What is Max torque strength on GA16DE crankshaft?

[Jacobus77]

What is the maximum torque a stock crank in a '92 Sentra GA16DE will handle?

And does anyone know if that's different for a white-top (white valve cover) GA16DE? We were told by Nissan mechanics that the white-top is a performance version normally found only in Japan, but somehow my son bought a used '92 Sentra XE with one here in the US. Time to rebuild and we're wondering how far to take modifications before going to a custom crank.

Thanks!

J

[ravera]

Re-painted valve cover for a look alike or does it actually have all the J-spec parts?

At any rate, Once you get to fully forged pistons, fully forged rods, a huge ported head with monster cams, a straight cut dog box, and a turbo that wont actually spool until a few k's of redline, start thinking about a new crank. Nissan cranks in general are very strong, and with the short(er) stroke of the GA in a 5 main block, you should be set for quite a while.

[Jacobus77]

Thanks for the reply.

Son pulled the valve cover to check some things and we found no signs of a repaint. So the engine is almost certainly a true white-top J. But that's about all we know; volumes could be written of what we DON'T know about this engine. Including what the specs on it SHOULD be. Any pointers there? The best of the local dealer mechanics has had a couple of white-tops in the shop before but never for anything requiring opening one up. So he's told us about all he knows already.

Actually, since the engine has (as far as indicated) 240k on it and threw the timing chain, he's thinking about doing a radical rebuild including most of the things you mentioned plus maybe NOS, and ceramicoated pistons and sleeves to help it survive that. Which is why I asked the crank torque limitations; he just might be pushing them. ;^)

[ravera]

With an Iron block that has a semi-closed deck, I see no reason to sleeve it on any rational engine. There are engines that I'm quite sure will be pushing far more BMEP and much higher cylinder pressure that runs stock blocks in other nissan engines, so I'm willing to bet the GA is no different.

Still, the stock crank *should* be fine. Unless you're going to stroke it. If this is your first big HP build, start small or you're going to be buying all those pricy parts over and over again as you figure out how it needs to be tuned and what it likes.

And as I said before, a full, big big money dog box with big halfshafts is going to be required long before a crank.