Crankwalk

[BlackEclipse97]

what are the symptoms of crankwalk and what can happen if its not fixed right away or at all?

[real_madridcf]

this is covered in the faq sticky at the top. Here is the link anyways, but do a search before creating a new thread. Its a nice writeup by our Kevin!

http://www.racingknowledge.org/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=185

Good Luck!

[joemathews]

Originally Posted by BlackEclipse97

what are the symptoms of crankwalk and what can happen if its not fixed right away or at all?

Symptoms are different for every car; the only consistent symptom is the engine not running in the later stages. Sometimes there will be a loud clicking sound if the crank is wobbling enough that it is hitting the crank sensor. A clutch pedal that sticks to the floor on left turns is also a typical sign.

If it isn't fixed right away...you'll have to get a new engine/bottom end when your engine dies. If it isn't fixed at all...your engine just stops running and your car stays parked .

Don't freak out if you think you might have it...there is nothing you can do to prevent it if it has already started that is less expensive than replacing the faulty parts. A couple things you could do to help prevent it are:

1) Try to put the car in neutral as much as possible, instead of leaving the clutch in.
2) Disconnect the clutch start switch so you don't have to put the clutch in to start the car.
3) Make sure your car never gets low on oil. I remember reading a post by Kevin about how a dented oil pan starved his crank and bearings of oil enough to walk his 3rd 7 bolt...when we were doing my timing belt job I put enough blocks of wood and towels between the jack and the oil pan that it would have been comfortable to sleep on . Tips like that help so much (thanks Kevin!), and it is awesome when more experienced members share them.

If you want to test your car for CW, you can measure crank end play with a pair of dial calipers. I believe there is a thread on VFAQ.com or DSMtuner.com showing exactly how to do it. A simple search for "crankwalk test" should give you a link

[kjewer1]

Originally Posted by joemathews

when we were doing my timing belt job I put enough blocks of wood and towels between the jack and the oil pan that it would have been comfortable to sleep on .

LMAO, Glad it helped Dial calipers wont help, but a Dial Indicator will. I know, it all sounds the same after a while... In that sticky I give the method for using the dial and using feeler guages, and the pros and cons of each (dial method doesnt require oil pan removal basically). 99.9% of people that think they have it dont, so dont get too worried about it. But its always a good idea to measure thrust play anyway. The actual number isnt as important as wether or not that number is getting bigger over time