318 to 360 swap checklist

[Ponch ®]

Looks like I'll be bringing home the 360 i bought in a couple of days. I will be mating the 360 to the 904 tranny. The 360 is pretty much complete, so I wont even have to take any accesories from my 318. I'm gonna get started on cleaning out my engine bay and pulling the old 318...but in the meantime, I would like to compile a checklist of sorts on what I'm going to need to do the swap.  Here's what I think I'll need so far, but I know i'm missing stuff:

- Motor Mounts (though I've been told I can use the stock motor mounts 'with a spacer'?)

- Oil Pan (the 360 is coming out of a van, I know theyre different)

- Flexplate (is that all i need to mate it to the tranny? Is there one that already comes properly weighed and balanced?)

what else am I missing?

Thanks fellas'

[Rolling_Thunder]

the water outlet may be different on the 360....    post 1968  exited on the passenger side...    pre 68 exited on the driver's side...   when i swapped the 360 into my 68 the water outlet on the radiator needed to be swapped to the passenger side...     

motor mount will work with a spacer and longer bolt...   

flexplates...    as far as i know they only make neutral balanced ones - leaving the engine balance up to the harmonic balancer and the torque convertor... 

[694spdRT]

Is your 360 the older LA version or a Magnum? I do think you will need the converter off the 360 unless they make a weighted flexplate for a conversion like you are doing. You are right on the pan as the 318 is different. A 360 center sump oil pan and pickup will be needed as the van probably has a rear sump pan. One of the motor mounts is the same as a 318 but, I can't remember which one.

Nothing else comes to mind for a LA 360 that you can't just rob off your 318 if need be. 

I was planning a 360 Magnum build on a truck engine I picked up cheap but, with the many differences and the cost of Magnum stuff I am now putting a 440 in the Challenger. 

[Ponch ®]

its a pre-magnum 360. I know its post 68 too.

what kinda spacer is used on the motor mount (i believe its the right mount thats different, but not sure)?

[Rolling_Thunder]

its a pre-magnum 360. I know its post 68 too.

what kinda spacer is used on the motor mount (i believe its the right mount thats different, but not sure)?

Driver's side mount...     It needs to have about an inch or so of washers or some tubing to take up the offset...   

[Ponch ®]

washers or tubing sounds a hell of a lot more enticing than paying $150 for the schumacher mounts...

I remember Uncle Chryco saying a while back that I only needed a flexplate...I hope I dont need the TC too.

[Daytona R/T SE]

When I did this swap, I tossed the 904 and used the 727 tranny from the van, it's a direct swap, you get the stronger 727 tranny, you don't have to screw around with the engine balance, torque converter,flex plate, etc.  The only thing that needed switched was the drive shaft, grab one from a 66/67 charger or coronet with the 727 and the 8 3/4 rear end - it will bolt right up to the 727 and the 8 1/4 rearend in your charger....Disclaimer:  I've done the 727/ 66/67 driveshaft into a 3rd gen with an 8 1/4 rearend swap twice, both of these went into '72 Chargers, both worked perfectly, one was a 440/727 combo, the other a van 360/727 combo... there might be something different I'm unaware of on the 73/74 chargers, since these years are basically very early pre production Cordobas 

[Ponch ®]

When I did this swap, I tossed the 904 and used the 727 tranny from the van, it's a direct swap, you get the stronger 727 tranny, you don't have to screw around with the engine balance, torque converter,flex plate, etc.  The only thing that needed switched was the drive shaft, grab one from a 66/67 charger or coronet with the 727 and the 8 3/4 rear end - it will bolt right up to the 727 and the 8 1/4 rearend in your charger....Disclaimer:  I've done the 727/ 66/67 driveshaft into a 3rd gen with an 8 1/4 rearend swap twice, both of these went into '72 Chargers, both worked perfectly, one was a 440/727 combo, the other a van 360/727 combo... there might be something different I'm unaware of on the 73/74 chargers, since these years are basically very early pre production Cordobas 

yeah, the guy I bought the engine from does want to sell me the tranny too...i just dont have the funds, and my 904 has probably less than 5k miles on it - i had it rebuilt when i first got the car.

