360 Core Questions

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J

jeeper

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I went out and looked at a potential engine for the budget Duster. I was told that it was a 74 truck engine and the casting numbers seem to agree.

Casting numbers are the following:

BLock: 3418496
Heads: 3769974

I was told that it ran good etc. I tend to be very cynical when I can't see, hear /teardown before I buy. The heads looked clean inside and it does have a Performer intake.

My understanding is that there really isn't a bad 360 for a build up other than the late 70's due to lighter castings etc.

Would this be a decent foundation for a 3-400 HP build? I think so.

Thank you for the help, ROB
 
My understanding is that there really isn't a bad 360 for a build up other than the late 70's due to lighter castings etc.
Click to expand...
Thats BS. Keep the overboaring down no matter what block you have for cylinder strength.

Whats a;
a 3-400 HP build.
Click to expand...
 
jeeper, any year of the 360's are great cores for rebuilding, but as rumble said, keep the overbore size to a reasonable level. Again, any good 360 core is a great foundation for a 300 hp to 400 hp build. (rumble, I think that's what the 3-400 HP meant). :)
 
Ooooooooooooo
Thats a wide HP gap there.
 
Are there any differences between the 360 blocks? What I mean is a late 60-70's the same as a 80's? Thanks

Pat
 
Well first there weren't any 360's in the 60's and they are rare but 71 was the very first year for the LA engine (360), and they only came in the trucks and in 72 they were offered in passenger cars, they also came (in the early years) with 340 water jacket coreing 71-72-76. They tell me that they can be over bored .100 as they came the same as the 340 jacketing. But do have the engine sonic check to know for sure and your done.
 
Wooooo, you guys rock! I am so glad I found this forum. OK, so if I find say a 72-73 360 in the Junkyard, are all engines the same. I mean do they all have the same mount bolting pattern, or do you have to buy special engine mounts?

Thaniks again for the education.
 
273-318 have the same mounts, 340 -360 have the same maounts, but not like the other smaller engines. You can use a 318 mount with washers to take up the extra space. There wider. ONly one side. (I keep forgetting which side........soooo stupid, but ..)
360's have different oil pans and crank journal sizes. Truck engines have a 3rd kind. Rear sump. No good for cars.
64-66-/ 273's have a different intake attaching angle and smaller 5/16 hardware. (I think it is.....help on that please)
273's valve limit is a 1.88 with a bore notch. Otherwise most everything else can swap from one engine to another.
Small blocks must use small block trannys. 360's are extrnal balanced and the 1 year only 340. A '73.
 
I found a 86' 360 in the local junk yard for $300.00 Dollars. Supposedly has about 40,000 miles on her, but am planning to rebuilt it. Like the advise I've read here about E-Brok heads and such. So I guess my questions go like this....

Are there any differences between the early 70's and last 80's 360 engines?.

Are the mounts the same, or does it take a different mount based on year?

Do they bolt into the frame the same way?

The project Car I'm planning to put the engine into (68' Dart) obviously doesn't have EFI, and I don't have Electronic fuel injection or a computer in the car now (currently a slant 6 - 225), what would you recommend?

* Pull the current manifold and get a Carb and Manifold?

* Are there any aftermarket EFI kits you can install on an older non-computer car (like the 68 Dart)?

I'd like to learn from the experience here on the forum. Thank you for all the help.

Pat
 
The late 80's 360's may have the provisions for a roller cam even though it may have a flat tappet cam. My '88 van has this type of motor.
 
The 84 and newer engine could have a roller cam and if so the heads are different as the pushrods are shorter due to the included angle of the pushrods and larger holes in the heads where the pushrods come through are larger for clearence. The blocks are a thin wall casting so .030 is max. so be careful when you look as these engines as the ring ridge is a tell tale, if you can catch a fingernail on the ridge I would say that it's going to be on it's last rebuild if it isn't too severe. The eariler blocks (76 and older)are thicker and should be able to go .060 with ease. 77 and newer tend to crack easier as I have one here that the cylinder split 3 to 3 1/2" and was standard bore, so just a word of caution.
 
There are a lot of very smart people on this forum, and we all try to help each other out. Sometimes our emotions get to us, and I'll be the first to admit to this. And with all the info. here there shouldn't be a problem with getting a answer to most any question. Thanks for being a part of it.
 
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