Small Blocks

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Dan the man

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I was thinking the other day that if you was picked by the Chrysler corporation to design their small blocks, 318,340,360's what would have you redesigned / changed? I'm not just talking about the performance aspect of the small blocks but their dependability etc. I thought that it would be cool to see what different people would change or add.
 
Would explore the poly design to the max. /maybe even a sohc/dohc /cross bolted crank
 
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It would be nice if everything was compatible between blocks, such as motor mount ears, every block internally balance to eliminateconfusion, zero deck height pistons, thicker walls on the 318 to allow 4" bore, heads without pushrod pinch like the t/a cast without the pinch or adoption the w2 heads when they came out,
 
DOHC Hemi heads for the 340, and internals capable of 10,000 rpm. You can't tell me that wouldn't be a fun thing to play with.
 
Newbomb Turk said:
I would correct the lifter bank angles and develop a head like PST used.
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Freakin A! From the get go!
4eighteener said:
It would be nice if everything was compatible between blocks, such as motor mount ears, every block internally balance to eliminateconfusion, zero deck height pistons, thicker walls on the 318 to allow 4" bore, heads without pushrod pinch like the t/a cast without the pinch or adoption the w2 heads when they came out,
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Sounds like a race engine to me…. LOL!
 
In keeping with Dans question, not building a race engine ether….
Though some things would have you think otherwise, I have to agree with a bunch above.

Corrected lifter angles with a better oiling system good for 10K rpm, (Chevrolet ) no pushrod pinch heads and a thicker main web for 4 bolt main adaptability. A cross bolted deep skirted block need not be but that would be interesting and make the oil pan easier to work with.

All internal balanced is a plus but the only confusion I find is when exactly the external balanced 340 came in to production. ‘72? - ‘73, whatever….


I’d also make a different timing cover.
And lastly, the back of ever engine would accept the same bell housing instead of having 3 different 727 bell housings.
Data BS
 
Correct lifter bore angle, thicker cylinder walls and shorter deck height, lighter pistons with shorter pin height. Six head bolts per cylinder. Oiling system that oils rods and crankshaft first. Heads with no two exhaust valves together like a Foooord.
 
I would have those 4 bolt main cap bolts go into a blind hole,as well as the timing chain cover bolts. Get rid of those sloppy rocker arms. The oil pump pick up tube would have a bigger inside diameter. Get rid of the freeze plugs that are on both sides of the camshaft. I would design the heads so that there wouldn't be any cracking between the valve seats and the heads would be a closed chamber
 
ch1ll said:
Correct lifter bore angle, thicker cylinder walls and shorter deck height, lighter pistons with shorter pin height. Six head bolts per cylinder. Oiling system that oils rods and crankshaft first. Heads with no two exhaust valves together like a Foooord.
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Shorter deck height would effect the 360's stroke and the rod to stroke ratio of the 318's and 340's. Otherwise I agree with you
 
ch1ll said:
Correct lifter bore angle, thicker cylinder walls and shorter deck height, lighter pistons with shorter pin height. Six head bolts per cylinder. Oiling system that oils rods and crankshaft first. Heads with no two exhaust valves together like a Foooord.
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I thought that the rod and main bearings were oiled first, what gets oil first? I've never seen a oiling route for the small block Mopar. Sure has been a lot of good ideas on how folks would improve the sbm
 
ch1ll said:
Correct lifter bore angle, thicker cylinder walls and shorter deck height, lighter pistons with shorter pin height. Six head bolts per cylinder. Oiling system that oils rods and crankshaft first. Heads with no two exhaust valves together like a Foooord.
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Also a shorter deck height would limit the stroker crankshaft used. Deck height as is with a taller pin height.
 
here are a few;
A better rod-oiling system, and more oil to the top-end.
Longer lasting bores.
No pushrod pinches.
Just say no to nylon-tipped sprockets, and single-row chains.
NO open chamber heads ever!
Variable valve timing, or at least an automatic cam retarder

Also rans;
More screws to hold the valve covers down with.
Umbrella oil seals banned forever.
A deeper sump.
A better rear main seal

Dreams;
DOHC with adjustable bucket followers
Long-rams
an Engine driven PTO
All cranks same main-journal sizes, thus the 273 transforms to a 301 with a 30 over, and suddenly a billion 273 blocks become gold, lol; I mean, with a longram, she'd be a 3.66 x 3.58 torque monster, easily capable of 30 mpg on a bad tune. yes I'm kidding, lol.
Cranks running in adjustable eccentric saddles, that you can adjust how high up the piston goes. ie, variable compression. No I'm not kidding. You want more pressure? just raise the crank up a couple of turns. Can't get rid of detonation? just drop the crank a few turns.
 
Dan the man said:
I would have those 4 bolt main cap bolts go into a blind hole,as well as the timing chain cover bolts. Get rid of those sloppy rocker arms. The oil pump pick up tube would have a bigger inside diameter. Get rid of the freeze plugs that are on both sides of the camshaft. I would design the heads so that there wouldn't be any cracking between the valve seats and the heads would be a closed chamber
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You can get most of that now.
 
Dan the man said:
I thought that the rod and main bearings were oiled first, what gets oil first? I've never seen a oiling route for the small block Mopar. Sure has been a lot of good ideas on how folks would improve the sbm
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Look at a drawing of how they oil. The lifters get oil first. They did that for a reason.

If the rest of the system is right, oiling the mains after he lifters doesn’t matter because it’s a constant flow system.
 
I would design all engines for the hemi head, minimal bore size of 4 inch
 
oh and all engines would have front distributor and front oil pump /filter.
 
I would do away with the 318 and replace it with a 4 banger with a 4.34" bore.
 
Many good ideas posted so far, but here's one nobody has yet mentioned...

Design a 2-piece water pump similar to a big block for easier and quicker replacement
 
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Dan the man said:
A banger has to work to hard. They all run strong until they get like 70000 miles and then they start to lose steam
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you think a 4 cylinder with a 4.34" bore and 4" or 4.5" stroke will have to work hard. hardly.
 
the whole waterpump/timing cover and oil pan can all get fired out of a cannon directly into the sun.

deep skirt block/crank CL below the rail fixes that and gives more strength.

everything compatible- cranks, internal/external balance, motor mounts
 
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