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340 verses 360 #196442 01/17/09 08:24 PM 01/17/09 08:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 241 wisconsin dodger1 OP enthusiast
dodger1 OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 241 wisconsin	Im wondering if a 340 would be a better choice to build a moderate hp engine, I have seen 340s for five hundred with heads 360 are cheaper but will I need to buy better heads anyway and really not save any money. thanks for your advice

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dodger1] #196443 01/17/09 08:36 PM 01/17/09 08:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt. H HotRodDave I Live Here
HotRodDave I Live Here H Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt.	Heads are basically the same except valve size and that can be changed. The 360 is cheaper to buy and has more cubic inches unless you are strokeing it. Equally built the 360 will make more TQ and dare I say... HP If you are building an A-Body from about 68-71 the 340 tends to add value to a car more so than a 340 because the 340 was the factory performance engine in those cars. I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: HotRodDave] #196444 01/17/09 09:05 PM 01/17/09 09:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest M MoparforLife Too Many Posts
MoparforLife Too Many Posts M Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest	Quote: Heads are basically the same except valve size and that can be changed. The 360 is cheaper to buy and has more cubic inches unless you are strokeing it. Equally built the 360 will make more TQ and dare I say... HP If you are building an A-Body from about 68-71 the 340 tends to add value to a car more so than a 340 because the 340 was the factory performance engine in those cars. Not nessessarly true. 360 's share the head castings with the 340 The 915 heads used in on the 360's in 71 for the most part had 1.88 valves where the 340 in 71 had 2.02 valve heads. 72 up the 1.88 valve heads were prevalent for both and used the same castings. For the most part the valve size is not a major factor until you start running the high RPM range, and the larger 2.02 can can in fact take away low end torque. The 1.88 head will work as well up to about 6000.

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: MoparforLife] #196445 01/17/09 09:25 PM 01/17/09 09:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,826 las vegas 70AARcuda master
70AARcuda master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,826 las vegas	budget wise the 360 is going to be cheaper since there are more pistons available at lower prices... with everything being equal..the 360 will win... Tony 70 AARCuda Vitamin C 71 Dart Swinger 360 10.318 @ 128.22(10-04-14 Bakersfield) 71 Demon 360 10.666 @122.41 (01-29-17 @ Las Vegas) 71 Duster 408 (10.29 @ 127.86 3/16/19 Las Vegas)

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dodger1] #196446 01/17/09 10:03 PM 01/17/09 10:03 PM
Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 22,873 Chicken coop dustergirl340 Chicken Little
dustergirl340 Chicken Little Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 22,873 Chicken coop	360 = best bang for the buck. We paid $99 for a complete one with 727 trans a couple months ago.

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dodger1] #196447 01/17/09 10:11 PM 01/17/09 10:11 PM
Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,708 S. Il. U.S.A. 5spdcuda top fuel
5spdcuda top fuel Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,708 S. Il. U.S.A.	Generally when you have several engines of the same basic design the smallest will make the most power per cube given equal levels of preparation. While this can be an important factor in class racing, when it comes to the street or brackets size matters and big is good. The 360 has several advantages over the 340. 1st. 20 more cubes. 2nd. The bigger mains which are often criticized provide more crank pin overlap which helps even more when using a stroker. IMO most of these engines will never turn enough rpm for the increased bearing speed to become a factor. 3rd. Since all the LA engines share the same deck height and rod length the 360 has a lighter piston than the 340 which is probably at least as important to revabilty as the 340s shorter stroke. 4th. A 4.030 bore size [ a common 360 overbore ] is probably one of the cheapest and commonest ring sizes available. Lastly, cost and availability is much better with the 360. 340s are great for image and restoration, 360s are for making cheap power.

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dustergirl340] #196448 01/18/09 12:38 AM 01/18/09 12:38 AM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: 360 = best bang for the buck. & there are much better cost effective performance cyl head options available than the old 70's open chambered 340/360 heads live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: 5spdcuda] #196449 01/18/09 03:12 AM 01/18/09 03:12 AM
Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,445 N.Wilkesboro,NC D DusterKrazy master
DusterKrazy master D Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,445 N.Wilkesboro,NC	Quote: Generally when you have several engines of the same basic design the smallest will make the most power per cube given equal levels of preparation. While this can be an important factor in class racing, when it comes to the street or brackets size matters and big is good. The 360 has several advantages over the 340. 1st. 20 more cubes. 2nd. The bigger mains which are often criticized provide more crank pin overlap which helps even more when using a stroker. IMO most of these engines will never turn enough rpm for the increased bearing speed to become a factor. 3rd. Since all the LA engines share the same deck height and rod length the 360 has a lighter piston than the 340 which is probably at least as important to revabilty as the 340s shorter stroke. 4th. A 4.030 bore size [ a common 360 overbore ] is probably one of the cheapest and commonest ring sizes available. Lastly, cost and availability is much better with the 360. 340s are great for image and restoration, 360s are for making cheap power. I like the 340's as good as anyone. A 360 is much easier to find and cheaper to obtain. You will come out ahead because of the 20 extra cubes. If you have a 340 Id sell it and get probably two 360's out of the deal. They can make crazy horsepower and torque for reasonable money. save the 340's for the resto crowds. As far as small blocks go, the 340 is a legend but I'll take power anyday

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: DusterKrazy] #196450 01/18/09 02:32 PM 01/18/09 02:32 PM
Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,788 Holland MI Ottawa 2 2boltmain master
2boltmain master 2 Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,788 Holland MI Ottawa	340s produced for 6 years (only 4 years with the 10 to 1 comp) 360s made form 71 to 2000-2001? 360 prices better due to obvious volume. Keep old mopars alive.

