360 Magnum

[Bruceynz]

Ok got the magnun back, the 360 LA cam bearings are in place now, the crank has been polished, the mains are good to go the big ends need replacing, I picked up some perfect circle ford rings for the magnum on out local auction site and I have a set of Clevite CB-481P big end bearings to go in, just waiting on my buddy to pop over and hone it out and we should be all good to go. Spent a few hours cleaning out all the ring groves, it sure does get backed on! The bore wear is minimal, so when she is back together she will be a pretty good over hauled engine! Although over hauled be pretty close to a rebuilt motor!

New Cam
New EQ Heads
New Rings
New BE bearings
New oil pump
New Lifters
New Cam bearings
New double roller timing chain
New Water Pump
New cam chain tensioner
Rebuilt alternator
New air gap intake
New Rear main
I have a choice of my low mileage 600 holley or my new 770 street avenger

 

[Bruceynz]

my buddy turned up today with his hone. He honed it, then we washed/scrubbed it with washing up liquid, hosed it down, washed it with diesel, cleaned it off with rags, then covered in CRC. If my roller lifters arrive next week can pop it together next weekend.

honed and new LA cam bearings

 

[Bruceynz]

Bolted crank in tonight, do a little bit where I can until it's all done

 

[Bruceynz]

The weekend is over, this is as far as i got.

 

[MoparKidD-4]

Nice work... just a tip though, toss those cork end gaskets for the intake manifold in the trash (you guys say 'rubbish' down there? lol) and just run a fat bead of oil-resistant RTV silicone (Permatex Ultra Black here in U.S.) along the surface right before you drop the intake on. Sometimes those cork gaskets are too thick and don't let the manifold seat properly on the head surfaces.

If I end up keeping my 5th Ave for the long haul I will most likely swap in a stock 5.2L Magnum with factory (or some cheap alternative) EFI and something like an A-500 OD trans. Much better fuel economy and an extra ~50 HP over the current roller-cam LA 318 as a bonus.

 

[Bruceynz]

This weekends progress, frost/freeze plugs in, alternator and power steering pump back on, belt on, harmonic damper on (135ft lbs is a big pull) thermostat housing on, bolted trans up for fitment and starter hits block and headers hit truck engine mount so grindy grind time next! Enjoy the eye candy. Found a good use for skate board. Oh I almost forgot the intake is on! That was a mission, the holes were out by 1mm thats is imperial 40 thou, I consulted the machine shop, he was happy to mill but advised to slot holes he said not the perfect way to do it but will save you $300 or $400 bucks! So I found the thinnest intake gaskets I could and slotted the holes, job done.

 

[BudW]

Looking nice!

The only thing I see that “might” be a problem, is the P/S pump. At first glance, it looks like it and battery tray “might” want to occupy the same space.
Hopefully I’m wrong.
BudW

 

[Bruceynz]

I will work something out if it does. I was looking at that last night, how have other people got on fitting a mag into a J or M?

 

[BudW]

Most of the Magnum installs I have seen, have either not been in an FMJ or they used the older style timing covers/pulleys/brackets.

Take that back, I did see a Magnum in an F-body using the timing cover/pulleys/brackets you have - but they used a P/S delete pulley bracket (pulley and bracket that takes the place of the P/S pump.
Belt routing is the same but pulley is smaller and belt is shorter.
BudW

 

[FredMcJoe]

battery to the trunk, remove battery tray?

 

[Bruceynz]

if power steer pump clears will leave battery in the front, will find out when I go to put it back in, need to grind the block next for starter and header clearance. grrrrrr

Every weekend getting a little closer to getting the engine back in. If I could get a good solid week on it would have it done in no time, but the dreaded work gets in the way of hobbies

 

[BudW]

but the dreaded work gets in the way of hobbies

Ain't that the truth!

 

[Bruceynz]

all ready for the block grinding this weekend, will mask up the pan with some cardboard

 

[BudW]

There is something shiny between the engine oil pan and block. I would guess aluminum.
Can you tell us about that?

 

[Bruceynz]

thats the lip on the chrome pan

 

[Bruceynz]

Here is my we helper! another mopar man in the making He is only 6 and was quite tired pumping the crane, he did well!

 

[Bruceynz]

you can see it better on the zoom in

 

[BudW]

Looking nice!
I thought the oil pan was painted black, like the block – and wasn’t thinking chrome.


With silicon sealant – Chrome covers and pans don’t like as bad as they used to do (without sealant).

Also, I’ve never been a fan of engine chrome - which might because of fixing so many chrome covers/pan oil leaks (many years ago). I’m not saying chrome is bad, by any means, but I just got burnt out fixing them (we didn’t know what silicon sealant was, 30-35 years ago).

You can’t do this on chrome, but I like to give an extra heavy coat of paint at the (assembled) gasket areas like oil pan, timing cover, valve cover, etc.), for the paint will act as another leak preventer.

This only really applies when engine is out, like it is now.
Replacing a gasket in car – doesn’t lend itself well to do paint because of overspray and you need non-oily surfaces for paint to stick.

Brass freeze plugs don’t need paint, but steel ones do - to prevent rust.


Tip, you might want to get some wood or cardboard (or something) to protect the oil pan from sparks from grinding the block down. Those sparks are hot enough to weld onto the outside of the pan, creating rust, making the pan not as shiny and more difficult to clean.
BudW

 

[Bruceynz]

magnum sumps use a double lip rubber seal thing, no RTV needed, but I did put in a couple dobs each side of front and rear caps

 

[Bruceynz]

Ok this weekends progress, I managed to grind off the truck engine mount, in fact I realized I was going to be grinding all day pretty quickly so I got a cut off wheel and just cut the thing off, job done in 5mins! Tidied up around the starter. Bolted the trans on, bolted the converter in, filled with 5 quarts of oil, primed it up until oil was flowing out off all the push rods on to the rockers, bolted valve covers on, dropped the dizzy/pump drive in, popped the dizzy in, spun engine around until it blew my finger off number one, bought to TDC, lined up the dizzy, then marked block, marked number one plug, engine and trans ready to go back in the car!

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