I might cry

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For a basic stock mild build they want 7g's ? Thats nuts. Not sure what they intended to do to it, but 350 hp from a 340 is like falling off a log. The stock 68-70 340's made 325 hp (not the 275 mopar claimed) from what magazine tests found.

For what you want - you dont need line honing decking or any of that stuff unless the thing is really screwed up. Just a bore job, cut the mains, resize the rods with new bolts, pistons, bearings, cam, pumps, chain gasket set, valves as needed, hard seats, and springs. Have the cam bearings installed by your shop of choice. Do a Basic valve job with new guides. Splurge a little and get it balanced as a matter of course.

I cant imagine this running more than 4 g's with you assembling it.

Find somebody else - dont even consider these outfits.
 
My last stroker cost Just under 2000.00 for my last machine job. This was the short block only. No parts incl. The job included;
1. Boiling and blasting block.
2. Boring block from 3.91" bore to 4.025" bore.
3. Finish honing with torque plate to 4.03" bore
4. Alighn hone.
5. Install oil gallery tube and drill from main saddles.
6. Deck block to 9.580"
7. Sonic test block

Block had already been pressure checked.
Prior stroker was about the same from another high-quality shop.
Balancing was already done.
This is about the going rates around here.
Assembly would depend on how serious the work would entail, ie, file-fit rings, dial in cam, excet.........
 
Adding mallory metal is expensive,is it expensive to buy liteweight pistons and have it drilled out to balance the crank as you probably want to balance anyway. If you have to lighten the crank you can remove it.
 
if it is just a street car/cruise nite car,, you dont need a roller,,just use valveoline vr-1 oil,,, find a early 273/318 with a good crank,use that crank,,you will need an align bore for new crank fitment,just rebuild the heads,,on the street you wont see the difference if you open the valves,port etc,,save your money after the rebuild and buy a pair of eddy heads.use 9;1 or lower compression,so you can run pump gas,a mild cam from mopar performance,,i cant imagine more then 3 grand total,, just because they charge tons of money labor doesnt meen they are the best,,
 
Cory: If I remember correctly, you bought that 360 out of Washington state didn't you? And you're running a full ignition system from the same folks? Before giving up on that 360, I'd find out why you're underpowered and why the engine is pinging. If you're getting that much ping even with the timing backed off and running 94 octane, the first place I'd look is the ignition system. Second, what's the final compression ratio on that engine, and then what cam are you running, and was it installed correctly? What heads do you have on there, and did they come with the engine? I'd hate to see you throw big money at your 340 when you have an almost new 360 sitting in there. Remember, even if you have to change out the complete ignition system, or install a different cam to bleed off some compression, it will cost a pittance compared to building your 340 block. Why don't you get together ALL of the specs on your engine, trans, rear gears, etc, post everything here, and I'm sure with some time and patience, we can get that 360 running to your satisfaction. Right now it seems you're running out of patience, and that could cost you big bucks. Give the folks here a chance to help you through this, then maybe you can enjoy your car again next summer. :)
 
Old's got a point. Frustration is the single worst enemy of progress. There are certain "givens" with working with engines... New doesn't mean good. Expensive doesnt mean good. If a human builds it, "stuff happens". The thing most peopel get frustrated with is when they are at the end of thier understanding. That's when "it doesnt work right", cost, and patience's end all come together. Some things are hard to mess. Up. Some ain't. If the car pings, you have fuel, ignition, or mehcanical reasons. Eliminate fuel and ignition if you can mess with them and it stops or changes. Last is mechanics. If a cam is advanced, or not degreed right and inadvertanly advanced.. Or there's a single sharp in a the right spot, or a gasket that doesn seal right, or a valve seal that lets too much oil in... So, post everythign you know. We don't need names. It's irrelevant at this point anyway. The cheapest way is always using what you got...
 
I'd posted the engine specs before and everyone was at a loss. I am a mechanic with my interprovincial Red Seal my dad has been a mechanic for 30 years an has an automotive and heavy duty ticket and together we havn't been able to make this thing run. I had it at one performance shop also who didn't get it to work any better.