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: 2boltmain] #196451 01/18/09 02:56 PM 01/18/09 02:56 PM
Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 241 wisconsin dodger1 OP enthusiast
dodger1 OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 241 wisconsin	Thanks for the info, I have a stock 340 in my demon and love it I actually thought the 360 was not as good maybe becuase the 340 seems powerful in its own right I will enjoy having more torgue and hp when Im done with this 360 even though its going in 75 van should be fun thanks

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dodger1] #196452 01/18/09 03:36 PM 01/18/09 03:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest M MoparforLife Too Many Posts
MoparforLife Too Many Posts M Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest	If the 360 had been built prior to the 340 before the all the EPA restrictions were put on the engines the 360 would have been the small block comparisons would be give to rather than the 340. It is very easy and not all that costly to put power into the 360. Clean it, if it's Dirty. Oil it, if it Squeaks. But: Don't fix it, if it Works!

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: MoparforLife] #196453 01/18/09 03:45 PM 01/18/09 03:45 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	I'd build a 360 ANY day over a 340. There is nothing magical about a 340...there never has been 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: 69L78Nova] #196454 01/18/09 04:14 PM 01/18/09 04:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt. H HotRodDave I Live Here
HotRodDave I Live Here H Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt.	Quote: I'd build a 360 ANY day over a 340. There is nothing magical about a 340...there never has been I wouldn't say never... from 68-71 it was the biggest small block mopar ever made, that would have been some magical years. I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: HotRodDave] #196455 01/18/09 04:57 PM 01/18/09 04:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	What I mean is, taking into account the 340s bore and stroke, there is nothing magical that will give you more horsepower...just because "its a 340". I know for a couple of years, it was in fact the biggest small block Ma had to offer. But there has been bigger and badder since then. 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: HotRodDave] #196456 01/18/09 04:58 PM 01/18/09 04:58 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Quote: from 68-71 it was the biggest small block mopar ever made, I would actually say from 68-70. Because in 1971, the 360 was introduced...which would make IT the biggest in 1971, even though it wasnt the most powerful 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: dodger1] #196457 01/18/09 05:06 PM 01/18/09 05:06 PM
Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,629 wilmington,ohio O ohiodemon top fuel
ohiodemon top fuel O Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,629 wilmington,ohio	build the 360. the 360's longer stroke(3.58)will make for a more powerful street motor.

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: ohiodemon] #196458 01/18/09 06:22 PM 01/18/09 06:22 PM
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,927 Seaford, Va Kindafast top fuel
Kindafast top fuel Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,927 Seaford, Va	I have been playing with small blocks for way too many years. I never cared for the 360 engine. Sure it has a larger main setup and more cubic inches. I shyed away from them soley because of the cast cranks. Small blocks were made to turn upstairs and I just didn't feel safe turning a cast crank up where I could overcome the torque loss of a smallblock.Im sure I have opend a can of worms but that is just my opinion. 6.50 @105.26

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: Kindafast] #196459 01/18/09 06:30 PM 01/18/09 06:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt. H HotRodDave I Live Here
HotRodDave I Live Here H Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,423 Kalispell Mt.	I had one and have known of several others that ran them up to 7000 with no problems. If you are still woried about it buy a steel crank for it, plenty are available for them aftermarket. If you are building a stroker than there is no differance in cost. I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: HotRodDave] #196460 01/18/09 06:35 PM 01/18/09 06:35 PM
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,927 Seaford, Va Kindafast top fuel
Kindafast top fuel Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,927 Seaford, Va	I agree there are a lot of a/m parts now for the 360. Back when I was a lot younger #1 no steel cranks were made #2 if they were I could not afford them. Im talking stock from the factory engines. 340 was a stronger higher reving engine. 6.50 @105.26

Re: 340 verses 360 [Re: Kindafast] #196461 01/18/09 06:45 PM 01/18/09 06:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest M MoparforLife Too Many Posts
MoparforLife Too Many Posts M Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest	No Forged 360 crank - Big deal - Mopars are not noted for crankshaft breakage. Forged or cast. The 360 is not a high RPM oriented engine like a 340. They make it at a lower RPM. Like I said if the 360 would have been made during the non emision ere it would have been 'the small block'. The 340 would not hold a candle to it.

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