Hellrats
Just another dumbass
No the flex plate is different from a LA to a Magnum. The Magnum weight is different and has windows for the crank sensor.
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Hypothetical 360 magnum build
- Thread starter volaredon
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Bobzilla
Well-Known Member
Edelbrock does have a Magnum version aluminum head and it is a good one but it takes Chevy rocker arms on Chevy rocker studs. No big deal, but it's an aditional cost to buy rocker arms if you don't already have a Chevy set.
Speedmaster does not have an aluminum Magnum head, only a cast iron stock replacement head for use with stock rocker arms.
Bobzilla
Well-Known Member
I had to read it back to make sure I wrote it correctly. What wrote I is correct. You can use an entire LA rotating assembly in a Magnum block. The block does not care. The roating assembly dictates the balance factor and supporting parts.
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
You are correct but he is putting it into a 2003 so he needs a flex plate for a magnum with the windows for the fuel injection. A LA flex plate does not have the windows. Plus weight for a 360LA is on the convertor, not the flex plate.
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Bobzilla
Well-Known Member
I see what you are referring to. Yes on that for sure.
I have the whole rotating assembly for either the LA or the magnum.
My question was about the feasibility of mixing and matching those components.
I know (yeah 318 info doesn't necessarily transfer over due to the difference between internal and external balance) that on a 318 you can
Years ago I found myself in a crankshaft kit catalog. And I noticed that the crank on 318 LA and magnum actually crossed over between the 2 families of 318s. And I've seen pistons listed saying they could go "either way" for 318. But I know that 318s were all internal balanced. And that 360s were external balance///further, that the amount of external balance isn't the same on 360 LA vs 360 magnum.
What I DON'T know is where that difference lies between the LA and magnum version of the 360.
Is it the crank or the rods or the pistons or a combo of all?
There was one post earlier where someone had said that they built an engine as I am considering and had to pull it back apart and have it all rebalanced to work together. That is closest to the sort of info that I was digging for.
Can I use the Magnum crank with LA pistons if I use magnum rods? Or would it be closer to balanced with the magnum crank and the magnum's harmonic balancer, with LA rods and pistons?
Something I consider a second downfall of a 360 (besides dished pistons) is the external balance.
Relax guys. I haven't actually built this engine with mix matched parts yet. That's why I'm only asking questions at this point.
My thoughts were, other than trying to make best use of parts I already have in hand, that by putting the flat tops on the magnum, it would certainly increase compression with everything else besides "just the pistons" being equal in the end between "stock" and an engine built with flat tops// that it would boost torque, which would make it a better daily driver/camper towing machine. There's a thread elsewhere about "hypothetical 318 builds" that last I remember wasn't full of replies that said "build it stone stock" like I seem to be getting with this hypothetical 360 build.
To be honest I have always been much more of a "318 fan" than a "360 fan", I want to build a 360 as I think mopar should have built the 360 from the get go, addressing 2 of (to me anyway) of the 360s glaring weaknesses.... dished pistons 1st, and if need be, eliminate the external balance and balance one internally if I can't find a reasonable compromise for the external balance deal.
My question was about the feasibility of mixing and matching those components.
I know (yeah 318 info doesn't necessarily transfer over due to the difference between internal and external balance) that on a 318 you can
Years ago I found myself in a crankshaft kit catalog. And I noticed that the crank on 318 LA and magnum actually crossed over between the 2 families of 318s. And I've seen pistons listed saying they could go "either way" for 318. But I know that 318s were all internal balanced. And that 360s were external balance///further, that the amount of external balance isn't the same on 360 LA vs 360 magnum.
What I DON'T know is where that difference lies between the LA and magnum version of the 360.
Is it the crank or the rods or the pistons or a combo of all?
There was one post earlier where someone had said that they built an engine as I am considering and had to pull it back apart and have it all rebalanced to work together. That is closest to the sort of info that I was digging for.
Can I use the Magnum crank with LA pistons if I use magnum rods? Or would it be closer to balanced with the magnum crank and the magnum's harmonic balancer, with LA rods and pistons?
Something I consider a second downfall of a 360 (besides dished pistons) is the external balance.
Relax guys. I haven't actually built this engine with mix matched parts yet. That's why I'm only asking questions at this point.
My thoughts were, other than trying to make best use of parts I already have in hand, that by putting the flat tops on the magnum, it would certainly increase compression with everything else besides "just the pistons" being equal in the end between "stock" and an engine built with flat tops// that it would boost torque, which would make it a better daily driver/camper towing machine. There's a thread elsewhere about "hypothetical 318 builds" that last I remember wasn't full of replies that said "build it stone stock" like I seem to be getting with this hypothetical 360 build.
To be honest I have always been much more of a "318 fan" than a "360 fan", I want to build a 360 as I think mopar should have built the 360 from the get go, addressing 2 of (to me anyway) of the 360s glaring weaknesses.... dished pistons 1st, and if need be, eliminate the external balance and balance one internally if I can't find a reasonable compromise for the external balance deal.
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Yup I know about the differences between 360 LA and magnum flex plates. I've dealt with all of them at some point, in engine and/or trans swaps.
You forgot one. The magnum one without weights where the balance was welded into the converter face....(93-95 as I remember)
but the method of attaining the balance, isn't as important at this point as (in this case) as attaining the correct amount of balance//// whether that balance is attached to the flex plate or the converter....for the chosen parts used, in building an engine
You forgot one. The magnum one without weights where the balance was welded into the converter face....(93-95 as I remember)
but the method of attaining the balance, isn't as important at this point as (in this case) as attaining the correct amount of balance//// whether that balance is attached to the flex plate or the converter....for the chosen parts used, in building an engine
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