340 Engine, stock build

[Pouria]

As mentioned in another topic in this board, I am facing an injured 340 block with a hair crack under the deck above the lifter tunnels that will be repaired soon. I am thinking of performing an stock rebuild on this block with stock parts from affordable sources. By searching in the net, I could find out that Enginetech company is offering good prices for master engine rebuilt kits, for instance, 650$ for the Mopar 340 kit. Does anybody here have any experience with them? Do you recommend using Enginetech kits for a stock rebuilt? Any alternatives?

Meanwhile, I also found out that a company names ATK VEGE is offering remanufactured engines at a very low price. I could see a 360 engine there at 1400$! What does "remanufactured" exactly mean? Do they use any sort of new parts in their remanufactured engines? Does anybody know this company or ever bought any engine from them? Any alternatives for remanufactured engines?

Kindly let me know which way seems wiser for me to take, get stock rebuild kit and do the cracked 340 with the kit or get a reman 360 and put it under the hood?

[Challenger340]

As mentioned in another topic in this board, I am facing an injured 340 block with a hair crack under the deck above the lifter tunnels that will be repaired soon. I am thinking of performing an stock rebuild on this block with stock parts from affordable sources. By searching in the net, I could find out that Enginetech company is offering good prices for master engine rebuilt kits, for instance, 650$ for the Mopar 340 kit. Does anybody here have any experience with them? Do you recommend using Enginetech kits for a stock rebuilt? Any alternatives?

Meanwhile, I also found out that a company names ATK VEGE is offering remanufactured engines at a very low price. I could see a 360 engine there at 1400$! What does "remanufactured" exactly mean? Do they use any sort of new parts in their remanufactured engines? Does anybody know this company or ever bought any engine from them? Any alternatives for remanufactured engines?

Kindly let me know which way seems wiser for me to take, get stock rebuild kit and do the cracked 340 with the kit or get a reman 360 and put it under the hood?

Let me guess ?
The "crack" exhibited in your 340 Block, measures approx 3" long, and runs along "parallel" to the deck, between the Lifter Bores and Deck ?
Am I correct ?

If yes.... then that is a common crack on prior "frozen" 340 Blocks, which, IMHO... is NOT a good candidate for "repairs" of any kind, in any targeted useage.
just my 
But you do as you wish.

On another note, with Engine Kits, you will get, what you pay for, simple as that.
The cheaper the price, typically the cheaper the parts.
And while I have no specific knowledge of "Enginetech" Kits themselves, being that we are involved in a far higher quality grade rebuild processes than those parts would "fit".... I am quite familiar with other similiarily priced competitor parts Kits, and the "remanufacture" processes applied therein.
Again,
you "get".... what you PAY for !
There is no "magic", whereby someone can give "something" for nothing, time is money, and a $1400 Engine is just that.

Given you only wish to do this once, as cost effectively as possible in the long run... and given you are in Iran, so shipping, export, etc., etc. are factors ?
I would strongly advise you to seek out a known, reputable builder, familiar with SB Mopars, somewhere in the continental U.S.A. and purchase a quality product ONCE ! and done !
Just my  ....
But I've been a Performance Engine Builder for 40 years... and the best advice I can give you is stated above.

[Pouria]

Let me guess ?
The "crack" exhibited in your 340 Block, measures approx 3" long, and runs along "parallel" to the deck, between the Lifter Bores and Deck ?
Am I correct ?

If yes.... then that is a common crack on prior "frozen" 340 Blocks, which, IMHO... is NOT a good candidate for "repairs" of any kind, in any targeted useage.
just my 
But you do as you wish.

On another note, with Engine Kits, you will get, what you pay for, simple as that.
The cheaper the price, typically the cheaper the parts.
And while I have no specific knowledge of "Enginetech" Kits themselves, being that we are involved in a far higher quality grade rebuild processes than those parts would "fit".... I am quite familiar with other similiarily priced competitor parts Kits, and the "remanufacture" processes applied therein.
Again,
you "get".... what you PAY for !
There is no "magic", whereby someone can give "something" for nothing, time is money, and a $1400 Engine is just that.

Given you only wish to do this once, as cost effectively as possible in the long run... and given you are in Iran, so shipping, export, etc., etc. are factors ?
I would strongly advise you to seek out a known, reputable builder, familiar with SB Mopars, somewhere in the continental U.S.A. and purchase a quality product ONCE ! and done !
Just my  ....
But I've been a Performance Engine Builder for 40 years... and the best advice I can give you is stated above.

Regarding the crack, YES!!!! That's exactly the same as you mentioned and this proves me I am at the right place to collect data and advice!
Thank you for the information and I do appreciate your concern on my project. Actually, it is more than clear to me that the way you advised is the most logical one for me to take but please consider this fact that I am much interested to build one engine by myself and the help of my friends here based on the information I take from professionals on this board. You have been doing it for 40 years, so maybe you think I am stupid but I am really excited to take this as an opportunity to learn and to do something.
Back to my story, so you say that the injured block is of no value even for stock rebuild. Based on this I through it away and the Enginetech option and the like are no more on the table!
I was thinking of buying a cheap reman SB engine and ship it fast and install on the car and enjoy it, then begin my 400 block parts purchase for the performance engine but you are absolutely right! I have no extra money to pay for two motors so I have better do it once and do it right, except that I won't by a complete engine I have a 400 block and will open a new topic for it, please share your experiences with me

[Challenger340]

We will be doing a "451" Stroker, based on a 400 Block right away,
however,
It will then be leaving our Shop as a "Blueprinted" Machined & Parts Package only, for then another Shop/Builder who will be assembling it for themselves/Customer.
We supply all Parts & Machining, Porting & Cylinder Head work, then it gets packaged up with a Specification Sheet of all clearances, torque values, Flow Sheets and instructions for the other Shop to assemble for their customer.
We've been doing this for a number of years for a select few Shops we deal with, as we simply do not have the capacity to service all customers "in the door" from start to Dyno finished, so we refer them to other Shops who can service their needs, and we just stick to the Machining etc., for them.

