Need a temporary motor and good 340 block

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LS1K5

LS1K5

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I have a '71 e-body with the original 318 that I need to take out before the crank is completely ruined(way too much end play). I was building a 416 stroker from a 340 block but one of the lifter bores is .010" over, not sure how that happens but I need to find another block. I wanted to put another 318 or 360 in the car but I don't know which one would make the best temporary motor. I know the 360s are externally balanced and the car has a 904 trans so there may be an issue there. There are several late 70's 360 in my area and an '88 318 that is supposed to have the swirl port heads and roller cam but I would have use an electric fuel pump but I have a 4bbl intake and carb that should work. The magnum motors are supposedly better but require a different intake. I have a set of TTI headers on the car that I want to put on the next motor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Why not just sleeve the lifter bore? they do it all the time in small block chevs so I see no reason why it would not work on your 340
 
1968dartman said:
Why not just sleeve the lifter bore? they do it all the time in small block chevs so I see no reason why it would not work on your 340
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The shop wants $600-700 for that and the block is marginally usable already(corrosion).
 
LS1K5 said:
The shop wants $600-700 for that and the block is marginally usable already(corrosion).
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Move on to another block. Not cost effective to fix that at that price.

One of those 360's will do. Early, late with roller cam, or Magnum. Pick you poison.

Even thought 360 are externally balanced, the Scat cast or forged crank stroker kits can be bought with internal balance. All that would allow is for your old vibration dampener and torque converter to be re-used. Those are the only two things effected by internal vs. external balancing.
 
LS1K5 said:
The shop wants $600-700 for that and the block is marginally usable already(corrosion).
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That is for all the lifter bores, my block was the same way and I had just 2 lifter bores done for that cylinder, was like $200-$250, I forgot but it was in the $200 range, $220 something is coming to my head, maybe that what it was ?
 
LA 360 Roller block, remember torque is King on the street.
 
im 2 hours from you. i have a '73 340 bare block for sale. standard bore, needs to be bored though....$300
 
autoxcuda said:
Move on to another block. Not cost effective to fix that at that price.

One of those 360's will do. Early, late with roller cam, or Magnum. Pick you poison.

Even thought 360 are externally balanced, the Scat cast or forged crank stroker kits can be bought with internal balance. All that would allow is for your old vibration dampener and torque converter to be re-used. Those are the only two things effected by internal vs. external balancing.
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I all ready have a rotating assm. for a 340 block, I didn't think to check the lifter bores. I've never seen a bad lifter bore on any engine I've worked on, if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.
 
This is what I would do. I had lifter bores broke out and replaced them. Let me know what your doing with the block. if these guys talk you into another.
 

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I'll probably hang on to the block regardless but fyi its rough bored .024 over, needs to be finished honed with a honing plate, align honed, lifter bores sleeved, decked at least .010 and there is lots of corrosion around the freeze plug bores and one water pump passage.
 
LS1K5 said:
I all ready have a rotating assm. for at 340 block, I didn't think to check the lifter bores. I've never seen a bad lifter bore on any engine I've worked on, if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.
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The factory used oversize lifters, that cylinder will have a diamond mark up by the deck. Learn this the hard way, my short block was ready for assembly when my shop either noticed it or told me about it. I was so tick off cause few shops work on Mopars here but I was able to find a shop not too far away and 3 weeks later--yep 3 weeks--it was then ready for assembly. That engine took so long to get done and we don't have nice weather year round up here. Gas was "cheap" under $3 that summer and my car was on jack stands, ha ha
 
dodge freak said:
The factory used oversize lifters, that cylinder will have a diamond mark up by the deck. Learn this the hard way, my short block was ready for assembly when my shop either noticed it or told me about it. I was so tick off cause few shops work on Mopars here but I was able to find a shop not too far away and 3 weeks later--yep 3 weeks--it was then ready for assembly. That engine took so long to get done and we don't have nice weather year round up here. Gas was "cheap" under $3 that summer and my car was on jack stands, ha ha
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Thanks for the info, I will look for the mark. I knew the factory used over sized lifters ocasionally but it sounds more common than I thought. I started my 416 project over a year ago and all I have to show for it is a rotating assembly.
 
autoxcuda said:
Move on to another block. Not cost effective to fix that at that price.

One of those 360's will do. Early, late with roller cam, or Magnum. Pick you poison.

Even thought 360 are externally balanced, the Scat cast or forged crank stroker kits can be bought with internal balance. All that would allow is for your old vibration dampener and torque converter to be re-used. Those are the only two things effected by internal vs. external balancing.
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Will a truck 5.2 or 5.9 magnum motor fit in an e-body with the stock oil pan or will I need to change it no matter what?
 
dodge freak said:
The factory used oversize lifters, that cylinder will have a diamond mark up by the deck. Learn this the hard way, my short block was ready for assembly when my shop either noticed it or told me about it. I was so tick off cause few shops work on Mopars here but I was able to find a shop not too far away and 3 weeks later--yep 3 weeks--it was then ready for assembly. That engine took so long to get done and we don't have nice weather year round up here. Gas was "cheap" under $3 that summer and my car was on jack stands, ha ha
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Thanks for the info, my block does have the stampings in the lifter valley above the oversized bore. I can't believe that two machine shops that supposedly know Mopars missed that, at least I didn't have too much into the block.
 

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