360 truck blocks

[jst1960]

Are the 360 truck blocks and different from passenger car blocks,will the parts interchange?

[BJSracing]

There is no difference in the truck and car blocks. And yes you can interchange parts. The only differences there was was the early 73-75 360's. They were from the 340 casting and had thicker walls. All the parts would still interchange other than the 340-318 crank and the 360 crank due to the larger main journals in the 360. Everything else should work. The 318-340 rods were a little lighter weight than the 360 rods. I used them in a .060 over 360 with great luck.

[Ray Bell]

Wasn't there a change to the pan fitment?

I seem to recall reading that somewhere here... different radius around the main cap or something...

[oldguyalso]

That is correct. The 340-318 pans won't fit the 360 and vice versa. I'm using a 318 in my modified and the engine is from a truck. The pan has more oil capacity and is a rear sump. Which just happened to fit the frame better also. Serendipity strikes again! BTW, I like to see stuff from you Aussies. That means there will be a tomorrow for me!

[dodger1]

Pan fit is different due to the larger main journals on the 360. Plus if you're using a truck long block in a car you'll need a car pan as the sumps are located differently.

[Shaun]

It so happens that I have a 78-80 Premium Fuel 4 BBL truck block that you can have for $20-it is good(standard,too!).530-263-3698 Grass Valley CA

[TK]

premium fuel?
With 8-1 compression?

[jst1960]

Ok guys,i can get a standard bore 72 360 block or a 79 360 block both passenger car blocks.Will my crank that fit my 89 block work in the 72 block?Im assuming the 72 would be preferred and id get that if i knew my crank will work.This is going in a race car and it has a moroso 8qt pan rear sump.

[cageman]

No it musta been carboned up, really bad, that it had dome pistons.
I have never heard of the premium fuel 360.
It is funny, every time 360's are brought up, the good years to find are always a bit different, this time it is 73 -75 blocks.

[BJSracing]

You should check the casting #'s on the 72 360 as they did not start making them until 73. If it was casted in 72 it would be at the very end of 72 or it is a 340 block. I am looking for a 73-75 360 right now for a 408 build that I will be starting in the near future. This gonna be a bad ride. And yes the crank would fit into any block until you start to get into the magnum motors. Which if I am not mistaken started in 92. Someone chime in here and help on the start year for those. I still to this day don't like the Mag. motors and heads but that is just me. I do love their starters though.

[cageman]

I thought 71 was the first year of the 360. I have access to a 72 dodge truck that has the original 360 in it. Ill have to look again at the casting number, I figured it was a 72, maybe 71 block.

[dirttrackracer]

71 was first year for 360 LA motor I have a 71 block in the shed out back.There was a diffrence in the main bearing tang(notch) location on the first 2 or 3 years of the 360 If you have the early block make sure you get the correct bearings or file the notch in the correct location for the later bearings,

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by dodgetruckboy

premium fuel?
With 8-1 compression?

That's what I thought,but the numbers tell me it's true.BTW-8.5-1 CR

[Rich33]

The Mopar engine books is the source the the "340 water jacket" statement. Early years (71 - 75) supposedly were cast with 340 water jackets yielding more material around the bores since 360's are 4.00" bores and 340's are 4.04" bores stock. Dunno how true it is...I guess you could have the block sonic checked to be sure.

[TK]

Originally Posted by Shaun

That's what I thought, but the numbers tell me it's true. BTW-8.5-1 CR

All 360's were low compression, I looked and cant find any documentation of a "premium burning" 360 any where's. The E58 package, just consisted of a windage tray, and a 340 cam, no bump in compression.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[451Mopar]

360's were cast as early as '71, I even have a '71 cast date 360. I think the later crank will fit, but the ballance may be different. If rebuilding the engine, have it ballanced with the dampner and converter of the Special B&M Flexplate. If you use the Moroso Oil pan and a High Volume oil pump, make sure the oil pump bolts don't hit the pan. Speaking from experiance, I had this problem before.

The '72 block might be slightly stronger than the later block, not sure by how much. All I know for sure is the earlier blocks have thicker webbing under the main bearings.

[benno318]

yes, i have a '71 360 that is aussie engine no. ca4 ....00010 and the cast date is august 71. it is still standard bore. unwisely, foolishly, stupidly, whatever we want to call it, all external casting marks were ground smooth by an 18 year old me as it was fitted to a car that was going to be detailed and possibly put in car shows. this car is still not finished and that was in 1998!

the only way of verifying this casting now is the main caps still have the cast date, but they could be swapped with any engine in reality. interesting about the bearing tangs, i have not heard of that before...

