I need help making a decision!! PLEASE

[mopar-or-no-car]

The guy restoring my chally said that my 340 is toast!  several years ago someone stole the 6 pak carbs off of the motor so the top end has been exposed to the elements! and apparently they loosened the intake so also of coolant went into the cylanders.  I saw the motor and the cylanders have about 1/2" of rust in them and the walls of the cylanders are rough so they are going to need to be bored. the guy tearing the engine appart let me smell something and he told me what I was smelling was burnt so the engine sometime in it's life has gotten VERY HOT!
OK the question:   should I force the guy to rebuild my 340 or should I go with his idea to put in a brand new 360 with a roller cam and aluminum heads? he said it would breathe better, be lighter oh it would also have 400 hp.

I don't know much about this stuff     so any input would be greatly appreciated
Thankyou
Rachelle

[rav440]

take the block to somebody else and get a second opion . sounds to me like he dosent want to get into all the work . is it the #s matching block to your CHALLENGER ? if it were me id take it to a machine shop that builds engines & get it hot tanked and sonic tested or magna fluxed & if they say its OK have them do the 340 . 

like i said it sounds like it is a body shop more than an engine building shop & they just do not want to deal with the work on the 340 . its much easier for them if you go buy a crate engine and they drop it in the CHALLENGER .

in other words if you're getting  your bath room remodeled you dont want the carpenter doing the plumming work . 

[mopar-or-no-car]

take the block to somebody else and get a second opion . sounds to me like he dosent want to get into all the work . is it the #s matching block to your CHALLENGER ? if it were me id take it to a machine shop that builds engines & get it hot tanked and sonic tested or magna fluxed & if they say its OK have them do the 340 . 

like i said it sounds like it is a body shop more than an engine building shop & they just do not want to deal with the work on the 340 . its much easier for them if you go buy a crate engine and they drop it in the CHALLENGER .

in other words if you're getting  your bath room remodeled you dont want the carpenter doing the plumming work . 

No it's not the #'s matching engine to the car and it is an all around shop not just a resto shop  they do all their work in house! I talked to the actual mechanic that is doing the engine and he is the one that suggested the 360.  I talked to my father today who has been a mechanic for over 50 years and he said go for the 360 because the 340 will have gremlins that will follow me around all it's life? (but he is a chevy guy!)
What's so bad about a "crate motor" I am told it would be newer technology, lighter and and also it would probably go faster!

[Dans 68]

Rachelle,

Good to see you posting in a topic I normally read! I would also get another opinion regarding the block.  Listen to rav440's posting...he makes a lot of sense. There are a lot of good shops in the Bay Area that can look at and do the work on your engine. If you want a few suggestions let me know.

I Hope to see you around this summer. And since we talked last year I have a new addition to the family!

Dan

[Rolling_Thunder]

if its not the #'s block i would just replace it.    if it was #s matching i would suggest boring and sleeving to save it...       

[no318]

if its not the #'s block i would just replace it.    if it was #s matching i would suggest boring and sleeving to save it...       

I agree

[doctorpimp]

Was it originally a 340?  Is it a T/A car?
What year/ number/date code is the 340 block you have?

What is your intention for the car:

Resto-mod street car with high performance everything? Go for the 360

Or, as-new type stock looking driver? Go for the rebuilt 340 with stock external parts.

[justin1987]

if its not the #'s block i would just replace it.    if it was #s matching i would suggest boring and sleeving to save it...       

[mopar-or-no-car]

I need to add something additional here! it is not a crate motor he is going to put in he is looking for a used 360 truck motor from the years 70-80 and he is going to rebuild that! he says my motor needs WAY too many sleeves and he would have to bore it 60 over and he doesn't want to do that! he says I can get more perfermance and a more reliable motor out of the 360 given the condition my motor is in he says the rust was WAY too bad does that change anyones oppinion?

[doctorpimp]

360

[firefighter3931]

If the block is that trashed then you're better off starting with something better, inmo. 

If it were mine, i wouldn't stop at 360 cubes....a 408 stroker is even better. Big block performance in a small block engine package. The extra torque helps with heavy cars and e-bodies are not lightweights. 



Ron

[Big Lebowski]

Put a Hemi in it.

[694spdRT]

Why use a truck 360 from the 70's?  I would look for a 360 Magnum out of a newer truck if that is the route you are going. They already have a roller cam that can be reground and better designed heads if cost is an issue.

Otherwise the 408 stroker seems like a good thing too. 

[mopar-or-no-car]

Put a Hemi in it.

and I guess that means YOU are going to pay my gas bill?  this is going to be my daily driver!! I want radical but not something that is going to kill me at the gas pump!! I would be stopping every other day to just fill up!!    but thanks for the idea
besides the fact I CAN'T AFFORD ONE!!

[ryan053]

I agree with the 360 magnum.  you should be able to find one for fairly cheap in a junkyard or somewhere like craigslist.

