340 r.i.p.

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Ouch....If I had it to do all over again, I'd go 5.7 Hemi swap, if you have the coin 6.1 or 6.4.
 
Wow! wicked carnage!!!!!! Guessing she was spun up pretty tight before it let go!!!!!!
 
Aw schucks, looks like it's time for a magnum 5.9, or late 80's early 90's roler! Look at junkyards. Hell even if you have to trip it over here, there are plenty.
 
I think you're just being fussy! Put that thing back together & fire it up! So what if it smokes & knocks a little!? It's an old car! Think of it as internal engine patina! :tard:
 
572 Hemi! But seriously that sucks. Had a similar experience buying a second hand MP402. Long story short, had to rebuild the whole damn thing. Might as well have rebuilt the 360 I had and been money ahead. Sucks big time. If you really want a 340, wait for one. Seems like a couple are available here.
 
Lonewolf3165 said:
I think you're just being fussy! Put that thing back together & fire it up! So what if it smokes & knocks a little!? It's an old car! Think of it as internal engine patina! :tard:
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Haha. Just run it club.
 
DFX 340 Duster said:
LOL x3.Just JB weld the crack in #4, leave #3 and 4 empty, pull the push rods for those two cylinders and button it up. Don't forget to block off the intake ports for #3 and 4. Fire it up!
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Check your engine code. I think that was a Chrysler fix for the assembly line. I mean seriously its 4 o'clock on a thurstday Thursday.

gold concourse bullshit stuff at mopar nats .

20110218oldcrowstory.jpg
 
Thanks for all the advice. Like I said earlier I have alot to do before I need a motor so I can be patient. I'm gonna put this block in the corner, put the messed up piston and rod on shop table for ash tray and think about it over a few home brews.

Is there much to going to a later roller cam engine? How are those motors balanced and what will I need to change?
 
You can get a lot more for a 6.1 crate than any other new hemi... and they are NOT a plug and play deal. Be prepared to Dyno map the hell out of it.

If you are looking for a cruiser with A/C, forget the 340. I've driven a '69 Swinger with 40K original miles that we restored and it fell flat on it's face with 3.23's, 727 and A/C. Those engines like stickshifts and tall gears. I'm almost certain that my 318 with the 302 heads would take it in a 1/4 mile.

Get a roller 360, as suggested above.
 
swifty said:
Thanks for all the advice. Like I said earlier I have alot to do before I need a motor so I can be patient. I'm gonna put this block in the corner, put the messed up piston and rod on shop table for ash tray and think about it over a few home brews.

Is there much to going to a later roller cam engine? How are those motors balanced and what will I need to change?
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They are externally balanced, just like the other LA 360. Use a counterbalanced flexplate and keep your trans the same if you like. Oil pans are larger at the front and rear, so you will need a passenger car oil pan with the long block. I can't remember if they block the fuel pump off or if they use a different timing cover, but either way, you have one that will work on it, on your 340 for a mechanical fuel pump. They also use spool mounts for the later small block, so you will need new mounts.

Everything else should bolt up.
 
I would check the block to see if there are any cracks down in the main well area. If not i wouldn't hesitate to sleeve that cylinder and use it.
 
You might consider putting it in the lost and found forum if you don't think you'll fix it, might be someone's numbers block that they would make the investment to fix if it's repairable.
 
yikes, well the only thing you can do now is turn that baby into a sick coffee table like our 318 one and swap in something else.
 
Hi there Swifty from a neighbor in Devils Lake. My advise is to go 5.9L magnum motor. That's what I put in my Duster and made stroker out of it. But even if you don't want stroker the stock 5.9L gives you better flow heads and roller cam. You can use your 340 front timing cover and all the stock 340 pulleys and such to keep it simple. If you want a stroker, Jesse Lachman in Center, ND can build you a great engine. He did my stroker. Check him out at revsearch.com.
I have a 340 torn down now from a challenger and pistons for 340 are lots costlier and less manufacturers than for 360. For 340 they want extra $$ for those parts. If I didn't have a good block I would go find a 360/5.9L.
 
