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Exhaust question 66 Cotonet 361

I own an original 361 1966 Dodge Coronet too! Don't have the 361 anymore though. Someone else swapped in a 1969 383 4-barrel w/ 440 heads. I swapped out the manifolds for headers a while back. I think I may still have the original manifolds still. How much would those sell for? Didn't realize their was a market for them.
 
The 361 block, is the same as a 383 block ( with the exception of the casting number).
The crank is the same too. The difference is the bore size :4.125" for a 361 and 4.25" for a 383....so we're talking about 22"Ci for a difference. Obviously it's a pretty dam important 22", but I don't think that its really my issue here.

I'm missing something...
 
The 361 block, is the same as a 383 block ( with the exception of the casting number).
The crank is the same too. The difference is the bore size :4.125" for a 361 and 4.25" for a 383....so we're talking about 22"Ci for a difference. Obviously it's a pretty dam important 22", but I don't think that its really my issue here.

I'm missing something...
You aren’t missing anything. Doing reasonable stuff to get what’s practical from a 361. Ultimately it’s not a whole lot of cubic inches and therefore needs to be “hotter” to get “interesting” results. An important thing to remember is that what’s needed for a 440 isn’t quite the same for the 361. Structural increases for flow, like heads and big exhaust will inherently gain you less than cam, converter and gears. This is because “in the eyes of the 361” the 516 heads that are crappy on a 440 are 30% bigger, the 2” exhaust has 30% more area etc. just because it’s not trying to push as much air through.

To get something more “interesting” without the compromises of converter, cam and gears you need more cubic inches.
 
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A few more questions:
1. What cam is in it?
2. Is it degreed properly?
3. How is the distributor set up?
These things make a huge difference especially in a B engine.
 
A few more questions:
1. What cam is in it?
2. Is it degreed properly?
3. How is the distributor set up?
These things make a huge difference especially in a B engine.

Off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you what exactly the cam is. The speed shop that spec'd the cam, knew that a 4bbl was coming and I wanted something more aggressive...and they insisted setting the timing marks. I'm certain that this was done correctly, I successfully rebuilt motors as a kid, they weighed pistons/connecting rods/wrist pins ect ( things that would have never entered my mind).
The distributor is "stock".
 
That doesn't help much.
Setting the timing marks could mean just putting a timing tape on the balancer or checking the tabs on the timing cover.
Can you find out from the engine builder what cam is in it and where is the centerline?
I've told this here before: when we put the cam in my sons' 5.9 using a new timing set it was 6 degrees retarded "dot-to-dot".
Had to get a new timing set.
Try lighter springs in the distributor.
 
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