340 Block cracked cylinder???

-
dgully

dgully

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
292
Reaction score
123
Location
Minot, ND
If someone could send me in the right direction would be great.
So I have a 1969 Dart 340, as of now she has a 318 but I have a 340 block and X-heads, but one cylinder has a 3" crack.
I would like to make her a 340 stroker-410-416.
Is it worth it to spend the money on the machine work for the 340 or is one better to take a 360 and stroke it to a 408?

Measured top end 4.03

Thank you for any reply
 
Put a sleeve in it and have at it. It will be fine.

If the 340 bore measured 4.030, it ain't a 340. The 340 standard bore is 4.040.
 
When I was looking 360 408 kits were more common.

On your 340, is it standard bore, .030 over, etc? If standard and use-able, a sleeve is all you'd need to make it serviceable. Most 340 stroker kits used a .040 or .060 0ver 360 piston, so your 340 can only be .020 over. Of course, you can order custom pistons.
 
well it was a long time ago.... but is Bill Klein still doing machine work in Minot? I'd have him take a look at the block and get his $.02 if he's still around. I drug five complete 340's out of that area when I was stationed there in the late 80's. Never paid more than $200 for any of them. Those were the days....
 
what would be the cost to repair the block, versus the cost of a replacement block. Keep in mind you can stroke a teener out to 390plus. That's just 6% less than a 416.
Teener blocks are practically free.
 
I can get a sleeve installed here for 150 including the sleeve and labor.
 
Billy Klein is still around but lost his equip in the flood, so he doesn't do his own machine work anymore. Not sure if he would look at it since Iam with his ex-daughter inlaw. But there is a place in Jamestown ND, Dakota Engine Builders that said he would have to see the block before knowing, which is understandable. The block is stamped 340 and is coded to 1969.
But for price wise, is it worth to build the 340, or budget build a 360?
 
The difference between the 408-410-416 is going to be hard to tell. There are more 360 aftermarket pistons in general, but for the stroker kits, there seem to be plenty of both. Just look at the SCAT costs.

IMO, if you stroke it, you might just consider selling the good 340 parts and get what you can for the block, and pick up a 360 block for a small amount and be $$ ahead. You really are only going to use the block and accessories anyway; the rotating assembly all goes out. The heads won't care.

The main value I see in a 340 is that it has those 3 particular numbers in that order: 3-4-0... people's eyes light up and they get a bit giddy when you say those 3 numbers; the car value goes up (for the less informed) when it has a 340. But if you stroke it, it is not a 340 anymore. So stroking are 360 block makes as much or more sense.
 
There's little to know difference in pricing anymore if you're asking about 4" cranks. If you're asking about a budget 360 (stock stroke) it will be cheaper - but if the 360 is already +.030 (4.03 bore) then it would either be a really really budget (like a freshen) or you'll have to bore it bigger.
You can safely sleeve damn near anything as long as it's a quality shop. If the guy has old equipment and it looks like a metal recycler - go somewhere else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top