I am leaning towards a magnum roller cam motor. I found a 97 magnum 318 with high mileage 177k for $200. When everyone recommends a magnum are they talking one to rebuild or one with lower miles and put in with some performance mods. Are magnum motor any more or less to rebuild than a LA motor? If i do go magnum it would be carburated and look like an LA, I just always wanted a classic muscle car look under the hood, no computer, injectors, lots of wires.
 
3406pk said:
Hi there Swifty from a neighbor in Devils Lake. My advise is to go 5.9L magnum motor. That's what I put in my Duster and made stroker out of it. But even if you don't want stroker the stock 5.9L gives you better flow heads and roller cam. You can use your 340 front timing cover and all the stock 340 pulleys and such to keep it simple. If you want a stroker, Jesse Lachman in Center, ND can build you a great engine. He did my stroker. Check him out at revsearch.com.
I have a 340 torn down now from a challenger and pistons for 340 are lots costlier and less manufacturers than for 360. For 340 they want extra $$ for those parts. If I didn't have a good block I would go find a 360/5.9L.
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Thanks for the contact info! I will look into it.
 
I can't believe chrysler put the magnum brand on 5.9l. the last REAL magnum was the 340. 5.9l lol
 
swifty said:
I am leaning towards a magnum roller cam motor. I found a 97 magnum 318 with high mileage 177k for $200. When everyone recommends a magnum are they talking one to rebuild or one with lower miles and put in with some performance mods. Are magnum motor any more or less to rebuild than a LA motor? If i do go magnum it would be carburated and look like an LA, I just always wanted a classic muscle car look under the hood, no computer, injectors, lots of wires.
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The Magnum is a good engine. If you start tinkering with camshafts, you have to be careful with valve spring crush and be sure that the part you are looking at gives specs for a 1.6 rocker.

If you want a carb manifold for the Magnum, Mopar Performance makes a good dual plane manifold with Magnum or Magnum and LA manifold to head bolt patterns.

As mentioned above, the timing cover needs to be swapped for one that has provisions for a mechanical pump. The one from your 340 will work. Also, you will need a camshaft extension to run the mechanical fuel pump eccentric on the shorter magnum cam. - http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...entric+extension&submit=Go&searchmode=keyword

Or, go with an electric pump.

The nice thing about used Magnum engines is that they typically show little wear. I'd still tear the pan, main caps and other gear off to put new seals in and check everything out to be sure, as you well know, examining that disaster, but they generally still show cylinder hatch from being injected.

The magnum manifolds may or may not clear power steering. I was able to clearance some 360 truck manifolds to work with my power steering, you may be able to do the same and if you get the manifolds with the engine, it doesn't hurt to take the manifold and studs off of the driver's side and see how everything looks, before buying 340 exhaust stuff.

If you were sneaky with the valve covers, oil pan, manifolds, etc, you could make it look like a 340, with the exception of the balancer. I suppose you could internally balance the crank and make it even more difficult to tell, aside from the casting markings.

Cost is about the same, but given that most shortblocks have little wear, you may not have to do anything, but a simple cleanup and seal, maybe with some bearings. The heads are hardened exhaust valve seat, closed chamber, higher flow runners, etc. So as long as you have something typical to start with, again, it will likely take less to do.

all 360 Chrysler engines use a 4.000" piston from the start and there are a ton of manufacturers that make that size, because it is common. The 340 used the shorter crank and a 4.040" piston, so if you move up on a 340 and go .030", you buy 4.070" pistons, which drops manus down to chrysler specific catering manufacturers and the price goes up.
 
It sounds like you are on a budget , so a motor from California or Florida will cost as much to ship as you want to spend total.
I have a 77 Dodge motorhome that is sitting in Duquette , Mn. right now.
360 and big Dana , 727 etc. Good tires and not too bad a condition given it's age. You could drive that home for 500.00 , pull the motor after you park it someplace where you could rent the body out to one of those gypsies who are trying to survive your oil boom.
From what I understand housing is going for , you should be able to get 4 to 5 hundred a month for that. :D
Or you could drive to St. Paul and give me more money for a very nice 70' 340 with some good parts and low miles. ( pulled for the R-3 / W-9 that will replace it )
Seriously , you do have options. My first choice in your shoes would be a used motor that I had some idea of the history on , or a relatively low mile motor from a wreck. Good luck.
 
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