360 magnum

-
S

stan marshall

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
145
Reaction score
0
Location
northern mi
I have a 67 barracuda that i took my friends word and sent it to his buddy for welding. He did a lousy job but worse that that he destroyed my orginial 273 ho that came with the car. The car sat in his garage with the hood off. His roof leaked and he didn't have sense enought to cover the carb. He was a over 200 miles away so i didn't get down there often. It was set up when i picked it up and when i pulled the intake it was full of rust ever in the pistons.
I have a chance to buy a good running 1994 360 magnum with 88100 out of a van. I know that i will need a different intake manifold
in order to use my 4 barrel carb. I have a 78 360 that i can use for the front engine parts. What else can you tell me about this swap? Is the motor out of a van ok to use in a car? I have a chance to buy a 1996 360 magnum out of a truck with 101000 miles for $450. This engine has a slight miss. He thinks it need a tune up but it might be something else. Is a 1996 better that a 1994?
Any answers will help.
Thanks stan
 
It's just going to take the right person to give you the proper info. You will probably have to have different motor mounts, exhaust manifolds and I'm not sure with it being a newer engine what the wiring will entail.

The engine itself will work, you will have to change some things though.
 
The magnums are all the same i believe, as far as the front accesories you can use the ones on the magnum engine (id rather have the one belt setup) and i think the van power steering mount is the one needed to fit in an a body. I personally would go for the lower mileage motor. Youll need to change the flex plate to the la style i think but im not 100% other than that its a drop in swap minus the intake
 
Forgot the motor mounts, youll need the 360 mounts for an la engine $15 a pair at rock auto. As for the wiring just use your old sensors and plug off whats not needed with a pipe plug. Exhaust is the same from the magnum to the la, manifolds are different depending on what you get them out of but the bolts all line up right. Also i think but dont hold me to this, on a 360 magnum your 273 oil pan might fit because on the magnum engines they made the 318 and 360 use the same pan but i dont remember which one was changed to fit the other.
 
1.) The motor mount for the drivers side is different, you need one for a 360 (LA).
2.) LA acessories will bolt up, but due to the difference in the Magnum head there will need to be some shimming to get everything to line up. No biggie, really.
3.) Is the 273 internally balanced? If so, to use your current auto trans/converter, you'll need a flexplate from a 98(?)-up 5.9 Magnum since it has the balance weight on it.
4.) Your LA exhaust manufolds will bolt onto the magnum head.
5.) LA electronic ignition is a direct swap.

As for the difference in the two motors, just choose the one that you think is the best. There is no real difference between the two.

Any more questions?

P.S.- If you need the weighted 5.9 flexplate let me know. I've still got the one I was using with my 904.
 
Also, mileage on the Magnum engines isn't as much of an issue as the older LA stuff. Mine had over 100k on it and when I pulled it apart you could still see the crosshatching from the factory hone job.
 
I read somewhere that in order to use the magnum i would have to use the
front cover and water pump off the la. I am not sure why and i hope i don't have to.
 
Are you saying that you want to run the serpentine belt setup? Or are you thinking the cover and water pump from your 273 won't work?
 
The '92 Magnum's were the best. They had the best flowing exhaust manifolds and most aggressive computer. So, using either would be fine. If you use the one out of the truck you can use the manifolds and they do flow well, i'm not sure about the van manifolds. As long as they have been maintained well they are quarter million mile engine's. You will have to change flex plate and I'm not sure but, I think oil pan too. I would use serpentine set-up makes sense. Their's a member on here that has done a couple in early a-body's with a 8 and 6 Magnum I'm sure he could help more. I was gonna do
this swap in my Valiant, but got a really good deal on the motor I have now. Anyhow good luck.
 
stan marshall said:
I read somewhere that in order to use the magnum i would have to use the
front cover and water pump off the la. I am not sure why and i hope i don't have to.
Click to expand...

you either have to use all the original front end accessories from your 273 or all the magnum parts, the front end parts don't interchange for example you can't use a magnum water pump on an LA front cover

also you will have to check but the older 273 manifolds don't have pollution ports below the exhaust ports and magnums do. you will have to plug the small ports below the exhaust ports in the magnum if you want your old manifolds

a good upgrade is 1991 dodge dakota v8 manifolds, they flow better
 
By the way,mock up the headers on the engine stand,they may hit the truck engine mount bosses.Cover all up,grind as needed(if needed). Seen this happen occassionally,with long tube headers and Magnums.
 
you will have to plug the small ports below the exhaust ports in the magnum if you want your old manifolds
Click to expand...

