Whats the deal with 340s?

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All engines get that "ring" at high rpm. It has to do with the exhaust pressure waves at those rpms. If you haven't heard it you're not revving ti high enough...lol. Most engines it's beyond 7K.

Horsepower a) is an abstract unless it involves tying weight to a horse & b) is only effective when harnessed properly (pun intended).
My point remains - the as-factory-assembled 360 is "easier to harness" with parts the vast majority of enthusiasts will be ok with running and living with on the street. The 340s were baddasss but needed steeper gearing and a better convertor if it was an auto to really shine. The comments are regarding horsepower at high rpms in a competition engine. Next time I hear the Acura next to me idling with a turbo'd Indycar V6 or the car at the cruise night has one of Coughlin's engines between the fenders I'll consider those comments relevent. Otherwise they're just pizza shop too-many-beers BS benchracing.

Give a core to a good builder and the top 3 (318,340, and 360) can be made to whatever power level one needs.
 
here's something you young guys will not understand.
build a 340 and a 360...Make sure the 360 makes more torque and more hp.
A lot of guys will still want the 340!
 
318willrun said:
Not picking on you, either. But I'll state some facts. Not everyone wants a 5200 stall converter and 4.88 gears in their street car. Most don't want to turn 4000 rpm's to do 55 mph. I wouldn't take a car like that on a 10 mile cruise. Had a street car once with 4.30 gears and 3200 stall. I HATED IT! So guess what???? Torque plays a factor in this type of car. Period. That is why they make stroker kits and add length to the crank. If your theory was right, everyone would be DE-STROKING their 340's to make them 300's and REALLY go fast.... that's it! De-stroke the 340 to a 300, run 5.13 gears and a 5500 stall with a 320 duration cam and you'd have the perfect highway cruis'n street car...... :D
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Dude, you just screwing with me ain't ya? Because I never said ANYTHING about 4.88's and 5200 converters for 13 second cars. WTF? what I said was you didn't optimize the combo's. You don't need that **** to run 13's. My Dart Sport went 12.90's with a 3.23 gear, junk clutch and crap carb when he bought it. How you guys go so slow with so much is stunning. I'm going to the track today, and I know I will be jaw dropped all day watching big brother engines go slow. I will see chassis that will run like they were tuned by a preschooler. It will be embarrassing.
 
Ahhhhh, the learning curve of chassis.
Or them not caring.....
 
Interesting read. this stuff keeps getting better and better. carry on
 
rumblefish360 said:
Yellow rose, 318willrun also makes a good point. Often you will reply with a answer that is more geared to a race like set up. No argument when the shoe fits.
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I'm talking about 12 or 11 second cars. I can't understand, with all the printed validation of the FACT, guys still argue the simple, unmistakable principal that HORSEPOWER IS KING.

No tuner worth a crap is going to use the same gears with an engine that turns 6500 RPM (which ain't **** BTW) verses an engine that only turns 5800 RPM. If you do, you can't do simple math.

Here is another one I had to learn, the hard way.

Two engines on the dyno. Let's say SBC for giggles. Both make 500 HP at 7000 RPM. Both have peak torque at 3500. You can lay the torque and HP curves over each other and they are identical.

One engine is quicker and faster. Every time. What gives? What was missed on the dyno to give you the clue?

Never forget this. Don't matter what kind of race it is, it's still a drag race. If it's from a dig, we call it drag racing. If they turn left, it's a circle jerk. If they go both ways(!!!!!!!!) it's a road race. Any way you slice it, it's a drag race to the corners. The more RPM you turn, the more combustion cycles you have, per what ever segment you are looking at. 60 feet, 1/8 mile, incrementals around a circuit. It don't matter.

It's awesome to sit back and watch people argue over well know, proven facts. You can't fight physics. Engine geometry is critical. Because heads have gotten better, engine builders have become sloppy on engine geometry.
 
