Hodge Podge 340 help

[Haddixj]

I just use the trunk of my corolla with a small piece of plywood in it to keep from crushing the spare tire cover. It will fit easy being torn all the way down

[dpcd67]

Yeah, getting engines to builders is easy; I assume you already have a hoist, so just plunk it down in any trunk or pickup bed. I haul them in my crv.  Plywood first is good.  They ain't that heavy; weight about as much as two mother in laws.

[Surfmichaels]

Managed to talk to lambeck today, really nice guy with a ton of knowledge. He told me how to check the piston bore, just scrape off the carbon with a razor and you'll see an oversize bore number stamped into the piston head. Mine where .060 over, continued further to check if the crank had been turned down also, and the crank bearings? Journals? Whatever those are called are also turned .010...   At this point I'm thinking I have a paper weight and I need to start looking for a fresh block.....

[blown motor]

Nothing wrong with 60 over pistons IMO. That's what I have and the engine runs great. When we rebuilt it two years ago there were two cylinders that were out of spec so we put sleeves in. Get your cylinders checked by a professional and then price out your options.

[mrbill426]

Nothing wrong with 60 over pistons IMO. That's what I have and the engine runs great. When we rebuilt it two years ago there were two cylinders that were out of spec so we put sleeves in. Get your cylinders checked by a professional and then price out your options.

   I drove (hard) a +.60" 383 for years without issues. Just make sure it's all "good" 

[Surfmichaels]

I think it is possible to make the 60 over pistons work well, but I think this build used it as a bandage or to cover up some other issues. Isn't +60 the limit and kinda on edge for a 340, cylinders are now at 4.10? Maybe I need to do some research on sleeving..... I wouldn't mind saving the block....

[blown motor]

Yes I believe +60 is the limit. That's why we put in a couple sleeves. +60 on a 340 give you about another 10 CID 

[edl94]

It sounds like you are in the seattle area. I have a complete standard bore 340 that I would let go. Cast crank (external balance), J heads 1.88 intake valve. Ran when it was pulled puffed a little smoke when first started, most likely valve seals. 1972 casting 1 head is removed to check bore size. These things are getting hard to find and most people want a small fortune for them. For a fellow cc member Ill let it go for $500.00 I am in Puyallup

[crash340]

Hi EDL94,
by chance could you share the VIN number off that 72 casting please, I have a 12/72 Cuda that looks like it may have had its 340 swapped out, it came from the Payallup/Vancouver area, would be real nice if it matched my car!!!

Greg

[edl94]

Sounds like the price might go up. Just kidding I would love it to find its original home. Its 2B468534

[crash340]

Thanks Mate, sadly, not mine,
I cant read the VIN on my block it is very faint, the casting is 29th Sept 72, the EIN decodes to being assembled on the 12th Dec 72 and my car was assembled on the 18th Dec 72. there is a more than good chance my engine is the original but i can tell for sure due to the VIN beeing so faintly stamped.

Greg

[Surfmichaels]

It sounds like you are in the seattle area. I have a complete standard bore 340 that I would let go. Cast crank (external balance), J heads 1.88 intake valve. Ran when it was pulled puffed a little smoke when first started, most likely valve seals. 1972 casting 1 head is removed to check bore size. These things are getting hard to find and most people want a small fortune for them. For a fellow cc member Ill let it go for $500.00 I am in Puyallup

Car is originally from Seattle but I am in SoCal. I was lucky enough to visit and it's a great area, although if I loved up there I'd have to find extra room in the garage for a rally car... Mmmmm forest roads....

Because this car will be tracked I'm going to give up on this block and start from scratch... Anyone have good experiences buying a fully prepped 360 block?

[Chryco Psycho]

Nope
 But 360s are everywhere , get a block from a wrecker out of a truck , it will be std bore , order a stroker kit for it , clean & machine the block drop in the stroker kit & you are good to go , you can get a later hyd roller block if you want , & you can use LA or Magnum heads , personally I prefer the 308 shaft rocker system over the Magnum ball stud but the Magnum seems to be reliable , the only hang up is oiling the shaft rockers using a magnum block , there is no provision in the block to oil the shafts , the blocks using the 308 heads had roller cams for the last couple of years though

[Surfmichaels]

Nope
 But 360s are everywhere , get a block from a wrecker out of a truck , it will be std bore , order a stroker kit for it , clean & machine the block drop in the stroker kit & you are good to go , you can get a later hyd roller block if you want , & you can use LA or Magnum heads , personally I prefer the 308 shaft rocker system over the Magnum ball stud but the Magnum seems to be reliable , the only hang up is oiling the shaft rockers using a magnum block , there is no provision in the block to oil the shafts , the blocks using the 308 heads had roller cams for the last couple of years though

The first half of this sounds perfect, I think that may be my new plan... The second half I just don't understand yet, but I'll need to start some new research, I just started understanding how the valve train works at all, now I need some more depth.....

[jimynick]

The shaft rocker system is just the individual rocker arms are all mounted on a common shaft that runs the length of the head and is bolted to it. The Magnum style CP refers to has the individual rockers on individual mounts that bolt to studs in the head, just like a Chev. The shaft system has oil delivered into it via a oil passage in the block/head while the Magnum system has oil pumped up to the individual rockers via hollow pushrods that get the oil from the lifter, again, just like a Chev. The joke, is that the race Chevys convert their heads to a shaft system because it has less flex due to it's design. There are Mopar pushrods to convert the shaft to the stand system should you desire. Hope that helps