360 Rebuild for 1974 Swinger

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i broke 4 7.25 diffs with a mild 3i8 , does not take much to break them , A good 360 will twist it like a pretzel
 
Hey folks, we finally got the block and heads back from the machine shop. We've been putting it back together, here are some shots. Sorry I missed the crankshaft and piston install pictures.

We hit a roadblock with with camshaft install. I think it slides back too far. Is there supposed to be a some kind of a stopper between the cam plug and the camshaft? The camshaft slides almost full inch back too far into the engine. The timing gear is almost impossible to put on because it slides back so far. I've poured over the forums but didn't see anything about a part between the cam cap and the camshaft. Also, how tight should the gear be? I don't think I can get it on without a hammer. The old one slides on and off easily.
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The cam gear should slide on. Tight, but, a push fit. The cam gear and block plate provide the needed cam end play. You don't want anything hitting the rear cam plug. That might pop the plug out of the block.
 
Ok thanks cudamark. Not sure why it's so hard to put the gear on, I measured the old camshaft and the new one and both exactly the same. Yet the old gear slides on the old shaft easily but won't slide on the new one.
 
Any kind of burr or nick can cause that. I usually install the gear on the cam temporarily before I put the camshaft in the block just to make sure everything fits like it should.
 
Doesn't help much at all. The factory had a special tool that locked the cam in place so you could install (read hammer) the cam sprocket onto the cam. If you clean all the burrs and nicks off everything including the keyway, it should just push on, or just need a light tap with a hammer to get it moving. You need to keep the crank sprocket moving too to keep the chain straight and not bind everything up.
 
Bl1zzard said:
We did try that, didn't help. Thanks anyway.
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Try warming up the gear to 200f if there's no burrs on either the cam snout or the gear. Your doing fine! Take your time, lots of lube and it'll all come together.
Dan
 
The end play is controlled by the retaining plate. Just slide the cam forward, and if you have to wedge a pry bar behind one of the cam bearing journals...
eyeball line up the keyway and slip the gear on the cam, then use the rounded washer and bolt to pull the gear on the rest of the way. That is by design a tight fit. So you can pull it on or use the oven to expand it and then try again. Don’t hammer it, and don’t file it to make it fit more loose.
 
After you get the front end together, you might want to see if the rear plug is still seated. I don't think it is possible to dislodge it using the cam, but I'd hate to find out during the cam break-in.
 
moper said:
The end play is controlled by the retaining plate. Just slide the cam forward, and if you have to wedge a pry bar behind one of the cam bearing journals...
eyeball line up the keyway and slip the gear on the cam, then use the rounded washer and bolt to pull the gear on the rest of the way. That is by design a tight fit. So you can pull it on or use the oven to expand it and then try again. Don’t hammer it, and don’t file it to make it fit more loose.
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Thanks to everyone for the tips, I ended up shoving a rubber fuel line in between the distributor gear and the rear of the engine, that allowed me to get the timing chain on with a little lube and some whacks of my fist, no hammer. It's all on now, #1 TDC, gears are lined up dot to dot with a straight edge through the middle of the cam shaft and crank shaft.
Now I need to source a better timing cover. I hadn't cleaned up the old one and just put it in the parts cleaner and started scraping of the old gasket and grease inside and out. And, it's cracked. So, now I'm shopping for a replacement. I have a couple of guys here locally I'll try after the holidays.
 
It's coming along nicely, timing chain installed, new to me used timing chain cover installed. Bottom end buttoned up, 3 layers of paint on the oil pan had to be removed, black, orange and the original blue. Heads installed and torqued down. Lifters installed, whoops, last box had used lifters and wrong size too. Damn, it takes 2 months to get stuff shipped from the US these days. Gotta see if I can source them locally. Lots of pictures, enjoy.

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Looking good! Have to admit that this post is getting me itchy to get moving on my own build as I posted earlier. My block is still at my machine shop waiting to go .030 over. If u don’t mind me asking, where are u getting your parts from in the states. I was planning on ordering some stuff from Summit. Hope I have better luck than you. RJ
 
I bought this kit Chrysler 360 1974-1981 Master Kit | Northern Auto Parts from Northern Auto Parts. It's a good deal, even given the problems I have had, one main bearing was scratched and the box of 4 used lifters. I don't blame them, the bearings are not packaged very well and some one could have returned the lifters claiming they didn't use them.
I used Just Mopar Joe, 318 Will Run and Rusty Rat Rods, tips and tricks. Hospital clean everything and notch to notch.
 
Looking Good! For lifters D&W sometimes has that stuff sitting around if none of the local speed shops or suppliers have any. Good luck!
 
Definitely try D&W for anything the main local shops don't have, I've lived just up the hill from them for many years and they're always very helpful. Also feel free to add me to your list of locals to check with for other parts you need for your car.
 
winky said:
Definitely try D&W for anything the main local shops don't have, I've lived just up the hill from them for many years and they're always very helpful. Also feel free to add me to your list of locals to check with for other parts you need for your car.
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Thanks, I'll do that. Dean's Tilleman in Okotoks has been my main source of used parts, but the engine is getting new parts.
 
Here's the progress so far. Intake installed, masked up and painted. Now it's -30 and my little heater won't warm up the garage enough to work on it. Gotta wait until this cold snap breaks. Oh yeah, my Christmas present arrived too. New floor mats from my wife, she ordered them in November.

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So you are going to prelube this with a drill to make sure you have oil to both heads and to see that it has oil pressure. I would mark each pushrod with a sharpie. Then as you prelube it and turn it over by hand, I would want to see that each pushrod is turning. I would usually do this before the intake was on and make sure each lifter is rotating as you turn it over by hand. If not I find out why the lifter isn’t spinning. A little late to the party, but if they don’t spin I don’t run it. You can probably look through the head and see if the lifter is rotating.
 
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