LOL, I like how you keep stating that horse power is king and I never argued against it.
Sam ho in each engine but one makes more torque, the torque maker will out a cel the other one and win the race even though they both make the same HP.
To dispute this basic idea is worse than disputing that HP is king.

But it is OK, you keep on me like I never agreed with you or stated otherwise.
 
Hmmm, and to think that I had the idea that we were discussing factory engines. Now I get it all we really need to start with is a block of cast iron and from there on-anything goes! And of course the deeper the pocket the faster your ride!!!
 
Actually I would have been there too but my Durango can't pull My car over Mount Hood, it would kill it. It does okay flatland to Woodburn or PIR but....
It just has a measly 5.2 liter 318 LOL
 
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I grew up in the late 60's early 70's. We called 340 cars giant killers for a reason. There is a nostalgia thing about the 340 to some of us older guys. My 340 isn't anything special, but I have no intention of parting with it. I have a teen and a 360 too. An engine builder friend of mine told me to bring him either one, and he can make it whatever I want. Just tell him how many $$$ I have to spend.
 
yellow rose said:
Dude, you just screwing with me ain't ya? Because I never said ANYTHING about 4.88's and 5200 converters for 13 second cars. WTF? what I said was you didn't optimize the combo's. You don't need that **** to run 13's. My Dart Sport went 12.90's with a 3.23 gear, junk clutch and crap carb when he bought it. How you guys go so slow with so much is stunning. I'm going to the track today, and I know I will be jaw dropped all day watching big brother engines go slow. I will see chassis that will run like they were tuned by a preschooler. It will be embarrassing.
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Ok... I went slow with so much?? I spent 1000 on BUYING and BUILDING the 360. Tranny was a free used 727 load flite out of a Dodge Truck never rebuilt. 12.90's at almost 105 mph in an all steel Dart (nothing tuned on suspension) that weighed 3300 lbs without me in it and was driven 1 hour to the strip. Raced as I drove it. 91 octane pump gas, no unhooking headers, QS oil from Walmart (not your 120.00 5 quart horsepower making oil).... Now tell me how much your 12.90 ride cost ya???? how much to buy and build your 12.90 340?????? Tell me how I went so slow with "so much"???
 
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stroked340 said:
Whats a 318???
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Never heard a word from ya when Spareparts was called out by a few here, and he offered to run for money against his all steel, street driven duster. Yep, 318 stock stroke.... but no word from ya.... Cause he would have smoked your 11 second car so bad and took your money.. YES, WITH A 318
:rofl::rofl::lol::rofl:
 
318willrun said:
Never heard a word from ya when Spareparts was called out by a few here, and he offered to run for money against his all steel, street driven duster. Yep, 318 stock stroke.... but no word from ya.... Cause he would have smoked your 11 second car so bad and took your money.. YES, WITH A 318
:rofl::rofl::lol::rofl:
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I never called out anyone on this site out..318 all steel huh?? street driven(legal) not a race car driven on the street,full interior,full exhaust,all the glass ect ect...i'll be down Englishtown in August bring it ..
 
stroked340 said:
I never called out anyone on this site out..318 all steel huh?? street driven(legal) not a race car driven on the street,full interior,full exhaust,all the glass ect ect...i'll be down Englishtown in August bring it ..
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Everything you said is correct, spot on. But I'm having fun poking at you 'cause I think it's funny you not "recognizing" the existence of 318's (no, I'm not offended, having fun).
 
And the bench racing begins!!!
 
d5667 said:
And the bench racing begins!!!
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yeah, nobody trailering their car for 20 hours to prove a point..... I'd take a 340 or a 360 any day of the week and twice on Sunday. But I'll also take a 318 :)
 
Brezo, you just can't help yourself, can you... LOL

Kicked off as Mad Scientist and on your way as yellow rose. Keep at it.
 
Stock eliminator record holder in the mid - 90's with this truck...... and 318. A few years down the road competed with a 360. Says "two tons of fun" on the truck. Local racer....

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Just for you, stroked340 what ya say, 7 car lengths?:poke:

 
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