How to build a 360 for towing
From : transurgeon
Q: pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
Replies:
From : william g
for some odd reason i did not get the original post . please budd cochran could you repost where are the files pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
From : budd cochran
yep. the factory has to build engines for a broad spectrum of uses so if one needs to improve towability for example then rebuild time is your chance. when i had the 318 out of the truck a few years back one change i made was the use of the old 360 degree 2-barrel intake. to hear some experts i should have lost low end power but i did a little port work to match to the gaskets radiused under the carb for a better transition to the runners. the result is plenty of low and mid range power as demonstrated by the load i hauled over vail pass in co and better breathing on top end as well each cylinder is filled by both carb barrels instead of just one. hey it runs good enough to shake up some 350 chevy truck owners. budd pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
From : william g
ill post it here too. something has to work!! i am kinda new to the groups and therefore not sure what is happening. i see your post below of august 29 640 am you should be sleeping in on sundays!!! in response to a post by this transurgeon dude that was in response to your post saying heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5. i didnt get that original post. were the files sent as attachments if i click on the blue underlined message link i get the error message that the post has been deleted. since i am sure that is not true something must be goofed up. i do appreciate your effort and help but i cant use it if i cant get it. anyway would you be so kind as to e-mail it directly to me as attachment in word format i went to the mopar action website to see if maybe it that article was available there but not. they did e-mail back to me and they told me the specials may become available on cd this fall. i guess i somewhat agree with the transurgeon that it is probably common sense stuff but i was thinking there might be some glaring problem with the 360 you guys know about and i could start there. no sense reinventing the wheel that would not be too wise either. obtw contrary to transsurgeons snide remark my daughters chinese pug watches tv and i think does get it. she only attacks the tv when other animals are on. she even comes in from the other room when she hears the music from a commercial she knows has animals in it. thats a better response than some people i know. thanks a bunch bill bill my mailwasher program deleted and bounced your email to me. please resend it and ill see if i can it thru this time. thanks. budd for some odd reason i did not get the original post . please budd cochran could you repost where are the files pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
From : budd cochran
bill my mailwasher program deleted and bounced your email to me. please resend it and ill see if i can it thru this time. thanks. budd for some odd reason i did not get the original post . please budd cochran could you repost where are the files pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
From : william g
ok i read the suggestions and will consider all. what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads how high would you say this fool could go 101 with flat top pistons the list says 8.8-9.01 on 87 pump gas. next how bullet proof is the 727 trans in a 1977 with only 26k miles do ya think it needs beefing with the combinations you have suggested for my application would anybody consider a newer od trans do the newer od trans have more favorable ratios for hill climbing with a 10000 lb winne-pig-o just wondering. thanks bill yep. the factory has to build engines for a broad spectrum of uses so if one needs to improve towability for example then rebuild time is your chance. when i had the 318 out of the truck a few years back one change i made was the use of the old 360 degree 2-barrel intake. to hear some experts i should have lost low end power but i did a little port work to match to the gaskets radiused under the carb for a better transition to the runners. the result is plenty of low and mid range power as demonstrated by the load i hauled over vail pass in co and better breathing on top end as well each cylinder is filled by both carb barrels instead of just one. hey it runs good enough to shake up some 350 chevy truck owners. budd pretty much common-sense stuff aint it but some folks are like dogs watching tv..............they just dont get it ok ladies and gents heres what i dug out of the mopar action special #5 about building up a 360 for towing. this build would also make for a really good running daily driver engine for a valiant or dart. a final option would be to look into a 360 / 300 hp crate engine. the files are in ms notepad and ms word formats have fun! .
From : budd cochran
ok i read the suggestions and will consider all. what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads how high would you say this fool could go 101 with flat top pistons the list says 8.8-9.01 on 87 pump gas. i wouldnt suggest over 9.51 on the compression ratio. you have a moderately small engine with a sizable load on it. add a summertime trip to some desert country like out here in moab ut and ping rears its ugly head. also i really dont think the higher cr will benefit that much. it amounts to maybe 3-5 horsepower. next how bullet proof is the 727 trans in a 1977 with only 26k miles the one in my sons truck is pushing 350000 miles 79 d-150 and it looks like its had the pan off once before i got it. yes ive missed a couple fluid & filter changes and band adjustments but there was no undue wear and the bands adjusted right up thanks to transurgeons advice. tough itll handle a mild 426 hemi in stock form. do ya think it needs beefing with the combinations you have suggested nope but you might consider changing to ford type f fluid for firmer shifts and make sure you add a big external trans cooler if you dont have one already. for my application would anybody consider a newer od trans do the newer od trans have more favorable ratios for hill climbing with a 10000 lb winne-pig-o youve got a medium sized engine pushing an object with the aerodynamics of a house thru the air at highway speeds . . . youre not going to get any gas mileage. if anything you might want to consider a gear vendors under-drive to give you a little more pulling power at low speed and a couple in-between ratios to help get her rolling easier. just wondering. the only dumb question is one that should have been asked and wasnt. thanks bill youre welcome. budd .
