone been down this road and had any issues. I know the old adage you get what you pay for but $670 dollars cheaper than all others is substantial. Especially to a guy like me!!

[Roundybout]

I wouldn't be concerned with the quality of the block be it the Dart SHP or the Motown. It's the machining that can come into play. They seem to offer a menu of options, as an example torque plate honed and cam bearings installed for an extra $250 and so on. Personally if you can get an unfinished block cheapest from them and have your machinist machine everything to tolerance with the parts your using would be best.

Being $675 cheaper is cutting corners or making it up somewhere. No one is giving that kind of labor, parts or whatever away. Now if the bare block unmachined is that much cheaper than anyone else you'd be miles and piece of mind ahead to grab one and get it spec'd to the parts your using.

[splitdecision71]

I wouldn't be concerned with the quality of the block be it the Dart SHP or the Motown. It's the machining that can come into play. They seem to offer a menu of options, as an example torque plate honed and cam bearings installed for an extra $250 and so on. Personally if you can get an unfinished block cheapest from them and have your machinist machine everything to tolerance with the parts your using would be best.

Being $675 cheaper is cutting corners or making it up somewhere. No one is giving that kind of labor, parts or whatever away. Now if the bare block unmachined is that much cheaper than anyone else you'd be miles and piece of mind ahead to grab one and get it spec'd to the parts your using.

That was my question. Im questioning the machine work. They are going to machine to my specs and ship to me. If you look at the website the motown block is on there for $2295 decked @ .010, bored from your choice 4.000 to 4.20 cleaned and plugs, freeze plugs, and cam bearings installed. Shipping to me is $175 dollars so it brought the total to $2470 I haven't found anyone under $3140. Now, every one is having to have some one else do the machine work because they arent equipped to do in house so I understand that. But still there is $670 dollars difference between two best quotes and it has me a little gun shy.

PS. they are not charging me sales tax where others were so that is roughly $220 dollars of it.

[ProPower engines]

It may also come down to the machining center they are using as well.

If it's all CNC then there is still a bit of line honing and finish honing for the bores to be done.
Lifter bores can be bored and not honed which is more money but I would pick up the phone and have a talk with
them regarding the equipment being used. regular old school equipment where a different machine is used for each operation eats time and add's extra cost compared to a CNC machined block.

I feel there should be a charge for each machining operation regardless of what is used but a CNC has a single set up
compared to 3-4 on std. machines.
I have seen that up here as well where a fully machined block is cheaper then doing it in house in some cases but it
still needs to be checked regardless unless its of known quality.

[6.50camaro]

If the companys you have got guotes from are not doing the machine work in house but subbing out . They are going to be putting a mark up on what ever they pay for the machine work. Ohio crank on the other hand is doing the work in house and is not adding middle man profit to the machine work. Plus they are not charging sales tax . This could be the case . Not that there work is inferior just because its cheaper . Dan

[Dave Koehler]

The OP wants feedback on quality but did not say where his original block came from.
No way to compare Ohio which is likely a step up to anyone else.
IF price is actually the main concern then a quality comparison question is best asked in the vacuum of Space.

If you go to Ohio's site and click "about" you can see all their equipment. Looks like both cnc and manual machines.
http://ohiocrank.com/shop-tour/

I would ask what "decked .010" actually means.
It does not sound the same as "decked to blueprint" deck height or any other specific height.
Sounds more like "we just clean and square up" the surface.

[splitdecision71]

If the companys you have got guotes from are not doing the machine work in house but subbing out . They are going to be putting a mark up on what ever they pay for the machine work. Ohio crank on the other hand is doing the work in house and is not adding middle man profit to the machine work. Plus they are not charging sales tax . This could be the case . Not that there work is inferior just because its cheaper . Dan

Thanks for the input!

[splitdecision71]

The OP wants feedback on quality but did not say where his original block came from.
No way to compare Ohio which is likely a step up to anyone else.
IF price is actually the main concern then a quality comparison question is best asked in the vacuum of Space.

If you go to Ohio's site and click "about" you can see all their equipment. Looks like both cnc and manual machines.
http://ohiocrank.com/shop-tour/

I would ask what "decked .010" actually means.
It does not sound the same as "decked to blueprint" deck height or any other specific height.
Sounds more like "we just clean and square up" the surface.

Thanks for the input, I will ask a lot of questions when I call them again. I wish price wasn't a concern for me but it is. My original block is a stock 509 casting block. I had two harmonic dampeners come apart which I am fairly certain aided in my block failure. Not ever messing with that company or a stock block again. Lesson learned.

[Dave Koehler]

Yup, anything will be a huge step up from where you were.
I think some of us can guess which H balancers you are messing with if they were aftermarket.

[jake197000]

are there counterfit dart blocks and such out there ?

[jake197000]

are there counterfit dart blocks and such out there?

[Keith Morganstein]

I can’t comment on Ohio Crankshaft work quality.

I think it’s important to know what you’re getting for your money (besides the block)

From the link above, I copied and pasted the operations you should be asking about.

Machine work that is done to all Dart and Bowtie blocks, machined as follows –

– Main housing bores chamfered
– Freeze plug holes and rear cam hole are chamfered
– Line honed to at least the middle of the spec or high side if needed
– Decked to your dimension
– Bore to your spec
– Plate honed using the same gasket and hardware that will be used in the end build
– Lifter bores checked and honed to the lifters that will be used in the end build
– Top of lifter bores chamfered
– Bottom of the cylinders chamfered
– Tap oil galley holes deeper
– Stroker clearance pan rail only
– Chamfer Distributor hole for O rings
– Cleaned ready to go

[Racer71]

I’ve had them do crank work for me and was always satisfied. They’re somewhat local about hour and 25 mins away. The people I know that use them have been happy. That’s a big $$ difference though for sure. The shop that did my ex-cup ford motors for me was always a decent bit cheaper than some of the box stores on dart blocks somehow as well.

[splitdecision71]

I can’t comment on Ohio Crankshaft work quality.

I think it’s important to know what you’re getting for your money (besides the block)

From the link above, I copied and pasted the operations you should be asking about.

Machine work that is done to all Dart and Bowtie blocks, machined as follows –

– Main housing bores chamfered
– Freeze plug holes and rear cam hole are chamfered
– Line honed to at least the middle of the spec or high side if needed
– Decked to your dimension
– Bore to your spec
– Plate honed using the same gasket and hardware that will be used in the end build
– Lifter bores checked and honed to the lifters that will be used in the end build
– Top of lifter bores chamfered
– Bottom of the cylinders chamfered
– Tap oil galley holes deeper
– Stroker clearance pan rail only
– Chamfer Distributor hole for O rings
– Cleaned ready to go

Thank you!

[splitdecision71]

I’ve had them do crank work for me and was always satisfied. They’re somewhat local about hour and 25 mins away. The people I know that use them have been happy. That’s a big $$ difference though for sure. The shop that did my ex-cup ford motors for me was always a decent bit cheaper than some of the box stores on dart blocks somehow as well.

Thank you!