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Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:51 am
by Knucklehead
Ok..i have a very demented and fragmented mind. lol Barely 1/4 of the way done with the SOA install and my mind is already on to the next part of the project. The current 360 in the Wagoneer leaks badly. We still have the 360 we pulled out of the J20 when we did the 401 install. Don't have the $ for a complete rebuild of the 360, but would like to freshen it up a bit and put it in place of the leaky 360 in the Wagoneer. What would be the best course of action to accomplish that? New timing set and a Lunati Voodoo Cam are must installs for the engine as well as a complete new gasket set. The J20 had ~85k on the odometer when we pulled it and it ran like a top.

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 4:56 pm
by ScottsMojo
Pull the pan, check the mains, rods, oil pump gears, replace the seals and gaskets. Compression check, leak down check.

If everything looks to be in order, it will probably be ok. :-bd

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:03 pm
by Knucklehead
This is the cam it is gonna get while its on the stand.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUNATI-AMC-AMER ... ff&vxp=mtr

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:24 am
by ScottsMojo
Knucklehead wrote:This is the cam it is gonna get while its on the stand.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUNATI-AMC-AMER ... ff&vxp=mtr
Thats probably a good choice. I was looking at this yesterday and eyeballing this one http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2392&gid=297 but thats probably too much cam for my engine in its current configuration. Maybe when I build the next and bump the compression up a point or two.

Something I noticed, the fleabay ad your link leads to advertises lift numbers at 1.5 to 1 ratio. Stock AMC has 1.6 to 1 rockers. The same cam on the Lunati site doesn't reference lift ratio. Not that it matters, just interesting.

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:47 am
by Knucklehead
That is the cam my son wanted in his 401, but the builder required us to get the parts through him and he didn't handle Lunati. Doesnt mean that it wont get it in the future though. :twisted: Would new rockers be best with the setup I linked?

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:02 am
by ScottsMojo
New rockers wouldn't be a bad idea but unless your stockers are beat to death I would think they should be fine. I think SB Ford roller rockers are compatible with the AMC, you might find a decent set of used rollers. But those will require studs (and guide plates?), so it really depends on what you want to spend.

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:27 am
by Knucklehead
Outside of the Cam, Edelbrock Intake and probably a 470cfm Truck Avenger carb, we are gonna use the K.I.S.S. method on this. lol I dont really want to dig in to it any further than I have to. But the lazy dude in me says strip it down, clean it up and go from there. Then that leads to New rod and main bearings....new rings......valve job. GAH....WHERE does it end!!!!! lol At the very least it is going to get new gaskets with the exception of head gaskets and new crank seals while its out.

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:35 am
by ScottsMojo
Ha! I fully understand. My shop looks like a wrecking yard right now. What started out as a timing cover gasket replacement has turned into all new gaskets minus the heads, finish strip and repaint of everything, new dbl roller timing set, ect ect... I hope to get it done this weekend. I have been saying that for the past 5 weekends. I guess thats part of the disease... :D

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:20 am
by fulsizjeep
Not sure that you are getting much of a break on the price of the kit Greg. Looks like a good way to go though.

In June of 2010 we took Phoebe's 102,000 mile stock 401 and put Lunati Voodoo cam 64502 and lifters 71977PR, Cloyes double roller timing set, MSD cam/dizzy gear set, Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley TA670, FMS, RMS in this motor. After start up we had some rocker arm/bridge issues and ended up replacing the bridges, rockers and push rods with a set from a 401 in the shop that has 10,000 on it since rebuild. The replacement bridges are steel. This effort really woke this 401 up and it has a nice lope at the idle.

The 64501 cam should work fine with stock rockers. I think the additional lift on the 64502 cam pushed the original aluminum bridges beyond the stock cam wear pattern and ended up shaving the pivot points down. The result was rattling valve train.

Re: Freshen up an Old 360

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:56 pm
by Knucklehead
Was looking at both the 64501 and 64502. I am yhinking that the 64502 may be a bit much since this is gonna be his daily driver. I do like the idea of it for the 401 in his J20 though. :D That motor was completely blue printed. I am thinking that cam would REALLY wake it up.

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:32 pm
by ScottsMojo
I am looking at both of those as well. Probably part of my procrastination to get Schwag put back together. That, and I spent yesterday going to N Ga to pick up a trailer full of rust, and in the process of unloading goodies I f'ed up my back last night loading a th400 mated to a QT onto the teardown bench. I'm getting old and apparently stupider... #-o