Budget 340 build

[SwingerMan]

I have been collecting parts to build a 408 W2 motor. I have the heads (closed chamber W2) that are complete, Victor Jr intake and a 360 block sitting ready for the machine shop. With the way things are going this project will not come to fruition anytime soon. So I have been contemplating a cheaper alternative.

My Dart has a good running 340 in it currently. I was thinking of pulling it and disassembling it. Honing the cylinders, re-ringing the pistons, replacing bearing etc if it needs it. Maybe using a set of aftermarket rods. Then picking a cam that will work well with my heads/intake and putting it all together.

The heads are ready to go down to the rockers and the intake is already ported. The only variable I have is I believe my heads (P4532693) are the 65CC chambers, if this is true they should work on the 340 since the J heads are in the 70 CC range correct? It will raise the compression but I am thinking it will still be ok for pump gas. I will CC the W2's just to be sure they are 65CC.

Anyone know of a good cam to run in a W2 340, and what stall range? Will use TTI headers/exhaust, rear end is currently 3:23 would ideally like to run 3:55. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[70aarcuda]

If you change out rods....you probably need to rebalance the engine since any aftermarket rod is lighter then the stock rod...

check your 340 pistons to see if they have a positive deck height,,,stick out of the bore at TDC,,,,and if you have close chamber w2 heads....you will need a thicker had gasket to keep the pistons from hitting the head.

a 340 with w2 heads is going to be a lazy engine until the engine sees some rpm....

 

[Brian Hafliger]

I have been collecting parts to build a 408 W2 motor. I have the heads (closed chamber W2) that are complete, Victor Jr intake and a 360 block sitting ready for the machine shop. With the way things are going this project will not come to fruition anytime soon. So I have been contemplating a cheaper alternative.

My Dart has a good running 340 in it currently. I was thinking of pulling it and disassembling it. Honing the cylinders, re-ringing the pistons, replacing bearing etc if it needs it. Maybe using a set of aftermarket rods. Then picking a cam that will work well with my heads/intake and putting it all together.

The heads are ready to go down to the rockers and the intake is already ported. The only variable I have is I believe my heads (P4532693) are the 65CC chambers, if this is true they should work on the 340 since the J heads are in the 70 CC range correct? It will raise the compression but I am thinking it will still be ok for pump gas. I will CC the W2's just to be sure they are 65CC.

Anyone know of a good cam to run in a W2 340, and what stall range? Will use TTI headers/exhaust, rear end is currently 3:23 would ideally like to run 3:55. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Caming the engine is no problem. Do the pistons stick up above the deck? If so, you need to measure them all and find the highest one.
I would use a small carb like a 650DP holley, and a small cam with fast intake lobe...something like 230-232@ .050.
The lobe center is KEY to great power everywhere with a semi-large intake port. Even though they are big, they are fast ports so you won't lose as much low end as you think. However, the intake will move the TQ up in rpm range alot. But for the street, that's OK since hooking on street tires and poor street surface is difficult most times than not.
Brian

 

[SwingerMan]

Caming the engine is no problem. Do the pistons stick up above the deck? If so, you need to measure them all and find the highest one.
I would use a small carb like a 650DP holley, and a small cam with fast intake lobe...something like 230-232@ .050.
The lobe center is KEY to great power everywhere with a semi-large intake port. Even though they are big, they are fast ports so you won't lose as much low end as you think. However, the intake will move the TQ up in rpm range alot. But for the street, that's OK since hooking on street tires and poor street surface is difficult most times than not.
Brian

Not sure if the pistons stick up above the deck I didn't build the motor. I will have to pull a head and check. If they do will a thicker head gasket be sufficient as 70aarcuda suggested or would a piston change be necessary?

 

[Brian Hafliger]

Depends on how much the stick up out of the hole. Felpro makes a nice .054 gasket so if it's .018 or less then no problem.

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

Anyone know of a good cam to run in a W2 340, and what stall range? Will use TTI headers/exhaust, rear end is currently 3:23 would ideally like to run 3:55. Any suggestions are appreciated.

On the street-mp .528 solid and consider 1.6 rockers-wide band,updated ramps,good all round mt/at cam with 3.73 minimum gear, much less gear and gets soggy.

On the stall-2800 min with your combo , but 3200 should work real nice.

On the carb, run a 700-800 holley, if you go smaller you WILL notice a drop in power around 4000 compared to a 750-800 cfm carb.
You can go annular on the boosters to pick up some torque, you can also raise the initial timing to the max it will still start 'hot' with, and you can always look for a dual plane for the w2's....but most of all, learn how to tune and work on the pump shot...buy some books and ask questions.

Just whats comes to mind..

 

[70aarcuda]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Nx5HEzvlY"]YouTube - ‪Mr. CarbTune's Garage - Accelerator Pump Tuning‬‏[/ame]

tuning the pump shot...