Did the 1979 Lil Red Express come with an air pump?

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ESP47

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I'm getting serious about buying one in CA and I know CA has/had stricter emissions than the rest of the states but I can't find out for the life of me whether or not an air pump was ever on one of these things.

I read some articles that stated that Mopar was able to use some loopholes in 78/79 to skirt the "performance" 360 through for the LREs because of their weight but they don't say anything exact and they certainly don't mention anything special about CA.

I called a couple smog shops asking if they had a book that could tell me what exactly I needed to be connected emissions wise to pass inspection and they either wouldn't tell me or they said they just go off of whatever is on the emissions sticker. I found an emissions sticker for I believe a 79 Ramcharger on ebay and it mentions catalyst, EGR, PCV and cannister but no mention of an air pump.
 
Being a “Truck”, they probably skated around the air pump. I’ve never seen an air pump on a LRE truck before. I wouldn’t go by my testimony.
 
In 1978 they were able to get away without catalytic converters due to the gross vehicle weight rating put it in the category of a work truck. The exemption for the weight rating was adjusted upwards for '79, so they had cats that year.
I don't know about air pumps, but less likely on a '79 than a '79.
 
express truck decals.

LRE 1.JPG


LRE 2.JPG
 
its a pdf file.. entire LRE book/ pm me and give me your email address and i'll send ya the entire book..:)
 
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Here is where the Air Pump lived on the '89 D100, 318 Truck with AC.

20240521_204850.jpg



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@George Jets what's your source on the 484 cam?

all the info, research and chry co material say that it was the 340 AT cam (268/276 .429/.444)
 
MP 284-484 cam was "fun" to tune on a 9.5:1 383.

I can magine the fun on a 8.5:1 360.

...and I also doubt this is correct cam info.
 
George Jets said:
Engines ^^^

View attachment 1716252892


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****, the experts still argue about what cam was in the EH1 lil red express motors. some say it was just a standard production 360 cam and others say it was a 340 cam. someone needs to find an unmolested LRE ,pull the cam and stick the damn thing on a cam doctor and put the debate to rest.
 
Actually as far as I know personally, they used the stock 340 4 bbl. automatic cam in the Little Red Express Trucks.

The same cam profile that was used in all the 360 4 barrel engines.

lift: .430/.444
Duration: 268/276

_________

The 360 2 barrel engines used this profile in 1975 and up:

Lift: .410/.410
Duration: 252/252

__________

The above mentioned MoparWiki profile with .284 lift is wrong, they used the duration number of 284 for their 68 340 lift...wrong.

Here is the '68 340 4spd cam:

Lift: .444/.453
Duration: 276/284

You can see ^ this is where they got their .284 lift number and the 276 duration numbers in the MoparWiki article by using the duration numbers only, thinking the .284 was the lift....Wrong...


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George Jets said:
Actually as far as I know personally, they used the stock 340 4 bbl. automatic cam in the Little Red Express Trucks.

The same cam profile that was used in all the 360 4 barrel engines.

lift: .430/.444
Duration: 268/276

_________

The 360 2 barrel engines used this profile in 1975 and up:

Lift: .410/.410
Duration: 252/252

__________

The above mentioned MoparWiki profile with .284 lift is wrong, they used the duration number of 284 for their 68 340 lift...wrong.

Here is the '68 340 4spd cam:

Lift: .444/.453
Duration: 276/284

You can see ^ this is where they got their .284 lift number and the 276 duration numbers in the MoparWiki article by using the duration numbers only, thinking the .284 was the lift....Wrong...


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This is 100% correct as well as a double bulls eye.

The only thing I can add and I’d like to state that it is not a Litt Red Express only thing is, depending on the year and state you live in, other 360 4bbl engines came with the regular 360 2bbl cam and a designation was given to it and a different designation to the 360 4bbl cam engine that had the 340 cam, as stated above by George Jets.

A bunch of people here have written that they wondered what a 360 would do with a 340. This has already been answered by the factory as well hot rodders of the past milling the heads for a better compression ratio.

While I don’t know off hand to what ratio you can mill the head to safely and still attach the intake manifold because that can be milled only so much, it was a thing that was done.

What the power outcome was I do not know. But I wondered.
 
