Quote:

...crankshafts as they break at the front hub...The only crankshafts, besides cast, that I have seen break like that at the snout, were used in high horsepower applications



Unless you're driving a blower with the crank snout, the front of the crank before the 1,2 rod throw, doesn't see any power or torque at all. If it fails there it was caused by a vibration of some sort. I've heard of more failures at the front of the engine than anywhere else. I like to blame the damper or tune (or excess rpm for the engine) for this type of failure but there is always the possibility of a defect.