FE crank in an FT engine?

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Oct 10, 2009 | 08:54 AM

#16

HOTWRENCH

Elder User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 565

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From: saxton pa.

391's

The FT's have a unique balence all there own , the big snout cranks are balenced differently than the small snout ones. Using a big snout crank in a FE block reqires the use of the FT style timing cover . This brings up a whole new set of problems using the truck style water pump and brackets, there are high and low mount water pumps , also the crank pulleys are very heavy and do not line up with car accessories. I'v seen the crank pulleys disintegrated by high RPM's and sometimes the crank snout broken off too.
Putting a FE crank in a FT poses no particular problem , the main journals are the same size ,as are the rods. If you are going to use a FE distributor you must install a bushing where the dist lower shaft goes as the FT's are larger.
FT's and FE's have the same bolt pattern on the crank flange, most FT's have a thicker flange and the pilot bearing hole may be different. Just remember balence is determined by what crankshaft you are useing. HD/FT's use a different balenced flywheel than a MD/FT .
Just some Thoughts ------- Hotwrench