1974 Duster 360 test Car Craft August 1974

Curb weight - 3242 (AMA spec is 3395?)
HP - 245@4800
TQ - 320@3600
1/4 mile - 14.60@95

1979 Road Runner (E58) test Hot Rod March 1979

Curb weight (Base Car) - 3152 (?)
HP - 195@4000
TQ - 280@2400
1/4 mile - [email protected]

1978 LRE test Hot Rod June 1978

Curb weight - 3815
HP - 225@3800
1/4 mile - [email protected]

Only comparing these to point out some data that suggests (to me) that the E58 and EH1 didn't have the 340 cam. Certainly there are some potential shenanigans that could have happened with any of them, so not saying the 1/4 mile numbers or rated HP/TQ numbers reflect the actual potential of the rigs.

HP and TQ peaks are significantly lower on the later motors and 1/4 mile times back up the lower HP. And the difference in HP/TQ peaks doesn't feel like Mopar playing with rated RPM's for some reason. More likely, the later motors just ran out of breath earlier because they had a smaller cam.

Certainly the single exhaust and lean burn on the E58 hurt it, but the EH1 had true dual exhaust and no emissions in '78.

The '79 Road Runner was probably heavier than the '74 Duster 360, but not 7 mph heavier. Nor does 4-600# make up the difference between the '78 LRE and the '74 Duster 360.

Again, this isn't about which is faster (or better), only looking at whether or not the later cars potentially had the 340 AT cam.
 
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Those specs say .484 lift.
I suppose someoen could have taken the duration spec and assumed it was a typo.

The exhaust (or both for single pattern) duration and lift in 000/000 format was a popular format for describing a cam profile back then.

The 284/484 cam was pretty popular from DC/MP.
It had a pretty lopey/choppy idle in my 383.
The DC/MP 280/480 cam was even more lopey/choppy in my friend's 340.
WAY more so than any LRE I've ever heard.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Being a “Truck”, they probably skated around the air pump. I’ve never seen an air pump on a LRE truck before. I wouldn’t go by my testimony.
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abodyjoe said:
no air pump.
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S'cuder said:
In 1978 they were able to get away without catalytic converters due to the gross vehicle weight rating put it in the category of a work truck. The exemption for the weight rating was adjusted upwards for '79, so they had cats that year.
I don't know about air pumps, but less likely on a '79 than a '79.
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abodyjoe said:
express truck decals.

View attachment 1716252823

View attachment 1716252824
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Thanks guys. Do you think that the catalytic converters would be on borrowed time without an air pump? I've read that they need clean air in order to not burn up or clog. Seems weird that Mopar would be forced to add a catalytic converter but leave off the air pump since it's not like the air pump is the main performance waster here.
 
ESP47 said:
Thanks guys. Do you think that the catalytic converters would be on borrowed time without an air pump? I've read that they need clean air in order to not burn up or clog. Seems weird that Mopar would be forced to add a catalytic converter but leave off the air pump since it's not like the air pump is the main performance waster here.
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During testing, the air pump cooled the exhaust gas and somehow it reduces the toxic fumes. I don’t know the science behind it.

A catalytic converter doesn’t need an air pump to remain clean and clear to do its job. It needs a properly tuned carb.

The aftermarket (check around Summit Racing) has high flow converters. Keep in mind, (I was told this) the converters start working/working best when they get heated up.

(I don’t know the science behind this)

A bit of a (semi) way back in time story for you.

I have a ‘79 Dodge Magnum w/a 360. At the time, living in New York, the then governor said they were going to adapt to California smog laws for motor vehicles. The public outcry was enough that the Governor relented and stated he would go back to the way it was.

The the President of the USA that if he did t do the California standards, he would withhold millions in Hwy funds. So guess who got fucked?

What I did?

The 360 was modified a little bit. I used a Carter/Federal Mougal emissions 625 AFB on an iron intake. (No EGR valve used)
Orange box ignition with a junkyard distributor. Dual exhaust off of the exhaust manifolds w/an H pipe @ 2-1/4 into twin catalytic converters, into Dynomax turbo mufflers, exhaust pipes to the bumper.

It passed so well, the testers were saying it would pass as a newer car and searched all over for what was going on.

If it wasn’t for the fact that not only did the state install Big Brother cameras to insure the test was done right, the car itself had to be put on a roller dyno to insure the vehicles speedometer was up to 50 mph.

Glad to say, that was short lived and the roller tester is now gone.

Now you know.
 
i've had two 79 LRE trucks over the years. both very original/ no air pumps.. they did have some kind of air pipe to the rear of the passenger exhaust manifold.. i forget where it hooked up to though... as far as the cats go.. they are over 40 years old. probably shot any way..
 
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