318 .. 360 Engine ?

[TIB3300]

Good evening Mope'es

Some of you may know , am not a complete MOPAR man
Mine is in a cortina MK3

Well,, I do love my 318, but for 5its and giggles, I would love a badge on the boot saying 6.7cc

So,,!! If I did decide to fit a 360 engine then stoke it, to 410cu?

Will it fit? I know its the same size "physically"and that the engine has external balancing,, flywheel/front pulley.

So with a 4in stroker kit, what should i look at?

Thanks TiBBs

[Pete]

A 318 and 360 have slightly different engine block lugs, so you will have to modify the Nearside mount from memory...

It is a good combo, I had a 408ci and it was good fun, in the 12's!

Blue is the local expert on these!

[Dave Napier]

You can stroke the 318 to 390 ( 0.030" over, 3.94" x 4" = 6.4L ) plenty of kit's out there. It's reputed that you can bore the early 318 blocks (67 / 68) .100" over but I'd be sonic testing the bores before committing

[Dave999]

360 like 318 but bigger capacity, different sized journals
and externally balanced in standard cast crank form
change crank and rods and balancer and torque converter (or remove weights)
if manual you may have to make sure the crank has the spigot for the input shaft

most were truck application so will come with a truck pan

you are not shifting much weight, as dave says you can stroke the 318

you know that block

probably need to do something with the heads
small valve heads and bigger capacity tends to be for torque

you might need new tyres


Dave

[TIB3300]

A 318 and 360 have slightly different engine block lugs, so you will have to modify the Nearside mount from memory...

It is a good combo, I had a 408ci and it was good fun, in the 12's!

Blue is the local expert on these!

Thanks Pete

[TIB3300]

You can stroke the 318 to 390 ( 0.030" over, 3.94" x 4" = 6.4L ) plenty of kit's out there. It's reputed that you can bore the early 318 blocks (67 / 68) .100" over but I'd be sonic testing the bores before committing

Thanks Dave
Yes I did see the 318 stroker kits also

[TIB3300]

360 like 318 but bigger capacity, different sized journals
and externally balanced in standard cast crank form
change crank and rods and balancer and torque converter (or remove weights)
Are you saying with a stroker crank, I wouldn't need external balancing?

if manual you may have to make sure the crank has the spigot for the input shaft,,

Most were truck application so will come with a truck pan Can use my 318 sump?

you are not shifting much weight, as dave says you can stroke the 318

you know that block, If I decided to go with this, Don't want to take car out of action, so would build along side

probably need to do something with the heads
small valve heads and bigger capacity tends to be for torque

you might need new tyres


Dave

[Dave999]

when you replace the crank its an aftermarket part, it probably assumes internally balanced assembly
if you replace the rods....and i think you are gonna have to, you will need to get it all balanced up anyway

to use standard rods you would have to get some pistons with the pin really quite high with a skirt short enough not to foul the side of the rod or crank web at the bottom of the stroke.
There might be stroker pistons that work with standard rods. there might not. i never looked as i never had a 360
but they will be lighter because they are probably shorter
i.e the lot will need balancing...

So make sure you get it all done as an internal balance assembly.. money now will save grief later.
or you buy a ready "nutted out" package crank rods pistons

external balancing is just something chrysler did, probably to save money on what was intended to be a low RPM truck engine. they will have saved on crank counterweight metal or some such

A 360 doesn't have to be external balance but they are as standard

doesn't matter if it is, as long as you have the right parts BUT you are changing the crank you have an opportunity to make it internally balanced
which opens up options for you on flex plate/converter and harmonic damper. i.e more flex plate options to fit whatever converter you need for whichever transmission you have.

You don't tend to get performance and aftermarket versions of these things for external balance use because that external balance is for a standard set up and by their nature most aftermarket parts are for engines that are not standard, they are not gonna make 15 different weighted versions of each item to cater for standard crank custom rods or standard crank standard rods and light weight pistons etc etc etc not saying you can't. But


then you will need a balancer and a converter and flex plate pair without the offset weights. you current converter will probably work if the balance weights are a flex plate thing

On the balancer its cast in to the hub or outer ring on the converter and flex plate you can probably remove the weights
I think they are on a special flex plate and the converter is probably like all the rest

my problem is i don't know where they put the external balance weights on 360s but the most likely places will be balancer and on the flex plate

i don't know much about converters but its bolted to the crank..so maybe that weight is on one of the lugs where it bolts to the flex plate....dunno but there is an offset weight at that end of the engine to be accounted for.


If manual
a standard small block flywheel without the 3 holes in the back is what you need.
For a standard 360 an external balance engine flywheel will have balance holes drilled in the back of its flywheel
on a modified standard flywheel there are usually 3, drilled in position using a template issued by mopar back in the 70s/80s
on a standard one, if one exists,...... i don't know how they did it


as pete mentioned blue has built a few 360 strokers which obviously work very well

all i've said is what i found out starting from the same position you are in.. Ohh wouldn't it be nice to have etc what would i need to do.... how hard would it be.

i think finding a motor for the right price is gonna be the hardest part
the balancing question is sorted when you choose what you need to make it a stroker. that takes you in the direction of an internally balanced motor

here is a spanner in the works
Are you looking for an LA360 or a roller cammed FI magnum....! (which you can caruburettor-ise if you work out ignition)
a 360 magnum with its 4 speed auto and lockup converter well Now there's a thing (floor cutting in a mopar so no idea about a cortina)
and you'd be set up for an upgrade to modern hemi in 5 years time

