340 Blew

[Dajkzo]

There is an Ad on Facebook for a 340 block. Located in Portsmouth NH. Bit of a drive, but we have no sale tax in NH and discount liquor!!!

 

[HawkRod]

So whatever happened after this? In some ways not having the original engine in a car is very free-ing. Is it a stroker or a 360 magnum now?

We purchased a replacement 340 block last year at Carlisle, about the right date code as the original car. The plan is to make it a stroker, but reuse the original ported cast iron heads. My son has limited funds, so a better breathing top end will need to come later. He is still saving money for the parts, as he has recently been paying off college bills.

Not that it matters now, but 2 Comments:
1.) Hopefully lesson learned, because IMO, there is no way some notice wasn't present first, for a period of time well before this catastrophic failure. Again IMO, this didn't just present as a singular and immediate "Loud Bang and then smoke", I believe there was a period of time when a decision to shut down was contemplated, but refused.

2.) Seen and fixed worse, but this is NOT a #'s HEMI Block necessitating an "at any cost" repairs for a 1970 HEMI 'Cuda...
...
ANYTHING is repairable, but that doesn't mean it should be.....

Agreed, anything is repairable. For this car and a 73 340 block, it's not worth it. Sad to have the original numbers block go away more from a sentimental value. It was my first car, and that engine has seen a lot. But, maybe I'll make a coffee table out of it.

There is an Ad on Facebook for a 340 block. Located in Portsmouth NH. Bit of a drive, but we have no sale tax in NH and discount liquor!!!

Many thanks for the tip. Luckily, I found a original bore (but of course used) block at Carlisle, so we are ready to go from that stand point. 340 blocks are getting hard to find...

 

[Don Frelier]

Sad to have one die. But you can likely find an LA 360.
You did tell him to keep it under 100 correct?
If you can find a 340 that would be nice. But short term even a 318 or a 5.2 magnum would be fine and you could keep looking. But note that a 5.2 shares almost nothing other than bore and stroke.
I'm sure you'll find a good solution.
Keep us posted.

 

[miller]

My belief is that the bearings took a beating when that happened. We fixed the gasket issue, and then the car ran fine. But I believe the rod bearings were damaged and ultimately the #3 bearing completely died, affecting #4 rod.

Average of 10-15 seconds without oil, and oil pressure, equals a dead bearing, one that will completely fail. Bad round of events, could have saved the engine, though only going back into it. It was only a matter of time.
Learned that lesson on round motors (R-1820), that sports ONLY one bearing, for nine cylinders.

What you stated above, is exactly what happened.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Average of 10-15 seconds without oil, and oil pressure, equals a dead bearing, one that will completely fail. Bad round of events, could have saved the engine, though only going back into it. It was only a matter of time.
Learned that lesson on round motors (R-1820), that sports ONLY one bearing, for nine cylinders.

What you stated above, is exactly what happened.

1 rod bearing? For 9 connecting rods? LOL. That must be for a radial aircraft engine. Haha. What was the diameter of that bearing? I'm guessing 6 to 8 ".

 

[Don Frelier]

A 408 would be nice.

 

[HawkRod]

A 408 would be nice.

We already have the 340 block. With a 4" stroked 340, it will be bigger: somewhere between 416 and 420 cubes!

https://www.manciniracing.com/6cr70h.html

Hawk

 

[miller]

For 9 connecting rods? LOL. That must be for a radial aircraft engine.

Yeah, what we call a radial...round motor. Hmmm, for some reason, we called cylinders 'jugs'!

Single one piece bearing, about 4", that goes in a master rod. What's called link rods (8), were fitted into the master rod, via pins.
Damn Pratts used split two piece bearings. Cussed 'em each time...that's why they started calling me Pratt man...hated 'em.