my machinist told me a couple years ago that the compstar is an off shore forging,but all the machine work and treating was done by callies.he said they were a cut above in quality over eagle and scat especially when it came to balancing.
Don't bet on it. There's a huge difference between Japanese and Chinese forgings and even then, it depends on the manufacturer. Japanese standards and QC is very similar to ours, but China, Taiwan and Korea are another ballgame altogether. Surely we've all seen crap from China that's sold here claiming to be high quality that turned out to be total junk. Compare that to Honda, Acura and Toyota from Japan. I'm not a big fan of buying anything that's not made here, but we live in a global market economy and don't get to pick and choose like we used to.
Callies, Scat and Eagle routinely test ingredients/materials used in their forgings right at the forge. The quality of the finished product is directly proportional to how strictly guidelines are followed and enforced. They are NOT all the same, even if some are forged at the same forge.
If you want to know how good a crankshaft is, talk to the guys who do the balance and assembly work at a reputable shop - they're the ones who have to drill into 'em and check dimensions. As far as overseas castings go, my guys like Callies, then Scat, then Eagle.
As far as overseas castings go, my guys like Callies, then Scat, then Eagle.
Yep we have had no issues with Compstar what so ever. We will go to the Dragon Slayer or Magnum Xl for special applications. The Scat crank has had some great reviews as well and rivals the Compstar even though it was made to rival the Eagle. We use Scat cranks and Eagle rods for our budget minded customers with great success.
Most of the time you get semi prejudice builders or really just assemblers who will put down any over-sea's products so they can sell what ever domestic they carry but there is more to it than what they tell you as well. ( they cant machine a part is their real issue). They are just an assembler not a real machine shop/engine builder.
We have someone around here who does that. He's just and assembler has all his machine work done for him and if he has to do anything to a rod he cant (he's not a machine shop) and so he calls it junk. And sells the customer Oliver rods instead.
I see it all the time from him. Its called scare tactics and dishonesty. The more expensive stuff is more uniform most of the time and makes things easier for the builder but doesn't mean the part is junk if you have to machine it. Just more work for you the builder.
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We've been also having great results with this crankshaft. We've put together some pretty good packages with them & offer them at very comparable prices to the Eagle stuff!!
Ok So if i was going to cut my damper for the key i just need to do a 3/16 in it
Theirs many dampeners that have a keyway in them, powerbond, SLP etc, pro products SFI dampener could be had for about same price as it would be to machine your factory balancer.
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Theirs many dampeners that have a keyway in them, powerbond, SLP etc, pro products SFI dampener could be had for about same price as it would be to machine your factory balancer.
I went with a Scat crank for my build. My machinst got me a killer dealer and said that the Scat was just about perfectly balanced rigth out of the box. I saved a ton with the Scat over an Eagle and the Callies.
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2001 Pontiac Trans Am WS6, 6-Speed - SCAT 4.00" forged crank, Mahle Pistons, SCAT H-beam rods, 383 cubes, '04 LS6 block, Comp Cams 224/230 cam, LS6 heads, Patriot Gold valve springs. Houston, TX USA
1980 Pontiac Trans Am - Y84 Bandit Edition, WS6 - 455 with #96 heads, 234/244 Wolverine cam, Dynomax headers
2008 Chevrolet HHR-SS. Soon with GMPP Stage 1 kit!
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The more expensive stuff is more uniform most of the time and makes things easier for the builder but doesn't mean the part is junk if you have to machine it. Just more work for you the builder.
So you think its OK to pay for a new part Eagle, Scat or otherwise and have to spend more money to "make it right"??
I wouldn't take an Eagle Crank if it was given to me, we have a machine shop up here that does a lot of high end work. He gets Eagles in here all the time from customers, and 50% of them will require work meaning a regrind to make them straight. If I purchase a crank, I expect it to be at least straight without any taper in the throws.
In that case I would call it JUNK as well! I used a Callies Dragon Slayer and Lunati billet rods in my engine, in earlier SBC apps I used Lunati cranks. Some people love the Eagles thats fine. I can afford the "better" stuff as you refer to the Olivers so that is why I would choose it.
From what I heard you are NOT a machine shop either, HKE builds your engines so in fact you can't do a thing with a rod either
Last edited by Baldturbofreak; 06-02-2009 at 10:24 AM..
So you think its OK to pay for a new part Eagle, Scat or otherwise and have to spend more money to "make it right"??
I wouldn't take an Eagle Crank if it was given to me, we have a machine shop up here that does a lot of high end work. He gets Eagles in here all the time from customers, and 50% of them will require work meaning a regrind to make them straight. If I purchase a crank, I expect it to be at least straight without any taper in the throws.
In that case I would call it JUNK as well! I used a Callies Dragon Slayer and Lunati billet rods in my engine, in earlier SBC apps I used Lunati cranks. Some people love the Eagles thats fine. I can afford the "better" stuff as you refer to the Olivers so that is why I would choose it.
From what I heard you are NOT a machine shop either, HKE builds your engines so in fact you can't do a thing with a rod either
I said we use a Scat crank didnt I
From what you heard?? You mean you cant see in my sig and all my advertising that I sell HKE engines???? Show me where I have ever claimed to assemble or be a machine shop. You cant because I have never but I am in direct contact with on of the most respected builders in the country on a daily if not hourly basis so my information is accurate and direct from the source as best I can relay the info.
Also you don't have your facts right either. Machining the rod is part of the assembly and does not cost extra... unless you (the person doing the building) are just an assembler and have to pay someone to do your machining, then you might push that cost onto the customer but you really shouldn't, it's not the customers fault you cant do your job properly.
Ethics there... we don't charge the customer for what should be done automatically during the build.
Do you buy a house and get charged extra for a bedrooms??!?
As far as your internals choice, thats your choice. You can afford the better stuff but that doesn't mean the less expensive stuff is junk.
Most of these guys cant afford a $1200 rod and $2400 crank and don't need them in the first place.
SO like I said it comes down to the builder and if its a true builder who knows what he's doing it isn't a problem at all and there aren't any added costs.
We build to suite someones budget and application and have a great reputation doing so.
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Compstar crank - what do you think?? 
From what you heard?? You mean you cant see in my sig and all my advertising that I sell HKE engines???? Show me where I have ever claimed to assemble or be a machine shop. You cant because I have never but I am in direct contact with on of the most respected builders in the country on a daily if not hourly basis so my information is accurate and direct from the source as best I can relay the info.