Dave

[Dave Napier]

The 360 uses a different sump 273/318/340 sumps do not interchange with the 360. 318 / 360 magnums do. If you buy a kit, get it with everything balanced, some even come with bearings.
318 heads are wheezy, even on a 318, you'd have to work them (ported / bigger valves) or get aftermarket to get your moneys worth out of the capacity. Again, you will need a cam and valve train to get the most out of your new heads and capacity. I could go on

As an alternative, Blueprint do some strokers in various stages / choices of build or ready to go. For the price, this is what I'd be looking at, then I'd try to find a "sympathetic" importer with a crate sized spare space on a shipping container .

https://blueprintengines.com/collection ... ks-408-c-i

[Dave Napier]

Just seen this on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 112l%22%7D

[TIB3300]

when you replace the crank its an aftermarket part, it probably assumes internally balanced assembly
if you replace the rods....and i think you are gonna have to, you will need to get it all balanced up anyway

to use standard rods you would have to get some pistons with the pin really quite high with a skirt short enough not to foul the side of the rod or crank web at the bottom of the stroke.
There might be stroker pistons that work with standard rods. there might not. i never looked as i never had a 360
but they will be lighter because they are probably shorter
i.e the lot will need balancing...

So make sure you get it all done as an internal balance assembly.. money now will save grief later.
or you buy a ready "nutted out" package crank rods pistons

external balancing is just something chrysler did, probably to save money on what was intended to be a low RPM truck engine. they will have saved on crank counterweight metal or some such

A 360 doesn't have to be external balance but they are as standard

doesn't matter if it is, as long as you have the right parts BUT you are changing the crank you have an opportunity to make it internally balanced
which opens up options for you on flex plate/converter and harmonic damper. i.e more flex plate options to fit whatever converter you need for whichever transmission you have.

You don't tend to get performance and aftermarket versions of these things for external balance use because that external balance is for a standard set up and by their nature most aftermarket parts are for engines that are not standard, they are not gonna make 15 different weighted versions of each item to cater for standard crank custom rods or standard crank standard rods and light weight pistons etc etc etc not saying you can't. But


then you will need a balancer and a converter and flex plate pair without the offset weights. you current converter will probably work if the balance weights are a flex plate thing

On the balancer its cast in to the hub or outer ring on the converter and flex plate you can probably remove the weights
I think they are on a special flex plate and the converter is probably like all the rest

my problem is i don't know where they put the external balance weights on 360s but the most likely places will be balancer and on the flex plate

i don't know much about converters but its bolted to the crank..so maybe that weight is on one of the lugs where it bolts to the flex plate....dunno but there is an offset weight at that end of the engine to be accounted for.


If manual
a standard small block flywheel without the 3 holes in the back is what you need.
For a standard 360 an external balance engine flywheel will have balance holes drilled in the back of its flywheel
on a modified standard flywheel there are usually 3, drilled in position using a template issued by mopar back in the 70s/80s
on a standard one, if one exists,...... i don't know how they did it


as pete mentioned blue has built a few 360 strokers which obviously work very well

all i've said is what i found out starting from the same position you are in.. Ohh wouldn't it be nice to have etc what would i need to do.... how hard would it be.

i think finding a motor for the right price is gonna be the hardest part
the balancing question is sorted when you choose what you need to make it a stroker. that takes you in the direction of an internally balanced motor

here is a spanner in the works
Are you looking for an LA360 or a roller cammed FI magnum....! (which you can caruburettor-ise if you work out ignition)
a 360 magnum with its 4 speed auto and lockup converter well Now there's a thing (floor cutting in a mopar so no idea about a cortina)
and you'd be set up for an upgrade to modern hemi in 5 years time

Dave

Thanks Dave

"Are you looking for an LA360 or a roller cammed FI magnum"

If I did go this way, I don't know yet. The LA would be an easier swap, as the water pump engine mounts and headers are different on the magnum.

I would stick with manual

[TIB3300]

The 360 uses a different sump 273/318/340 sumps do not interchange with the 360. 318 / 360 magnums do. If you buy a kit, get it with everything balanced, some even come with bearings.
318 heads are wheezy, even on a 318, you'd have to work them (ported / bigger valves) or get aftermarket to get your moneys worth out of the capacity. Again, you will need a cam and valve train to get the most out of your new heads and capacity. I could go on

As an alternative, Blueprint do some strokers in various stages / choices of build or ready to go. For the price, this is what I'd be looking at, then I'd try to find a "sympathetic" importer with a crate sized spare space on a shipping container .

https://blueprintengines.com/collection ... ks-408-c-i

Thanks Sump, that I didn't know

Stroker kit, Yes I would keeping things simple and go for a complete kit.

[TIB3300]

Just seen this on facebook.

D

Thanks Dave

But this is just the thinking stage at the moment, Am really happy with the 318 at the mo.

But It would be a nice slow build to do . I will just see and what comes along

[TIB3300]

Yes Dave

Hadn't thought of that , hole in rear of crank for spigot bearing

[Dave999]

the spigot problem can be overcome depending on how short or long your input shaft is

too short too small sleeve the end to 0.750 and run a dodge dakota roller spigot in the hub of the crank that usually accommodates the front of the converter

too long and you may have to chop off some of the end ,and get a small auto to manual bush pressed into the small recess you have in the end of the crank.

id guess a new stroker crank would or could easily have the flywheel end bored as standard for bush or bearing depending on your preference

Dave