[Mike DC]

 
I'd get a scrapyard 360 Magnum and build it with a 4.00" stroker kit.  (Barely costs more than replacing the stock parts.)

You end up with about 400 inches and the Magnum heads are beautiful on that setup.

 

[mopar-or-no-car]

actually I guess being a woman helps! I wore him down!! we are going to bore out my original 340 and sleve what needs to be sleved !! and thanks firefighter for the suggestion of the 408 stroker! he is looking into that and I think that is the way we are going to go!! Thanks guys for all of your responses they were all invalualble!! I'll keep you posted and probably keep the questions coming!!   

[mopar-or-no-car]

ok here is hopefully the final plan for my motor.... he is going to bore it out smooth then sleeve it back to 20 over put back my original pistons, and rods, and rocker arms,  he is going to get a 360 crank and replace my 340 crank he said it has a longer stroke, he is going to put edlebrock aluminum heads and a performer rpm intake.  How does that sound?   

[RD]

ok here is hopefully the final plan for my motor.... he is going to bore it out smooth then sleeve it back to 20 over put back my original pistons, and rods, and rocker arms, he is going to get a 360 crank and replace my 340 crank he said it has a longer stroke, he is going to put edlebrock aluminum heads and a performer rpm intake. How does that sound?

the 360 and 340 had different main journal sizes if I am not mistaken, so that is really not an option.  340 and 318 had the same journal size, 360's were bigger, so unless he plans on boring out the mains on the 340 block, the 360 block wont fit (someone chime in if i am incorrect). *edi* or have the 360 cranks journals turned down.  I dont believe this is done often as the 360 crank is cast and not forged.  hence balancing the assembly will be needed after your install this type of stroker setup.

why put the original pistons back in?  if the bores were that crappy then the pistons should be just as crappy.  I would get some forged slugs to put in there (if money permits) instead of putting used cast pistons back in.  not a wise choice in my opinion.

[jerry]

since you are using this for a daily driver and worried about gas you need to scrap the junk and go to a salvage yard and pick up a 318-2bbl.i can't believe you would even consider fixing a block like that.

[RD]

since you are using this for a daily driver and worried about gas you need to scrap the junk and go to a salvage yard and pick up a 318-2bbl.i can't believe you would even consider fixing a block like that.

on that note, why not just get a 3.9 out of a dakota and put in there with a A500 OD trans.

[mopar-or-no-car]

since you are using this for a daily driver and worried about gas you need to scrap the junk and go to a salvage yard and pick up a 318-2bbl.i can't believe you would even consider fixing a block like that.

not really worried about gas I was just joking with the guy who said I should put a hemi in it!! I want my 340 that is why we are going to all this trouble!!  kind of sentimental reasons!!!!!!  not sure they were cast pistons either my boyfriend rebuilt the 340 before it went into the car and he special ordered the pistons!!!

[Nacho-RT74]

Put a Hemi in it.

and I guess that means YOU are going to pay my gas bill?  this is going to be my daily driver!!

If he affords an Hemi to me, I would afford the gas forever... wouldn't care pay the gas bill ( not even being in USA )

[Bobs69]

If it's sentimental reasons that's keeping you wanting the 340 then that sort of changes things.  But there are always limits.

I have a drive in a mid 70's dart with a 360 crate motor in it.  It was fast.  Real nice.  360 horsepower.  Don't know the cost.

340's are rare, but is there any advantage to a 340 over a 360??? I don't know just asking.  Makes people around talk "that's got a 340!!!"

If it's going to be used alot, and being a small block, you're kind of lucky I'd say, because you could get a 318 or 360 with a modern transmission, with the overdrive.  I "had" to get the gear vendors.

[mopar-or-no-car]

since you are using this for a daily driver and worried about gas you need to scrap the junk and go to a salvage yard and pick up a 318-2bbl.i can't believe you would even consider fixing a block like that.

What do you think I am building anyway? a gramma's car?  a 318 when I already have a 340 to work with? sorry! I am going MUSCLE ALL THE WAY HERE!!  and gas is NOT A WORRY!!  No I don't own a small bank I will just do without other stuff in order to drive my chally!!  The main prerequisite when I took it to this shop was that it had that muscle car rumble when he was finished! and he guarantees me it will!!!!!

and RD my engine builder knows that 340 and 360 have different size main journals that why he is ordering a steel crank so the 360 one can be turned down! he already figured that in!! I have a really great guy working on my engine and he is treating me right and he is doing TONS of homework so there will be NO problems with my motor when it is done because you know......no one wants the wrath of a woman!!        lol  and he knows that is what will happen if he screws up AND he knows I will be the BEST advertising he has EVER had if he does a good job too.      So he has TONS to gain if he does good also!!  he has purchased so many books on how to build a small block mopar I couldn't believe it!! but I am glad!! he is the owner and I think this is the most he has EVER gotten involved in a project!! (good for me)
anyways does that answer your question?