Good mileage 360 on a budget

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KramerSwinger70

KramerSwinger70

70 Dart Swinger360
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
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Location
Rohnert Park, CA
hey so im eventaully goin to put a 360 v8 in my swinger. i may b gettin a hold of an 88 truck 360 soon. what would you suggest i do to modify the hp,torque, and gas mileage? this is a daily driver so i need the best mileage i can get outa it. i plan for a 4brl carb, headers(maybe) and true duals. im gunning for 250-280hp and hopein i can achieve like 17-18mpg city/town and low 20's highway. am i dreaming or is this possible and reletively cheap?

tips from experience appreciated. give me suggestions on parts, manufaturers, any help i will appreciate! thanks!
 
It all depends on the rear end ratio,because I have a mild 360 in my duster and before I switched my gears from the stock 2.76 /6 gears to the 3.21 sure grip I was getting 17.5 mpg inmy car. The mild 360 is a stock lower end truck 360 with small 1.88 valves and a home done port job and gasket match on intake and exhaust,very mild cam and 1 5/8 headers with dual exhaust. But that was my results and I am possitive these other guys and girls will have alot more valuable info for you when they read this.
 
73charger said:
hey so im eventaully goin to put a 360 v8 in my swinger. i may b gettin a hold of an 88 truck 360 soon. what would you suggest i do to modify the hp,torque, and gas mileage? this is a daily driver so i need the best mileage i can get outa it. i plan for a 4brl carb, headers(maybe) and true duals. im gunning for 250-280hp and hopein i can achieve like 17-18mpg city/town and low 20's highway. am i dreaming or is this possible and reletively cheap?

tips from experience appreciated. give me suggestions on parts, manufaturers, any help i will appreciate! thanks!
Click to expand...

Heads are KEY to fuel mileage and HP. But since you said BUDGET...I'm guessing you want to use the oem heads.
I would install chevy style .100 long valves, 1.92 intake and 1.60 exhaust, 11/32 guides, have a good valve job done and blend the bottom cut into the port.
Then use Comp's 265dual energy cam, perf. intake, 600 holley or your choice carb (avs or quadrajet) and 9.5:1 for fuel mileage and TQ. Keep the piston as far away from the head as possible to help with detonation.
Balance the crank if you can afford it and run 20w50 VR1 for improved hyd. operation.
 
Preety much what OU812 said, minus the head advice and since you said budget, any head work on the cheap (Well...aint!) would be a back cutting of valves and a valve job.

Leave the stock cam for now. Though the above mentioned cam is what I would go for.

I had a 360 in a 79 Dodge Magnum (Think Cordoba) with a 2.76 rear and 26 inch tires. I added;

A factory iron intake, though a lighter one could be subbed in.
A Carter 625 AFB, though I'd favor a T-Q for mileage.
73 trap door 340 air cleaner. (May be it's a 72 cleaner, not sure anymore,LOL)
Dual exhaust off the exhaust manifolds with twin cats (Needed at the time)
A MSD and junk yard distributor lit it off.

I could get 20 mpg's out of it on a good day, High 19's all the time.

No cam change, no headers, no overdrive, iron intake and small carb, multi strike ignition, not bad for 3800+ lbs.
 
73charger said:
hey so im eventaully goin to put a 360 v8 in my swinger. i may b gettin a hold of an 88 truck 360 soon. what would you suggest i do to modify the hp,torque, and gas mileage? this is a daily driver so i need the best mileage i can get outa it. i plan for a 4brl carb, headers(maybe) and true duals. im gunning for 250-280hp and hopein i can achieve like 17-18mpg city/town and low 20's highway. am i dreaming or is this possible and reletively cheap?

tips from experience appreciated. give me suggestions on parts, manufaturers, any help i will appreciate! thanks!
Click to expand...

Use magnum heads. They are designed for todays fuel.The key is having correct quench. Headers also lean an engine out and are also key in helping camshaft/head combos breath.
 
so as far as cam, do i have any issues there? it is after all, an 88 Truck engine, so it has a truck cam. would hp, Torque, or mileage be better with (for lack of better phrasing) a car cam?

i expect to not install the engine till its set up how i want (lessen the headache later) and continue usin my 225 /6 in the mean time. crossin my fingers on a better payn job so this thing can come together quickly.
 
Car and truck cams are the same. HP cams could be different. They would use the 340 cam. It's a year dependent thing.

A 1988 engine (360) uses a Hyd cam specd @ 252/.410
HP and 4bbl. engines have the 340 cam specd @ 268/276-.430/.444
 
Brain built an engine for a friend, 360, 9.5:1, J style heads with exactly the set up he described, XE268H, LD340, 750DP. Hughes 2500 converter, 2.76 gear and 245/60/14 tires.

Car got 19 MPG on the highway driving 65 MPH. Roughly 350hp and 400Tq and it ran almost 104MPH in Vegas with the 2.76 gears and a box stock carb tune (fat).
 
wow thats awesome! i cant wait to start moddin that engine (assuming i get it) an run it. 350 hp is a bit more than i need but very cool
 
UPDATE! goin to buy a 1976 360 motor with a 904 trans! cross you fingers. ill have to modify it to get the mileage and hp i want but im still very excited
 
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