From : redneck tookover hell
what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads waste of time trying to tow 10000 pounds with a 360 your truck better be a 1 ton dually with 4.10 gears. the overdrive transmissions have the same ratio as the 727 except for overdrive which you wont use while towing anyway. to get the torque you will need to overcome wind resistance and load you should seriously consider using the 4 inch stroke crank. they are available in kit form with rods and pistons and transform a 360 into a 408 inch engine with a lot more torque. buy the best kit you can afford and one that is already balanced either external or internal. it will also be beneficial to have pocket porting of the heads and a very good valve job done to the stock heads the 727 is fine run lots of cooler on it. consider dexron with mobil 1 10/30 synthetic 50/50 for fluid headers will help ceramic coated ones will survive the heat generated 3 inch exhaust custom built 4 core radiator politics the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich. .
From : william g
not sure if it matters in your evaluation but it is actually a 1 ton dually motorhome with 4.10 gears. the weight i am actually guessing at but my wife does pack a lot of shit when we go camping. i just jumped into a towing thread because i figured torque was torque. i do like your idea of stroking the 360. i guess i figure you cant be too rich or have too many cubes ;- any other machine work required to accomodate the longer stroke with your name bing mopar440 im surprised you didnt recommend the big block transplant. bill what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads waste of time trying to tow 10000 pounds with a 360 your truck better be a 1 ton dually with 4.10 gears. the overdrive transmissions have the same ratio as the 727 except for overdrive which you wont use while towing anyway. to get the torque you will need to overcome wind resistance and load you should seriously consider using the 4 inch stroke crank. they are available in kit form with rods and pistons and transform a 360 into a 408 inch engine with a lot more torque. buy the best kit you can afford and one that is already balanced either external or internal. it will also be beneficial to have pocket porting of the heads and a very good valve job done to the stock heads the 727 is fine run lots of cooler on it. consider dexron with mobil 1 10/30 synthetic 50/50 for fluid headers will help ceramic coated ones will survive the heat generated 3 inch exhaust custom built 4 core radiator politics the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich. .
From : william g
just chatted with a coworker and he says his old dodge rv has a 400 small block in it. ever heard of that i gota admit i am much more familiar with chevys and fords. i hope i didnt fart in church by mentioning the competition but i own one of each. my work truck is a 72 chev a project car is my 65 mustang 2+2 my wife drives a camry i have a honda motorcycle and now the dodge motorhome. i had a 62 plymouth in high school a million years ago. had a bullet proof 318 that i thought was the best ever. my next project car will be my most favorite car of all the 1968 roadrunner. some day i gotta grow up. bill what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads waste of time trying to tow 10000 pounds with a 360 your truck better be a 1 ton dually with 4.10 gears. the overdrive transmissions have the same ratio as the 727 except for overdrive which you wont use while towing anyway. to get the torque you will need to overcome wind resistance and load you should seriously consider using the 4 inch stroke crank. they are available in kit form with rods and pistons and transform a 360 into a 408 inch engine with a lot more torque. buy the best kit you can afford and one that is already balanced either external or internal. it will also be beneficial to have pocket porting of the heads and a very good valve job done to the stock heads the 727 is fine run lots of cooler on it. consider dexron with mobil 1 10/30 synthetic 50/50 for fluid headers will help ceramic coated ones will survive the heat generated 3 inch exhaust custom built 4 core radiator politics the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich. .
From : mac davis
on tue 31 aug 2004 185301 -0600 william g. wgruth@cableone.net wrote just chatted with a coworker and he says his old dodge rv has a 400 small block in it. ever heard of that i gota admit i am much more familiar with chevys and fords. i hope i didnt fart in church by mentioning the competition but i own one of each. my work truck is a 72 chev a project car is my 65 mustang 2+2 my wife drives a camry i have a honda motorcycle and now the dodge motorhome. i had a 62 plymouth in high school a million years ago. had a bullet proof 318 that i thought was the best ever. my next project car will be my most favorite car of all the 1968 roadrunner. some day i gotta grow up. bill why you gotta get older but theres no reason to grow up!! mac .
