Magnum 5.2l vs 360 LA?

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Inspired by 318willrun 318 vs 340,
Since there’s a ton of running 5.2l magnums, which would be a better platform 5.2l vs 360 LA stock long blocks no porting just usual hop ups cam intake headers etc… ???

no 5.9l Magnums
 
5.2 would be a better platform, more compression to work with.
 
The main thought behind this thread
Is a /6 to V8 swap and someone wants a running low dollar performance engine. Yes obviously if you find a 5.9l magnum for cheap that’s a no brainer but if one ain’t available and there only running 5.2l and LA 360 around which would you be better off with. Even good running 360 are getting harder to find really leaving 5.2l.

I feel the little bump in cr and how well the magnum heads respond to cams the 5.2l would have a slight advantage especially if shooting over 375 hp.
 
5.2 would be a better platform, more compression to work with.

I think 220 cam and under there probably similar but start add duration like 235 and the 5.2l magnum would respond better would be my guess.
 
A project I hope to down the road in a few years, is to take my 5.9l Jeep and make a street strip and buy a few 5.2l run one and a couple as back up. Do re gasket and ring gap and pocket port add my crate engine M1 single plane and cam and springs, and a 150 hp shot, Rhoads lifters, run them until they blow then next 5.2l figure that’s a cheap way to go.
 
Well I would take the 360…30-40hp/tq on the 318 mini magnum

So you think not saying your wrong just wondering, say a xe268h and air gap and headers the 360 would make 30-40 hp more than a magnum 5.2l ??

Stock I feel the 5.2l make probably 30 hp more than the la 360
 
the 5.9 makes 15 more hp than the 5.2 and 30 ft pounds more torque. Whoopie !
 
the 5.9 makes 15 more hp than the 5.2 and 30 ft pounds more torque. Whoopie !

I feel if you add the 380 hp crate engine cam and intake to the 5.2l the power difference between a 5.2l and 5.9l would be similar 15 or so hp.

Torque gears take care of that.
 
So you think not saying your wrong just wondering, say a xe268h and air gap and headers the 360 would make 30-40 hp more than a magnum 5.2l ??

Stock I feel the 5.2l make probably 30 hp more than the la 360

Once you start modifying them what advantages does the 318 mag have over the 360 LA?
 
Once you start modifying them what advantages does the 318 mag have over the 360 LA?




Myself I’ve always only been cam 4bbl headers and sometimes 360 heads on a 318, kind of guy, never hade a built engine, maybe one day.
 
Will you be using a hydraulic roller cam in the 5.2?
 
I'll take a 360 over a 318 always.
360 has torque !
318 not so much .
 
Once you start modifying them what advantages does the 318 mag have over the 360 LA?

tenor-9.gif
 
For something where the basic longblock is left alone i think the 5.2Magnum would do quite good. It has more compression,better heads and rollercam from the factory(yeah i know the later LA360s came with rollers but most didnt)
This comes from the perspective that i daily drive a 5.2Magnum in a ram1500 and its not a very rare moment when the thought passes thru my head how nice that 5.2 would do in a lightweight A-body,it just pushes that ram around so easy at low rpm and even with the converter locked up and with a nice litle push thru the middrange in a heavy car with barnstyle aerodynamics.
Just a carbed intake and a set of headers on a 5.2 in an abody would probably do wonders in extending the powerrange alitle and would probably be enough to equal a stock 340abody.
 
This is where the often forgotten "all other things being equal" comes in with the "no replacement for displacement" saying.

The 5.2 Mag has MUCH better heads, and a roller cam, plus better and more accurately reported compression.

Those three things are major factors and could potentially make up for 42 cubes of displacement.
 
In certain arenas, yes.
What are we really doing in this compare.
 
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