[racintracy]

Originally Posted by dirttrackracer

71 was first year for 360 LA motor I have a 71 block in the shed out back.There was a diffrence in the main bearing tang(notch) location on the first 2 or 3 years of the 360 If you have the early block make sure you get the correct bearings or file the notch in the correct location for the later bearings,

This is exaclty correct. 71 was the first year for a LA 360. Their not easy to find though but I've seen 2. All I've ever heard they were used in were Fury's and Trucks but that I can't verify so take that with a grain of salt. The real early ones were considered highly desirable as they were cast on the 340 block but not bored as much as a 340 so you can bore them more than newer 360's. Opinions vary on how long the "thick wall" 360 ran so if considering boring one over .030 it's allways best to sonic test it.

[cageman]

you can go 40 on nearly all 360's but that is the last bore it shall recieve.
every fury with a 360 has a two barrel intaked J head on it, not sure what the trucks had for heads though.

[BJSracing]

All I know is that I took an 85 block to .060 over and it worked fine for me. I didn't sonic check it but never had any issues from bore with the motor. And it wasn't exactly a stock build and I turned the rat nuts out of it. Meaning more than the valve springs liked.

[TK]

You got lucky.

I guy was trying to give me a 360 saturday, looked at the top of the piston, saw the .060, and said "nope", throw it away.................
Does it NEED to be bored that far?

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by dodgetruckboy
.....Does it NEED to be bored that far?

Of course it doesn't!

What is the point of wasting a rebore? .020" will generally clean up anything... that still leaves another bore in the future, get some real life out of the block instead of sending it to the crusher prematurely.

And who's to say that the .060" bore didn't have heaps of flex that was costing power all the way?

[racintracy]

Originally Posted by Ray Bell

And who's to say that the .060" bore didn't have heaps of flex that was costing power all the way?

Very good point.

His block may very well have to have been bored .060 over to clean it up because it had allready been bored .040 over in the past. But I'd never consider it for the reason stated above.

[BJSracing]

That was how far I had to take it to clean it up. I was nervous about doing it but said to hell with it. That was about the only thing that didn't hurt me on that motor. The machine shop killed me on the rest. From switching rod caps to improper turning of the crank. I wanted to beat someone. If I was loosing power from wall flex I don't want to know how much better it would have done, as the motor was alot more than I expected it to be. Just a question for a later disscusion. What is the bore of a stock 340?

[racintracy]

Originally Posted by BJSracing

That was how far I had to take it to clean it up. I was nervous about doing it but said to hell with it. That was about the only thing that didn't hurt me on that motor. The machine shop killed me on the rest. From switching rod caps to improper turning of the crank. I wanted to beat someone. If I was loosing power from wall flex I don't want to know how much better it would have done, as the motor was alot more than I expected it to be. Just a question for a later disscusion. What is the bore of a stock 340?

Sounds like a machine shop we have in my area that I nonger use.

A stock bore 340 is 4.040

[racintracy]

Originally Posted by dodgetruckboy

I guy was trying to give me a 360 saturday, looked at the top of the piston, saw the .060, and said "nope", throw it away.................

Did you check the year on it? If it was one of the real early ones like 71-72 that was cast on the 340 core it may have been ok. I'm always on the lookout for a early 360 block.

[ace26]

Ive got a 72 360 truck block in my duster,it's at 40 over now,most folks say you can go upto 60 to 70 over on them without to much of a problem as far as the 71 thru 74 blocks go.

[451Mopar]

My '76 date code 360 is 0.040" and no problems.
The '71 Date code 360 I have is also 0.040" over but needs another overbore.
I guess if I decide to use it, I will have it sonic checked. I was thinking of putting it in my 1969 Coronet 500, but I would rather swap in a new style Hemi with FI and overdrive if I can afford it.

[BJSracing]

Ok let hypothisyze here.
If the early 360's were actually made from the 340 casting and 360 bore is 4" and the 340 was 4.040" then you would be able to take a 340 to .040 over correct. If that is true then you would be able to take the 360 to .070 over. Am I correct in this theory.

[cageman]

yes, but firts check it, as they might not have passed inspection to be a 340, thats why they are 360's. core shift and what not.