[TheGhost]

You sure the 904 would be able to handle the 360?

[Ponch ®]

You sure the 904 would be able to handle the 360?

i certainly hope so. 

[Chryco Psycho]

B&M should have a weighted flex plate so you can use the converter you have

[Rolling_Thunder]

You sure the 904 would be able to handle the 360?

yes  -- ran my stock 68 904 for about a year with the 360 and i showed that thing no mercy...   

[Ponch ®]

B&M should have a weighted flex plate so you can use the converter you have

is that pretty much the only engine/tranny mating issue i need to worry about?

[Rolling_Thunder]

B&M should have a weighted flex plate so you can use the converter you have

is that pretty much the only engine/tranny mating issue i need to worry about?

yes

[Ponch ®]

B&M should have a weighted flex plate so you can use the converter you have

would this one be it? I checked B&M's site and thats the only one they have for a 360/904 combo.

[Rolling_Thunder]

correct

[Ponch ®]

correct

how come that one has six bolts and the one that I disconnected from the tranny with the engine has 4?

[Rolling_Thunder]

correct

how come that one has six bolts and the one that I disconnected from the tranny with the engine has 4?

six bolts where ?  the center hob that bolts to the crank has 6 holes - the outside uses 4 holes but some aftermarket ones have more then 4...   but these wont be used

[Ponch ®]

correct

how come that one has six bolts and the one that I disconnected from the tranny with the engine has 4?

six bolts where ?  the center hob that bolts to the crank has 6 holes - the outside uses 4 holes but some aftermarket ones have more then 4...   but these wont be used

oh wait....i see what you mean. I got a little confused there for a minute. thanks!

[Rolling_Thunder]

correct

how come that one has six bolts and the one that I disconnected from the tranny with the engine has 4?

six bolts where ?  the center hob that bolts to the crank has 6 holes - the outside uses 4 holes but some aftermarket ones have more then 4...   but these wont be used

oh wait....i see what you mean. I got a little confused there for a minute. thanks!

no problem - glad to help

[MassCharger73]

You had mentioned on another thread that you were going to use headers, It's been twenty years since I did this same swap but I remember having an issue with the column shifter. If you don't have a floor shifter there may be an interference problem with the headers. Someone here has probably done this more recently and could correct me if I'm wrong.

[Ponch ®]

You had mentioned on another thread that you were going to use headers, It's been twenty years since I did this same swap but I remember having an issue with the column shifter. If you don't have a floor shifter there may be an interference problem with the headers. Someone here has probably done this more recently and could correct me if I'm wrong.

I think i might convert it from column to a floor shifter. I figure it might be a good idea to do it while the tranny is down during the swap.

How involved is that anyway? I searched but couldnt find any topics on it. Ill have to start another thread when I get to that part of the project.

[Rolling_Thunder]

depends on what way you want to go...    quickest and easiest would be to go over to a Kragen or Auto-Zone and getting a B&M shifter....     costs around $200 and it is a no-brainer to hook up - only need a small hole for the cable to pass through......

otherwise you are looking for parts for the auto shift linkage the factory installed (more time consuming and probably more costly in the long run)

[MassCharger73]

The aftermarket floor shifter would be easier and perhaps cheaper, but it depends on what look you are going for. I personally like the stock look and would have to use the slapstick. The factory setup is easy to install. The biggest thing is welding the floor mounts.

[MassCharger73]

I'm glad you started this thread, I just had a rush of memories that caused me quite a few chuckles. My wife must think I'm nuts from out in the other room. Anyway I'm sure I couldn't hook up the column shifter after the headers because for a week I had to engage the E-brake, climb under the car and manually shift the car into drive. A small price to pay in my youth for more cubic inches, a 4 bbl. and dual exhaust.