SCAT Team

Tom Lieb recently talked with EngineLabs about rod side clearance, and the belief that it determines the oil flow exiting the connecting rods and that excessive side clearance cannot be tolerated. As EngineLabs points out (and Tom reinforces), this is an engine building myth that people still believe.

We also thought it would be a good idea to get a perspective from a crankshaft and connecting rod manufacturer, so we spoke to Tom Lieb, owner of Scat Enterprises. Lieb knows quite a bit about the subject with over 50 years of experience. As soon as we broached the subject that connecting rod side clearance established oil flow, he laughed and replied – ‘Yeah, all those guys are off base. Side clearance means nothing (when it comes to oil flow).’ Instead, Lieb supported the position that the restriction to oil leakage through the mains and rods is the bearing clearance.

He also made a great point that journal circumference is another variable in this discussion. There is a huge difference in circumference when comparing a big-block 429/460 Ford rod journal at 2.50 inches versus the 1.850-inch journal used on many small-block race engines. The circumference for a 2.50-inch bearing is a massive 7.85 inches compared to the smaller journal’s 5.81-inch measurement. That’s a difference of 26-percent, with the larger circumference offering more area for the oil to escape.

Read the full article here.

SCAT Enterprises will be at PRI this year! Come out to the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis (100 S. Capitol Avenue) from December 6-8, 2018, for the epicenter of new racing technology.

You’ll have the chance to view our products and learn more about SCAT Enterprises. We will be able to answer any and all questions you have.

SCAT Enterprises will be at booth #2125 (SCAT Crankshafts and SCAT VW), and Procar by SCAT will be at booth #2228.

Another SEMA has come and gone. We were happy to meet and chat with so many industry experts, and showcase all three SCAT Enterprises brands. We even got to see our products in some builds, which we always enjoy.

Take a look at some pics from the four-day-long conference in Las Vegas.

If you weren’t able to make it this year, SCAT Enterprises will be back at SEMA November 5-8, 2019!

Procar by SCAT seats were used in this awesome 1969 Camaro Z/28 build featured in Super Chevy Magazine. This was restored by Kent Kennedy and took three years to complete.

Inside, Kennedy wanted to retain as much of the ’69 Camaro vibe as possible. ‘I tried to stay as close to the original as I could, other than converting it to black,’ he said. ‘It was just too much blue.’

Read the rest of the article, here.

AERA will once again be raffling off a custom-built engine at the 2018 PRI show, which will be held December 6-8, 2018 in Indianapolis. Raffle tickets will be 2 for $5 and can be purchased online here, or at AERA’s booth: #5514. All proceeds from the raffle will benefit EREF (Engine Rebuilders Educational Foundation), which provides scholarships and grants to assist those who desire training in the field of engine building and rebuilding.

The engine they’re raffling off is the AERA Nighthawk II LS Engine, which features SCAT rods and a SCAT forged crank.

For more information on this raffle, click here.

This 1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside build featured in Classic Trucks Magazine is running SCAT Crankshafts H-beam connecting rods. What do you think of this retro build?

SCAT Enterprises will be at SEMA this year! Come out to the Las Vegas Convention Center (3150 Paradise Road) from October 30-November 2 for the premier automotive specialty products trade show.

You’ll have the chance to view products from each of our brands: SCAT Crankshafts, Procar by SCAT and SCAT VW. We will be able to answer any and all questions you have.

*Note: SEMA is a trade-only event and is not open to the general public.

SCAT Crankshafts products were featured in the August issue of Mustang Monthly Magazine! Read about how to get 400 HP with a small-block Ford here.

Mustang360 just wrapped on their Week to Wicked 1967 Mustang Fastback build! The awesome ride features Procar by SCAT seats. Check out their final day of building, here, and the rest of the progress, here.

Back in May, EngineLabs Magazine asked readers to send in questions for SCAT Crankshafts’ very own, Tom Lieb. Now, he’s answered 10 questions related to all things crankshafts, connecting rods and pistons.

Check out one of the questions and answers:

I installed a Scat 383 internally balanced forged stroker kit in a first-gen SBC 350 four-bolt main block a while back. Sometime later, I was told by a keyboard cowboy on one of the car forums that the Scat crank required the use of a specific harmonic balancer which I was not using. My engine builder never said anything and I’m curious if there is in fact any problem running a Fluidamper harmonic balancer with a Scat 383 forged crank. If so, what is the preferred balancer?

– Steve Hayes

Tom Lieb: Steve, SCAT cranks do not require a specific harmonic balancer. Like all cranks they require a balancer that is properly designed for a performance engine. 90-percent of crank breakage in the front half of the engine is due to a balancer that is too large in diameter, too heavy, has moving parts, and cannot be balanced with the crankshaft. Moving parts include both fluid and mechanical pieces. These dampers cannot react fast enough to rapid acceleration and deceleration. Therefore, they create harmonics that will eventually fatigue a crank and break it. These dampers were designed for industrial applications that run constant speed in narrow RPM ranges. So, that being said, the smallest diameter, lightest weight, and an elastomer design is best.

Read the questions and his answers, here.