This engine has been a 2 year ongoing nightmare even the shipping was a PITA. The ignition and distributor are all their product curved to match the cam. Final compression ratio is 9.65:1 Its a 360 with mildly massaged J heads. Its supposed to be in the 1hp per cube range its quick but not that quick. Even the mechanic at the performance shop agreed that it wasn't.

Anyways heres the specs again.

360 + .030 SB Mopar

J head Castings chambers are 66-67
Piston relief's 8cc
Pistons are at zero
Deck height 9.450 is stamped in the block
Performance Valve Job
Steel Guides Honed to .0025
16 REV Stainless valves 11/32 stems
Intake 1.94 x 4.980 and Exhaust at 1.600 x 5.000
Crane Springs
Crane Retainers
Crane Locks
Steel guides honed to .0025 clearance
Viton Posi-Seals
Bowl Hog and blend Ports
Machine spring pockets
Diamond Pistons 4.030 flat tops
Diamond File Fit Moly rings
Clevite Main and Rod bearings
Racer Brown Cam EH 20 220 450 E 489 Int with 1.6 rocker
Johnson Hydraulic Lifters
Cometic Head Gaskets at 4.060 x .051
Compression at 9.62:1
Racer Brown Rocker Arms and Hold Downs 1.6/1.5 ratio
ARP Rod Bolts
Rods sized at 6.123
Cam degreed at 105
Crank at 10/10


Now all this said I am no longer running the racer brown rocker shafts as we could not set the valves after dozens of attempts to get rid of lifter noise. It also ate the first cam.

Car has 3.55 gears, 2800rpm stall and a 650 speed demon mechanical secondaries.

Thinking about trashing the carb because again NO ONE who has touched it has been able to tune the bog out of it at WOT
 
What is the part number of the main bearings? Is there any mention of "spacers" anywhere on the invoice?
 
What are the cam specs - your centerline seems odd at 105* for a cam that has lift in the range from .450-.490 ???
 
No part number or mention of spacers for the crank, why?

the cam card:

Valve lift intake/exhaust .485"
.050" Duration intake/exhaust 238
Lobe centerline intake 105
lobe centerline exhaust 111
Duration@ .008" intake/exhaust 286
Lobe separation 108.0
Advanced 3.0
 
Cory, if I were you I'd put that sucker on an engine stand, strip it down bolt for bolt, and then measure EVERYTHING at least twice. Then I'd start putting it back together again, still with the micrometers in hand and checking everything as you go. It's winter in Alberta and you might as well use the cold months to do a complete check-up on the engine before the warm weather gets here and frustration sets in again. With the specs listed, you shuld be running about 375 or more flywheel HP with that combo, and it sounds like you aren't. If you find anything that seems the least bit suspect, change it with new pieces. If you're not happy with the cam, or the way it's installed, change that also. Good luck, and keep in touch.
 
Just a guess but I'd say the CR is too low for that cam. I'd be happier with something like 10.5 or so to 1, you are probably bleeding off too much cylinder pressure.
 
Well like I say its main issue is it pings and I've never run it at the track because it always ran so badly.

Not the most accurate but from a stand still of flooring it it'll only chirp the tires no more. Untill I changed to the stock rockers and eliminated the lifter noise the car was NOT capable of a brake stand. I know this isn't accurate but still.

Only race I toyed around with street wise was a fox body 5.0 that looked sounded pretty mild and he beat me. Again not a real measurement but sufice to say I've driven enough 300hp mustangs when I worked at ford and anyone one of them would eat this car.

I am thinking about pulling the engine and haveing it run on a dyno and possibly doing a cam/carb swap as well
 
71Duster said:
Well like I say its main issue is it pings and I've never run it at the track because it always ran so badly.

Not the most accurate but from a stand still of flooring it it'll only chirp the tires no more. Untill I changed to the stock rockers and eliminated the lifter noise the car was NOT capable of a brake stand. I know this isn't accurate but still.

Only race I toyed around with street wise was a fox body 5.0 that looked sounded pretty mild and he beat me. Again not a real measurement but sufice to say I've driven enough 300hp mustangs when I worked at ford and anyone one of them would eat this car.

I am thinking about pulling the engine and haveing it run on a dyno and possibly doing a cam/carb swap as well
Click to expand...

