Enco gray iron

[Phelonius]

I intend using it to make a crankshaft for a 4 cylinder steam-compressed air engine.
Any comments about it? Bore 5/8" stroke 3/4"
What about rings?

Phelonius

 

[GailInNM]

Phelonius,
I have used it for cylinders, cylinder liners, lapped pistons and rings. It has worked well for all of them.

Price is a little higher than some of the other suppliers, but using the free shipping promo codes it comes out as the least expensive for me.

Gail in NM,USA

 

[bentprop]

AFAIK,iron is not usually used for crankshafts,as it's considered too soft.
I don't know though,it may be ok in a model engine.

 

[rleete]

The crank in my PM Research Coke Bottle Engine is iron. No idea what grade.

 

[deere_x475guy]

I have been wondering the same thing about it. Maybe I will have them add it to my next order.

 

[GailInNM]

AFAIK,iron is not usually used for crankshafts,as it's considered too soft.
I don't know though,it may be ok in a model engine.

I think that most automotive engines used cast iron crankshafts on their standard performance models. Some times the crank pins and journals were induction hardened on them. The cast iron cranks had better vibration dampening than the forged steel cranks. The biggest problem was fatigue failure at the ends of the crank pins. That was solved by a rather generous radius between the throw and the crank pin. I know that most small block Chevy and Ford engines were cast iron. As I recall, they mostly used class 65 to 80 of cast ironfor them.

The Enco, and most other easy available, iron is class 40, but I think it would be suitable for most model engines that will not be highly loaded. I have not used it for a crankshaft.

Gail in NM,USA

 

[rklopp]

Automotive cranks, if cast iron, are ductile iron, not gray iron.