Fixing Crank Keyway

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landcruiser80

landcruiser80

10 Year
Joined
Oct 28, 2013
Threads
33
Messages
446
Location
North Okanagan
Hey all. I am in the middle of a rebuild on a 1982 2f engine and I have discovered that the crank keyway is in really bad shape. I have searched and read some threads where @Mark W has recommended brazing the key in and fixing it that way. The crankshaft is at the machine shop right now, so I can't get any pictures but here is one I took while disassembling the engine.

It is hard to see, but you can tell that the keyway is worn.
Jan 23-24 weekend 2fe progress 015.webp

I think it may be to worn to fix using the brazing method. What I need is suggestions from experienced people on how to fix this as replacing the crankshaft is not an option right now...
Could I have the machine shop cut a keyway on the other side of the crank, or is that a bad idea?
@FJ40Jim , @Poser , @65swb45 , @Trollhole or anybody else?

I will be stopping by the machine shop tomorrow to look at the crank, get sugestions, and tell them what I want done. Over the phone the machinist said it was not fixable...
 
Yes you could machine the keyway into the other side of the crank.
 
Other than cost, nope..
 
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OK, I thought I would close this thread like this. I don't like it when people ask questions without searching first, and even though I did search, I was sure this had been discussed before. So I spent some quality time with search and tried out different keywords and came up with these different threads discussing this issue and different ways to fix it.

In the interest of connecting parts of this vast web we call the internet, here are the links to those threads for others to find when searching this issue in the future.
crank (woodruff) keyway trashed -- to braze or not to braze?
Crank Keyway is TWEAKED!
Crankshaft and Harmonic Balancer Repair
2F rebuild stumbling block: crank/balancer keyway
Crank Pulley Damaged - Rebuild or Diesel Swap?
 
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What would be wrong with just having the machine shop cut the original keyway groove, bigger? They can machine the crank and balancer to match a larger key.
 
Replace the crankshaft.

Do it now, or waste a bunch of money on an engine build, only to have to spend a bunch more later, doing then, what you should have done now.

:beer:
 
Further, look at the end of that crank!

The balancer has been loose on there and hammering the end of the crank for a long time...

That crankshaft is not something I would spend a penny on trying to fix, and certainly is not something I would use in a rebuild I wanted to last for any length of time.

:beer:
 
I suspect Poser is right - there's more wrong with that crank than meets the eye. And if it fails at 2500 RPM, you won't like the result.
 
landcruiser80 said:
I think it may be to worn to fix using the brazing method. What I need is suggestions from experienced people on how to fix this as replacing the crankshaft is not an option right now...


Over the phone the machinist said it was not fixable...
Click to expand...

Poser and your machine shop are right. Could you weld the crank and machine it down. Sure. It will warp and fail down the road. You will have also spent more money than sourcing another crank or motor.

Why is replacing the crankshaft not an option?

Honestly I'd punt that turd down the road and look for a rebuildable or used late model 2f.
 
So, why would a re-welded and reground crank warp and fail down the road? this is not a braze, it's a full weld and recenter. I've seen a couple cranks where the main/rod journals had metal rewelded so that they could meet spec again. Heck, welding on VW bug cranks to balance them is very common with no ill effects.

BTW, I am certainly on the side of "replace it" instead of fixing it..
 
Hmm, ok switching gears here. I did some looking around and I can't find the melling or sealed power full metal cam gear anywhere. Do they make them still? If so, where are you fellows sourcing them?

I can get an ITM (Junk?) 50060 gear. If I don't end up getting a quality cam gear, what do you guys think would be worse. Reusing the stock cam gear, or using the ITM gear?
 
Mace said:
So, why would a re-welded and reground crank warp and fail down the road? this is not a braze, it's a full weld and recenter. I've seen a couple cranks where the main/rod journals had metal rewelded so that they could meet spec again. Heck, welding on VW bug cranks to balance them is very common with no ill effects.

BTW, I am certainly on the side of "replace it" instead of fixing it..
Click to expand...


Just not a fan of heating the front lobe area of an F crank as they are already prone to breaking right behind the first main. Hell you can warp a 2f crank just by laying it on the ground horizontal.
 
Just an update, I had a new keyway cut on the other side of the crank and I just left the wrecked one alone. I also bought a new 2f cam gear from Toyota.
 
So, for the curious who may decide to venture down this rabbit hole one day, and find this thread in THEIR search, why don't you post what this 'fix' cost, as well as an odometer reading you can come back to periodically.;)
 
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