Cam degreed and ignition timing on? Distributer in backwards? Run hot? elec cntl box good?
 
Timing is dead on even to the curve its supposed to have its about 20deg initial all in mechanical no vacuum @ 34deg 2800rpm

Car sounds fine so never tried another ignition box no misfires plugs look clean, I never did put it on a scope when I worked a tthe dealership to check my fireing lines and voltages though
 
Have you pulled a VC to see if a lobe may have rounded?
 
71Duster said:
No part number or mention of spacers for the crank, why?
Click to expand...

Well, mainly your deck height... Assuming that is what it is, and the zero deco kon the pistons dont add up for a 3.58 stroke crank. They do for a 3.31 stroke crank. Math goes like this: for a typical zero deck LA - 1/2 stroke (3.58/2)=1.79 plus rod length=6.123 plus piston compression height 1.667(Diamonds 360 flat top for stock stroke) yeilds 9.580". Which also happens to be what most end up at. Working backwards on the 9.45 deck... 9.450-1.667=7.783 7.783-6.123=1.660(which is 1/2 stroke, the only length left) 1.660x2= 3.332. Factory strokes are typiclly +/- .005" if you take the time to check that stuff. You can run a 340/318 crank in a 360 block, but you will need to run main bearing spacers, and the 318/340 bearing part numbers. That would explain the engine feeling soft low down too. Do you have a spec or part number for the pushrods? If they are shorter by around .130" then the deck height stamped is right, and the pistons should be popping out of the bores by a lot. No way you can have an LA with those pistons and stock length connecting rods (you'd know if you paid for custom length rods..) with a 3.58 stroke and 9.45 deck and flush pistons. It simply can't happen unless they mill pistons a ton. Also, the eating of the cam can cause all kinds of issues from debris going everywhere. So a lack of power, vaccum, or smoking after a cam loss, if the engine was not totally taken down to bare block and cleaned before being run again, should be expected. If it were me, I would pull the pan, at least pull the pistons and rods, and something easy like the Number 2 or 4 main cap and take stock of waht you have. Then you can see if the bores are trashed from debris (kills ring seal and pistons), you can see the part numbers on the bearing shells, and you can see the crank. Stock cranks have casting nmbers you can see when it's installed if you look hard enough.
 
Cory, you may want to talk with these guys about pricing a rebuild or they may have a dyno you can put your original on to find out what it's problem is. I haven't used them but understand they are affiliated with Hughes Engines in the states.

TBS (the block shop) Engines in Edmonton 780-452-8440

Terry
 
Good food for thought I did have the pan off and let me tell ya that GM EOS crap makes a huge mess in the pan nice grey black stain. The cam wasn't destroyed but I did mic it and it was worn more then it should have been and the hardening was badly discoloured and was comeing off. It wasn't missing huge amounts of lobe though. But again I am thinking of pulling it one way or another.

The rods are stock 360 rods resized arp bolts and that was it. Nothing fancy done there. Its interesting on the math though my other concern about damage was the engine was supposed to have been internally balanced but wasn't On break it it shook like a bastard. I had to change harmonic balancers and flexplates and it seemed to have been fine but I was curious if the vibrations might have done some damage?

The first time I drove the car around the block when it was like that the 1 - 2 shift actully broke the rear tires loose a bit the car was never able to do that again.

Demon Seed: I;ve hear dof the block shop and seen them just never heard of anyone thats used them. But Campbell never did get back to me this week so I might give the Block Shop a visit.

I'm just having a hard time wanting to give the 360 another chance its been out 3 times and has been a PITA before it ever showed up, shipping from the States was a nightmare. I also dont want to waste money but there is more appeal to put the numbers matching block back in. I keep hopeing it'll appease the car gods and I'll have some luck with this thing.

Wish I had a boreascope but it wouldn't take long to pop the heads off one nite and see what lurks.
 
After reading this more, I would probably start over too. This just gets worse and worse. Internally baalnced doesnt shake, and doesnt need stuff hung off it to be smooth. And smooth may not mean it's in balance, just that it isnt so bad it's loosening fillings of the driver. I really question the carnk at this point. And starting from that point, will be just as expensive as starting fresh and doing one the right way.
 
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