From : budd cochran
just chatted with a coworker and he says his old dodge rv has a 400 small block in it. ever heard of that yep but the engine is a big block. ill bet the distributor is mounted in front and angled toward the passenger side. i gota admit i am much more familiar with chevys and fords. well we cant all be perfect. vbg i now own a 95 chrysler lebaron convertible ... a mitsubishi in mopar clothing. i hope i didnt fart in church by mentioning the competition but i own one of each. my work truck is a 72 chev a project car is my 65 mustang 2+2 my wife drives a camry i have a honda motorcycle my last motorcycle was a 72 honda cb-450. im currently rebuilding sorta resto-rodding as it were a 1952 cushman step-thru motorscooter. and now the dodge motorhome. i had a 62 plymouth in high school a million years ago. had a bullet proof 318 that i thought was the best ever. my next project car will be my most favorite car of all the 1968 roadrunner. a 68 road runner was my first new car at age 21. unfortunately i took ill and by the time i recovered it was repod. some day i gotta grow up. why theres no fun in it age 57 bill budd .
From : budd cochran
a big block transplant would require a change of motor mounts transmission drive shaft radiator and the like. with the stroker kit you can keep everything. it would also respond nicely to the modifications in the list. vbg budd not sure if it matters in your evaluation but it is actually a 1 ton dually motorhome with 4.10 gears. the weight i am actually guessing at but my wife does pack a lot of shit when we go camping. i just jumped into a towing thread because i figured torque was torque. i do like your idea of stroking the 360. i guess i figure you cant be too rich or have too many cubes ;- any other machine work required to accomodate the longer stroke with your name bing mopar440 im surprised you didnt recommend the big block transplant. bill what if a fool was willing to spend the extra $$ for 91-92 octane and he wanted the highest compression ratio he could safely get with iron heads waste of time trying to tow 10000 pounds with a 360 your truck better be a 1 ton dually with 4.10 gears. the overdrive transmissions have the same ratio as the 727 except for overdrive which you wont use while towing anyway. to get the torque you will need to overcome wind resistance and load you should seriously consider using the 4 inch stroke crank. they are available in kit form with rods and pistons and transform a 360 into a 408 inch engine with a lot more torque. buy the best kit you can afford and one that is already balanced either external or internal. it will also be beneficial to have pocket porting of the heads and a very good valve job done to the stock heads the 727 is fine run lots of cooler on it. consider dexron with mobil 1 10/30 synthetic 50/50 for fluid headers will help ceramic coated ones will survive the heat generated 3 inch exhaust custom built 4 core radiator politics the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich. .
From : ramworker
ill post it here too. something has to work!! here ya go. your isp probably doesnt allow for group attachments. robert suggested modifications for towing with pre-magnum 360 v-8 engines note buying and building a 360 is usually cheaper than a big block v-10 or cummins swap source mopar action tech special #5 author lou gaatz engines any 360 in good shape that has not been severely overheated or destroyed. preparation disassemble clean hot tank preferred check bore mains remove cam bearings disassemble heads. overbore as little as possible and hone for selected ring type. line boring of mains not required but suggested. refurbish connecting rods. have heads rebuilt with 3-angle valve job pocket porting optional umbrella seals on intakes and new valve springs. replace all fasteners with arp parts. mike crank and have ground undersize if needed. install new cam bearings yes so far this is nothing more than a good basic rebuild pistons m.a. suggests keith black hyperutetic with a reverse dome to aid in detonation control with a compression ratio after block and head work of 8.8-9.01 for 87 octane fuel. balancing of the rotating assembly not required but highly suggested. rings m.a. suggests sealed power file to fit top moly-filled rings especially if k.b. hyperutetic pistons are used. main / rod bearings m.a. suggests michigan 77 with full groove mains set at 0.002 cam m. a. suggests a mopar performance or aftermarket equivalent hydraulic with 268 / 272 @0.050 duration 0.455 lift installed @ 2 degrees advanced for auto trans use. go to a milder duration for manual transmissions. install a m.p. windage tray and on 6 quart truck oil pans re-mark the dipstick for 5 quarts. assemble with a good dual plane intake and a vacuum or air valve seconday four barrell carburetor of about 625 to 650 cfm i like either the eldelbrock avs or the rochester quadra-jet or if you can afford it go to a single plane manifold that has been modified for rance e.f.i. best choice! headers are optional and a k& n filter is not needed as the air flow through a paper filter more than enough. a cold air system should be considered for the e.f.i. setup as it doesnt need heated air for cold operation. .