Odd, my '98 5.2 didn't have these ports...unless it was an early Magnum attribute.

By the way,mock up the headers on the engine stand,they may hit the truck engine mount bosses.Cover all up,grind as needed(if needed
Click to expand...

True statement-on the left side of the block, there's a casting hump that might need to be knocked down...4 1/2" angle grinder is your friend.

I read somewhere that in order to use the magnum i would have to use the
front cover and water pump off the la. I am not sure why and i hope i don't have to.
Click to expand...

You don't *have* to, but if you do use the Magnum cover, you have to use the Magnum accessories...otherwise, like UOP said, use the old front end parts...they fit with little or no drama...unless you have a big body alternator, then you might have to fab up something to keep it from hitting the head.

Also, if you do wind up getting the Magnum, and want to use a mechanical fuel pump, you'll have to get the Hughes cam snout extender...

Also, you'll need a 360LA oil pan-they're $45 through Summit for a plain jane gold irridited one...the 273 pan won't fit the Magnum and neither will the Magnum pan in an A body.
 
I just bought it today. $400. He is going to save as much wireing as he can and the computer. I may try to keep it fuel injection. It is 300 miles away so i won't get it for a week or so.
 
This is very cool, I've been debating doing this swap for some time now, specially now that I'm fed up with my engine and am going to replace it. I'd want to keep the FI as well so it'll be interesting to see how you wire that up as that's what's confusing me.
 
stan marshall said:
I just bought it today. $400. He is going to save as much wireing as he can and the computer. I may try to keep it fuel injection. It is 300 miles away so i won't get it for a week or so.
Click to expand...

Where do you have to go to get it,down south here?
 
Facts straight.
To put a 360 94 Magnum in a A body you have to do the following.
Grind the truck motor flat pads off the block, it will clash with headers. Check before install.
Change the oil pan, and pickup and timing cover to a la style.
Magnums are balanced different than la 360's so buy flywheel or flexplate for your combo.
Easy but pay special attention to the balance.
 
Also magnums dont have a cam snout for a mechanical pump.
Huges, Mancini has an adapter if you want to run a mechanical pump.
 
X2, with Sireland.I did this same install,off info here.Don't be afraid to use the search feature.It makes it more insightful and fun.....
 
I have to go from northern mi to pontiac area. It might be more like 280 miles one way. I just went 460 miles round trip last week to get 67 barracuda parts. I got some good deals, a floor shift steering column
with a nice steering wheel for $50. A front panel with letters and good grills and turn signal for $100. A fastback trunk with great upper and center trim for $100, the lower trim was junk and the lower lip was rusty. I also got a good dash with pad(one dent) for $50. He had both rust free doors and a good hood for $100 each but i didn't need them.
 
Rust free doors and a hood for $100?
That is worth the money when some teeny bopper texting hit your car.
I have 2X on every sheet metal part since my car is my teenage sons first one.
If he bends it he learns to fix it.
 
I picked up the 360 magnum on saturday. A real clean motor with 81000 miles. When he pulled it for me he didn't cut any wires, unplugged them all.
I have the computer, all the wiring from the engine compartment and the gauges and all the wires from the dash. I would like to keep the fe when i put it in my 67 fastback but it doesn't look easy. I biggest consern is gas mileage as i plan to drive it as much as i can. Will the fe improve the mileage a lot over a600 carb?
I also got a 8 3/4 posi 489 case with 294 gears for $250. I think that the
stock magnum will have enough low end power to handel the 294 gears.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top