Lean burn engines

[Ray Drouillard]

Thanks for the info!  I am going to give it to my rebuilder (who probably
hasn't started working yet).


Ray

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Hastings" <stuart at meer.net>
To: <diy_efi at diy-efi.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2001 2:40 AM
Subject: Re: Lean burn engines


> > ...my Jeep Wagoneer, which has an AMC 360 V-8...
> > ...The engine is currently at the rebuilder...
> \.\...
> > I noticed you were running an AMC 360 V8....I'm assuming this is roughly
the
> > same as the Dodge 360 V8 since Chry Co bought out AMC either late 70s or
> > early 80s.  If that's the case, you are IN luck.  My 88 Ramcharger with
the
> > 318 has swirl-port heads with smaller chambers (more squish area) than
the
> > 360 heads.
>
> [below cribbed from "AMC Muscle Cars," Larry G. Mitchell, ISBN
> 0-7603-0761-X, (c)2000, US$25 @ Barnes&Noble]
>
> Chrysler bought AMC in 1987 soley for the Jeep division. The rest of
> AMC was apparently bulldozed (literally) and discarded for a tax
> writeoff.
>
> The first AMC-designed V8 was a 290ci in 1966. All subsequent engines
> used the same block; sizes were 290, 304, 343, 360, 390, 401. No 318.
>
> According to my reference (above), Chrysler continued to use AMCs 360
> V8 in Jeeps from the 1987 buyout until 1991. Dunno if Chrysler had
> their own 360.
>
> The supposed "best of breed" of the AMC V8 family was the 390;
> introduced in 1968, 315HP (carb), 425 ft-lb torque, forged crank and
> rods, 600 lb motor. In 1970, AMC went to a D-shaped exhaust port, and
> in 1972, AMC copied Chryslers' exhaust manifolds; supposedly these
> both dramatically improved breathing and HP.
>
> I guess the "one to get" would be a 1972 or later 390 or 401. (401
> ceased in 1974.)
>
> Quoting from the book:
>
> "Today, the expertise to rebuild AMC V-8s has been lost except to a
> handful of builders in the United States and Canada. Most general
> automotive shops will rebuild them to Chevrolet specs and the engines
> will not hold proper oil pressure, run well, or last long..." [Goes on
> to say "Read the AMC Shop Manual."]
>
> "Final tips on AMC V-8s: When rebuilding, hold main and rod bearings
> to between .001 and .0015-inch; replace the front timing cover with a
> brand-new (not rebuilt) one obtained from Chrysler or Jeep parts
> suppliers, because 25-35-year-old covers are worn out in the oil pump
> cavity and will drop oil pressure even with new gears; overbore if
> taper in the block exceeds .005-inch in any cylinder and totally
> rebalance the entire reciprocating assembly, including the pistons,
> rods, crank, harmonic balancer, and flywheel/flexplate if any of these
> items is changed out for another unit(s), new or from another engine.
> AMC V-8s are "Detroit" or externally balanced, and these parts do not
> interchange, even between motors of the same displacement and
> year. They fit, but the swap causes the engine to be imbalanced and it
> will shake itself to death in short order. When in doubt on a rebuild,
> spend the money to professionally rebalance the entire motor."
>
> Quickie book review: Only for AMC-ophiles. You just read the most
> useful parts. Many pretty pictures of garish paint jobs. Spend the
> money on an AMC Shop Manual.
>
> Where to get a Shop Manual? Search the web; there's a fair amount of
> AMC stuff out there.
>
> > The 360 was created long before Chrysler bought AMC.  My dad had a '74
> > Matador wagon with that engine.  It's a real workhorse, but tends to
> > be drippy.
>
> In my own limited experience (Dad had a few), this is absolutely
> correct; AMCs will run forever, so long as you keep pouring oil into
> them.
>
> But don't settle for a drippy engine; clean threads, clean parts,
> careful attention to torque on the fasteners. Now even my Peugeot
> stays dry.
>
> Back to lurking,
>
> stuart hastings
>
>
>
>
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