360 LA OR 360 MAGNUM WHICH IS THE BETTER BUILD

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What horsepower are you looking for??? Benefits of each .....
Magnum - the magnum comes with roller cam (friendly for todays oils), lighter rotating assembly and better heads. Heads are more prone to cracking, but the cracks don't seem to interfere with the running of the engine. We see alot of these out there way over 200,*** miles and running good, including mine at 233,*** and runs perfect. Typically speaking, you can throw a 4bbl and headers on a 360 mag out of a Ram and you have 300 hp without taking anything apart. Add a better cam and EQ heads, you can get around 400 hp.

LA - from the factory has tougher rocker arm set up. Way more intake choices, meaning better deals on 2nd hand parts. More off the shelf cams available. LA 360's had roller cams from 89-91 (maybe 1988 also?). All LA's come with the mechanical fuel pump eccentric. Even the worst 360 smog heads had plenty of potential, especially when fitted with larger valves and ported. Shares more parts with 318/340's.

Off the top of my head thoughts..... and both are readily available for cheap (under 400 bucks complete and running). You decide.... neither are a bad choice.
 
I would look for an 88-92 roller LA 360,you get the best of both worlds with all the LA parts floating around and the Roller set up of a magnum
 
Sedanman said:
I would look for an 88-92 roller LA 360,you get the best of both worlds with all the LA parts floating around and the Roller set up of a magnum
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and with those years, you get the 308 heads, which are one of the best flowing heads that came on the LA engines.
 
318willrun said:
Typically speaking, you can throw a 4bbl and headers on a 360 mag out of a Ram and you have 300 hp without taking anything apart. Add a better cam and EQ heads, you can get around 400 hp.
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This is what I did with a 90k magnum.
Everything including the bearings all looked like they had 50 miles on them and I put a good double roller set with a tensioner.
I used the EQ heads with the OE 1.92 valves that are tapped for LA intakes, the Hughes spring and accy set, a Oregon cam grinders roller regrind at 214/224 and .512 lift.
OE magnum rocker gear on the EQ heads and was able to use the OE Magnum pushrods and roller lifters.
Used my Edelbrock Performer318/360 intake and the 600cfm Edelbrock off the 318, as well as the headers and 2.5 inch duals that were on the 318.
I started gathering stuff a few years ago on the 318 that I knew I was going to have to have when I got the Magnum.

It is supposed to be capable of 400+ hp and 415 tq at 3,500, and I'm sure the Performer and 600 carb are holding it back, but it wasn't built to be as fast as it could possibly go but for a nice reliable power plant with some guts to it and still have decent economy.

All total I would say I have about 2,000 into the motor swap from the 318 to the Magnum and that includes the long block I used.
You better be able to do it yourself though. :D
 
.....and roller cams can have MUCH faster ramp rates helping with efficiency and flow without running an extremely high a lift.
 
YY1 said:
.....and roller cams can have MUCH faster ramp rates helping with efficiency and flow without running an extremely high a lift.
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Yep, and it's quite expensive to change a non roller motor into a roller.
 
TrailBeast said:
This is what I did with a 90k magnum.
Everything including the bearings all looked like they had 50 miles on them and I put a good double roller set with a tensioner.
I used the EQ heads with the OE 1.92 valves that are tapped for LA intakes, the Hughes spring and accy set, a Oregon cam grinders roller regrind at 214/224 and .512 lift.
OE magnum rocker gear on the EQ heads and was able to use the OE Magnum pushrods and roller lifters.
Used my Edelbrock Performer318/360 intake and the 600cfm Edelbrock off the 318, as well as the headers and 2.5 inch duals that were on the 318.
I started gathering stuff a few years ago on the 318 that I knew I was going to have to have when I got the Magnum.

It is supposed to be capable of 400+ hp and 415 tq at 3,500, and I'm sure the Performer and 600 carb are holding it back, but it wasn't built to be as fast as it could possibly go but for a nice reliable power plant with some guts to it and still have decent economy.