You are welcome to follow along, and I can post photos and a write up of the Parts & Labor operations as we progress if you so desire ?
It is a "budget" conscious deal.... Stealth Heads(which we will prep & flow), small Cam, but it should still be good for 525 to 575 hp on 91 Octane pump gas.

Bob @ rmp

[BSB67]

We will be doing a "451" Stroker, based on a 400 Block right away,
however,
It will then be leaving our Shop as a "Blueprinted" Machined & Parts Package only, for then another Shop/Builder who will be assembling it for themselves/Customer.
We supply all Parts & Machining, Porting & Cylinder Head work, then it gets packaged up with a Specification Sheet of all clearances, torque values, Flow Sheets and instructions for the other Shop to assemble for their customer.
We've been doing this for a number of years for a select few Shops we deal with, as we simply do not have the capacity to service all customers "in the door" from start to Dyno finished, so we refer them to other Shops who can service their needs, and we just stick to the Machining etc., for them.

You are welcome to follow along, and I can post photos and a write up of the Parts & Labor operations as we progress if you so desire ?
It is a "budget" conscious deal.... Stealth Heads(which we will prep & flow), small Cam, but it should still be good for 525 to 575 hp on 91 Octane pump gas.

Bob @ rmp

I think the 451 is such a nice set-up.  It seems so well balanced in every measure, IMO.

[Pouria]

We will be doing a "451" Stroker, based on a 400 Block right away,
however,
It will then be leaving our Shop as a "Blueprinted" Machined & Parts Package only, for then another Shop/Builder who will be assembling it for themselves/Customer.
We supply all Parts & Machining, Porting & Cylinder Head work, then it gets packaged up with a Specification Sheet of all clearances, torque values, Flow Sheets and instructions for the other Shop to assemble for their customer.
We've been doing this for a number of years for a select few Shops we deal with, as we simply do not have the capacity to service all customers "in the door" from start to Dyno finished, so we refer them to other Shops who can service their needs, and we just stick to the Machining etc., for them.

You are welcome to follow along, and I can post photos and a write up of the Parts & Labor operations as we progress if you so desire ?
It is a "budget" conscious deal.... Stealth Heads(which we will prep & flow), small Cam, but it should still be good for 525 to 575 hp on 91 Octane pump gas.

Bob @ rmp

Could anything be better than this? Thanks indeed I will open my 400 build thread soon, please put everything over there for a well categorized data. Meanwhile, you mentioned stealth heads! Do you recommend 440source as a good supplier of big block stroker kits?

[Challenger340]

I find the 440 Source Kits fair value for the price point, with the following observations:
* Their so-called "balancing" is a $150 job, which IMO, should NOT be confused with a REAL balancing job performed at a performance oriented Machine Shop.
I am sure those that have opened their source kits might have wondered "why" their Rods and pistons are UN-touched, indeed the Rods still sealed in the bags from China ?
It is because the 440 source "balance" job ?... is just the Crankshaft spun & "corrected" to an average bobweight calculated once a long, long time ago... in a galaxy far, far away.... (Star Wars week)
which,
depending upon the actual Rods and pistons you receive in your particular Kit ? may... or may not be close ?
But typically "close enough" to run with average customer who doesn't DYNO not noticing.... except me, because we re-balance properly here again and have found some out as much as 23 grams on one plane once the Rods & Pistons were corrected.

* Their Crank Grinds are a crap shoot to work on, using the supplied Bearings in the Kit, unless you are strictly building a grocery getter sunday driver.
For REAL performance useage... 9 times out of 10 we have to discard the supplied "Kit" bearings, in favor of sizings we can work with to enhance bearing crush & eccentricity towards people who are driving them like they stole them.
I wonder how many people run the kits "as is".... and never monitor their Oil Temps ? Shit will run I guess ?

* The source "stealth" heads are just that... "stealthy" stock appearance.... and for the price ? well, still far better to start with than any iron head ! 

[Pouria]

 
I am just more than confused to read your points about 440source! Looking at their website and reading their words gives the reader a very high level of confidence and one comes to this faith that they are the very best of supplier for big block parts on the planet! Thanks for all your valuable information. Are their rods really made in China?!
Kindly post your pictures and explanations about your build in my new 400 topic.

[Pouria]

Well; I would like to make this thread live again because I could find a very clean 340 block and many other parts here! The block bores were at the original size of 4.04" but I could only find 030 Badger pistons, 1982 made:






Does anybody know these pistons? Are they good enough for a stock build? Considering the size of the pistons, I have no way except over-sizing my block to 030 as well. I took the block to a machine shop and he recommended me to have the piston-to-bore clearance at 0.003 but I can read in the Chilton book that this clearance should be 0.0005 ~ 0.0015!


I know this is a very important factor to make an engine durable or let it break down soon so I would like to ask this question from the professionals here. How much should the piston-to-bore clearance be for the 340 engine?

Below you can see the picture of the parts I got for this 340 by far:

The cam-shaft was broght to me by one of my friends from USA


The main, rod and cam bearings






The piston rings from SEALED POWER (What are those yellow and red marks on the oil rings?)




Oil Pump with M72 number on it. Is it a right pump for my build?



And the gasket set, Mopar!




Kindly do me a favor and write all your comments about the clearance issue as well as the parts. Thank you!

[Pouria]

Nobody's willing to post some comments to help me?