Steel Crankshaft Elan

[gino1]

Hi all,
I've recently bought the bottom end of a big valve engine and from the photos i've found in one of the Lotus books I have it appears that the crankshaft is the steel type with double webbing.
Anyone know anything about this matter?
Did the later Big-Valve engines have a standard cast iron shaft with double webbing fitted that resembled the steel version?
How can I tell that the crankshaft is steel or cast iron?
Anyone got any photos.
Would appreciate to hear from you.
Thanks
Gino - Italy

[steve]

take a look on burtons website ,its easy if you know what to look for ,the webs on a steel crank are double webs and are equal lenths and are matched not like the standard crank they are also flat tapered instead of having a heal on it ,the finish on the steel crank is grey and smooth the standard crank is textured and black hope this helps , :blink: hail to the rabbi

[gino1]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your reply. I've been on the web site you have suggested but the photograph is repeated on every model represented.
However i'm still in the dark as the crankshaft is double webbed therefore does this mean it's steel?
They are also matched webs and are tapered on the external part.
The colour is however dark.

I would appreciate any other remarks you may have on this topic.

During the weekend i shall see if there are any identification marks to help this enigma.

Cheers

Gino - S3 Elan - Italy

[rgh0]

Gino

Any double webbed crank, by which I presume you mean, 8 counterweight crank is almost certainly steel. 4 counterweight cranks may be Cast Iron or Steel if machined up from the Datsun crank but to my knowledge no one ever made a 8 counterweight cast iron crank for the Ford block.

All orginal Lotus twin cams in production cars used the 4 counterweight cast iron crank.

Can you post a photo of your crank and someone knowledgeable in these may be able to identify its source.

Rohan

[gino1]

Thanks Rohan,
I shall post some photos next week.

Gino - Italy