[jim_howard_pdx]

I think Arias makes the Trick Flow forged pistons, I do not know who makes their forged cranks. Forged cranks can cause all kinds of engine damage, and they are definitely not all built alike.

I would go with a crank designed for 8 second quarter miles, not a crank that was purchased from a different manufacturer and relabeled Trick Flow. You rarely get the best cranks when they do this type of relabeling.

Don't get me wrong, I like TF and I am using their street twisted wedge heads right now. But I would never use Arias pistons, and I would never use a TF crank.

A windage tray only prevents oil from dripping from the oil returns onto the spinning crank. You get an additional 8-12 hp using one, because of the difficulty the crank has displacing a very heavy fluid (motor oil and oil mist).

Ususally we use a crank scrapper just on the leading edge of the crank throw. The idea is to cut off the excess oil that hangs on the crank surfaces (created by surface tension) and more importantly it prevents the oil from"roping".

When an engine gets past 6,000 RPM the surface tension of the oil on the rotating crank makes the fluid wrap or "rope" around the crankshaft. It literally envelopes the crank and layers like twine wrapped around a spindle. The oil is heavy, thick, and will not compress. The "roping" causes the crank to flex and distort since the metal is now fighting the resistance (inertial energy) created by the roping oil.

Only a crank scrapper will remove this oil. A windage tray cannot. The scrappers cost about 8-14 dollars. I mount it and turn the crank, then clearance the unit to a minimum of 0.08 clearance, but I am after 0.10 clearance ideally. The reason I scrape both sides (probably overkill) is that suspended oil mist does get to the crank so scraping it every 180 degrees keeps the crank "unloaded".

The scrapper is not MORE important than the windage tray, it is JUST AS IMPORTANT. In your case, I think it is MANDATORY. Look, I am not trying to frighten you, but who is giving you advice on your engine???? You are a heart beat away from running 9 seconds and that is a thrill all its own. I just think that you would never bolt up a 10 second engine without using ARP or equivalent rod bolts? Why, because you know stock rod bolts are not up to 400 HP and above. They rarely survive 6,000 RPM revs without stretching, and loosing their grip on the rod bearings.

Well an oil scrapper is MORE IMPORTANT than the ARP bolts at 6,000 + RPM. I am serious about this. Almost every block or reciprocating part failure is due either to the oil battering the crankshaft, or to oil starvation. The rest of the damage is typically done by detonation.

Oil actually damages your crank as it spins. You cannot see it visually, but you sure can see the effects it makes when a crank fails, or a block cracks down the webs as yours has done.

Try the oil scrapper. It may reduce the twist in your crank enough that you will not break another block. ALSO, make sure you are using main studs instead of main bolts. The studs have quite a bit more clamping action since they are not relying upon bolt stretch to produce final torque. I do not know why I forgot to ask you how you were torquing your caps but studs are the only way to go.

I hope all this helps. Everything I have written to you is a result from seeing 10-20 race engines become paper weights. Most of these engines were producing more than 500 hp and most were within 100's of a second of the standing world records of the brackets they competed it. One was a Keith Black Crank for a 426 Hemi that detonated at 5,500 RPM on my buddies offshore racing boat. We were running first in our class and 4th overall when the crank exploaded less than a quarter kilometer from the finish line. That was due to the oil "roping". That is where I first learned about crank scrapping.

Consider some wheelie bars for your ride. I used them on my Fairlane. I suspect you are either over geared, you are launching at too high an rpm, or that your low end torque is too high.

Your clutch may have too much coefficient of drag (too much grab), but the easiest thing to do right now would be to retard your camshaft 4-6 degrees to put your torque curve up higher. Make sure you recheck your piston to valve clearance. Make sure to degree your cam, the grind may be off a few degrees and you might have it straight up but it is running as if you had it advanced. That is why we index every cam in every engine, so we get the thing dialed in so we know what our baseline is for when we start to make changes.

Keep up the good work, 9 second et's will be yours soon. Stay safe and sane! Most of all GOOD LUCK and don't forget the crank scrapper.

By the way, if you decide to try water injection, I used up 1 1/2 quarts running 9.23 ET's on gasoline, and 2 1/2 quarts running 7.6 ETs with dual stage progressive NOS.