"Prone to crankshaft failures"?

[tommyduncan]

I read in the wiki for the V6 engines that the 305 was "prone to crankshaft failures".
This is the first I have heard of this.

Is there a story behind this?

[6066gmcguy]

Some one more than likely had one fail due to not keeping oil in and and posted that one there.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Its just some idiot. I can tell you that wasn't in there last month. These engines are bulletproof if you keep them lubricated and cool. Think of it this way if they were prone to early failure would you still find them on every streetcorner still running?

[tommyduncan]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

Its just some idiot. I can tell you that wasn't in there last month. These engines are bulletproof if you keep them lubricated and cool. Think of it this way if they were prone to early failure would you still find them on every streetcorner still running?

I thought when I read it yesterday it said it was updated recently. I just looked again and the "prone to failure" part is removed already.lol

Maybe it was a ploy to get used ones cheap?

I just bought two for parts and still have the questionable one in my truck but it wasn't me...

[George Bongert]

Hello tommyduncan!

In regards to your question about the GMC 305 V-6 being prone to crankshaft failure, worry not my friend! This line of engines was not known for mechanical failures of any kind. They were extremely well engineered and well built engines. The only ways that you could cause a crankshaft to fail in one of these engines would be in the following ways:
(1) Run the engine without oil, or extremely low on oil
(2) Fail to change the oil at recommended intervals and allowing sludge to accumulate in the crankcase/oilpan which could plug the intake screen on the oil pump and starve all internal moving parts of oil
(3) Continuous operation of these engines above 4,000 RPM (I believe 4,000 RPM would be very close to redline, if not redline on these engines) since they were not designed to run at the higher RPM's that a common V-8 could tolerate.

The massive size and sturdiness of the crankshaft in these engines does not allow for failure unless the crankshaft was flawed in the process of manufacture (possible but not very likely), or unless any of the aforementioned conditions have happened, or have been allowed to happen.

I hope this puts your mind at ease. I once owned a 305 V-6, and never once did I have any concern(s) that my 305 would leave me sitting high and dry due to any type of engine failure problem. It was the best truck engine I ever owned!