All total I would say I have about 2,000 into the motor swap from the 318 to the Magnum and that includes the long block I used.
You better be able to do it yourself though. :D
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yeah, when ya buy new heads and gear, the price goes up for sure.
 
YY1 said:
.....and roller cams can have MUCH faster ramp rates helping with efficiency and flow without running an extremely high a lift.
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Oh come on. Damn.

I look at some of the cam specs for HRT cams that get posted on here and 90 times out of 100 I could find a SFT that would blow away the HRT.
It ain't all that. I was one of the first guys I knew on the HRT band wagon. But years of testing showed me they ain't all that. The BEST way to do what you are saying is a hydraulic roller grind with solid roller lifters.

I no longer spec HRT for anything that is expected to perform. They can use solid rollers or solid flats.



Let the hate begin.
 
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christmas53 said:
horse power wise ,cost of build.
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Depending on the level of the build, I think it is mostly a wash. The only bennifit I see in the use of a Magnum engine is on a low or mild performance street engine.
Reason?

Newer engine with less heat cycles. 1.6 rocker ratio. Hyd. roller cam friendly. Easy HP made. MoPar create engines are a good example. 360/380HP engines were a stock engine upgraded with cam, springs, intake. Given a carb and headers, they constantly dynoed over 400HP with stock head ports.
Not to shabby IMO!

Heavy street hitter/racer? It's a wash. Mostly.
A bunch depends on what equipment your going to use.
 
yellow rose said:
Oh come on. Damn.

I look at some of the cam specs for HRT cams that get posted on here and 90 times out of 100 I .could find a SFT that would blow away the HRT.
It ain't all that. I was one of the first guys I knew on the HRT band wagon. But years of testing showed me they ain't all that. The BEST way to do what you are saying is a hydraulic roller grind with solid roller lifters.

I no longer spec HRT for anything that is expected to perform. They can use solid rollers or solid flats.



Let the hate begin.
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They are all that if your motor already has them and you don't have to buy new ones. :D
 
TrailBeast said:
They are all that if your motor already has them and you don't have to buy new ones. :D
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Unless you get the block with LA oiling and rockers, you are stuck with junk rockers like a Chevy.

I'd give up a HRT cam EVERY day to not use **** valve train. Most Chevy guys don't even use junk like that anymore.
 
What I like about the Magnum is the Hyd roller cam set up ready, willing and able for an upgraded cam. I myself wouldn't really go to large on a Hyd roller. Once I start looking at durations above, oh, 236* or so, I'm making a move to a solid roller. At this point, the build is a little more than a general performance build.

I don't know how a serious solid roller would be in an unaltered block.
A draw back for some people would/could be pushrod oiling only.
 


What maintainence? A HFT has LESS maintainence than a HRT, unless the lobe is a slow lobe.

I set the lash on my SFT cams about every 5000 miles. Take less than 20 minutes.

And, I don't have a valve actuation system the Chevy guys run from like the plague.
 
yellow rose said:
What maintainence? A HFT has LESS maintainence than a HRT, unless the lobe is a slow lobe.

I set the lash on my SFT cams about every 5000 miles. Take less than 20 minutes.
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And that's what we're talking about. ;)
 
rumblefish360 said:
Depending on the level of the build, I think it is mostly a wash. The only bennifit I see in the use of a Magnum engine is on a low or mild performance street engine.
Reason?

Newer engine with less heat cycles. 1.6 rocker ratio. Hyd. roller cam friendly. Easy HP made. MoPar create engines are a good example. 360/380HP engines were a stock engine upgraded with cam, springs, intake. Given a carb and headers, they constantly dynoed over 400HP with stock head ports.
Not to shabby IMO!

Heavy street hitter/racer? It's a wash. Mostly.
A bunch depends on what equipment your going to use.
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And there isnt a big bore ridge to contend with.
 
fratzog lover said:
And there isnt a big bore ridge to contend with.
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Older non F.I. engines, I'd say, OH yea!
I took apart a 80K '00 Magnum and was treated by OE machining cross hairs in the cylinders.
Overboring the engine for forged slugs makes things equal.
 
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