AMC 360 Stroker (383) for Donzi

[Gladiator4x4]

Awesome writeup again sc. I read your other writeup on 401 crank in a 360 block but cannot see the pics. Dumb question time can you put stock 401 parts in a overbored 360 block and get a 401 or is the deck height lower on a 360 block?

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Awesome writeup again sc. I read your other writeup on 401 crank in a 360 block but cannot see the pics. Dumb question time can you put stock 401 parts in a overbored 360 block and get a 401 or is the deck height lower on a 360 block?

The deck height is the same on all the V8's after 1970 so, the 360 and 401 have the same deck height. The stroke is longer and the journals are bigger on the 401 crank so, you have to use the 401 rods. The pistons would be built to order to fit the 401 piston pin size, the bore size tat you specify, the pin height that you specfy, and the compression ratio that you specify.

The short answer is yes you could put the 401 crank, rods and pistons in a 360 block but it would require a bore of 4.165". It has been done before.
- Not recommended unless you sonic check the block to make sure it can handle that big of bore.

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Making a little more progress...
Bultear doesn't sell matching Distributor Gear sets any more so I will be trying a pair from MSD.
camgear by Rick Jones, on Flickr

I chase all of the threads in the entire engine with a tap. This takes a little time but has saved me headaches in the long run. It still amazes me how much crud gets jambed in the tapped holes. This is the timing cover. I would have never gotten a bolt in these two holes without cleaning them out first. Alot of it is old RTV.
tap1 by Rick Jones, on Flickr
tap2 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

[johnsonic]

I love the detail in these writeups SC - keep'em coming & thanks for doing it!

[Ristow]

msd gears are (were?) made by the same company that made the OEM,i was told by randy at PAS years ago.

[fulsizjeep]

MSD is the way to go. I have installed 2 sets myself.

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msd gears are (were?) made by the same company that made the OEM,i was told by randy at PAS years ago.

It's possible. They don't look like OEM gears to me but, my eyes are getting old...

[Ghinmi]

For what it's worth, I had MSD gears in the first 401 I built way back in 2007 and they worked just fine. Keep up the good work Rick!

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Progress: I round up all of the right size bolts for the water pump and timing cover before I get everything all RTV'd up. I coat both sides of the gasket and install the water pump to the cover first with the bolts just snug - not tightened all the way.
IMG_4623 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


Then I coat the side of the gasket that faces the block first then stick it to the block taking careful care by cleaning out any RTV that is in the oil passages..
IMG_4624 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


Then I coat the back side of the timing cover again cleaning any RTV out of the oil passages.
IMG_4625 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


I torque the timing cover bolts about 2/3 tight and then trim the excess gasket material at the block. The nextday I final torque all of the bolts.
IMG_4626 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

[rang-a-stang]

What coating is that on the block? I assume it's a primer...?

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It is Zinc Chromate Primer that I get at NAPA.


Here is a photo of the oil pick-up screen. I use a 1/4-20 x 3/8" long bolt and nut and Loctite them together to use as a button.

IMG_0115 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


I make sure that the oil pick-up screen is located in the right position and test fit the oil pan without a gasket. If it fits without a gasket there are no problems.
IMG_0113 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

[babywag]

It is Zinc Chromate Primer that I get at NAPA.

I hope you use good protection equipment when using that!
Zinc chromate is some NASTY stuff, aerosol particles get all over place.
Hope you don?t have a dog or kids that could get exposed to particles.

I still believe that all the crap my dad was exposed to as an airline mechanic killed him courtesy of lung cancer. Zinc chromate is used a lot on planes.
He?s not the only mechanic to retire and then die from cancer.
I know of 2 others he was close friends with.

I also went to school for auto body and got extensive training on hazards of paints/chemicals. Some things are deadly, and gotta protect yourself(properly) from them. I always cringe when I see guys spraying w/o respirator or wearing just a dust mask.

Anyway rant over, awesone engine build as usual.

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Now that I am retired, maybe I can get caught up on engine building.


Block all together, got his fancy brass core plugs in full display, and now ready for the push rods, rocker arms and intake.
IMG_0039 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

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Progress: SCP 1097 BL- I have use quite a few sets of these Scorpion roller rocker arms. These are a direct replacement for the bridged rocker system.
IMG_0043 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


To get the correct lifter pre-load (.040" +-.010" in this case) you can either shim the rocker pedestals or install the correct length push rods. Normally with these rocker arms I use a push rod that is somewhere between 8.200" to 8.300". In this case it fell right in the middle at 8.250".
IMG_0044 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


Priming the oil pump.
IMG_0045 by Rick Jones, on Flickr


I rotate the crank in about 1/4 increments and run the pump. I make sure that all the lifters are pumped up and that all the rocker arms get oil.
IMG_0046 by Rick Jones, on Flickr