low mileage 360 teardown explanation ?????

[twotone68]

I Just purchased a 71 360 out of a c body, very low mileage n seems very original. Here are numbers out side n inside. GW360R3618- frt. of block, pass. side, 5-27-71,dri side, 3418496 2 360, crank-3418640-1,rods-3418645- KRY,KLJ,KNL,KNG, two different colored rods??? a 2 copper colored the rest standard colored ??? pistons-3418919 09104, main caps are stamped-5-9-71. Could some one explain the rods n different production dates ??? it was very clean and very even bearing wear all around, the cam bearings were faking pretty bad. Pistons are flat tops.

 

[67Dart273]

I really have to chuckle when I read these kinds of questions. 1971 was a 'ell of a long time ago. ANYTHING could have happened to that engine, from early warranty work, to later on just plain work work.

 

[RustyRatRod]

If the pistons are true flat tops with no dish or valve reliefs, they are the original to that engine 1971 pistons. 1971 was the only year that had those, as the 71 had a little more compression than other year LA 360s. The different color rods mean nothing. That's a great core to build, more than likely.

 

[krazykuda]

I Just purchased a 71 360 out of a c body, very low mileage n seems very original. two different colored rods??? a 2 copper colored the rest standard colored ??? pistons-3418919 09104, main caps are stamped-5-9-71. Could some one explain the rods n different production dates ???

Very simple to explain the different color rods. If they are press fit (which I believe the 360's are), then they have to heat the rod to install the wrist pin. Depending on the temperature that they used to pin the rods, it may change the color to a brown/straw color. There's nothing wrong with the brown/straw type color.

It's when they turn blue that the microstructure of the rod is compromised, which usually happens over 517° F....

The different color rods could have been pinned in a different rod pinning machine than the others. It takes more than one rod pinning station to keep up with a v-8 assembly line....


Now the different production dates on the rods that you are inquiring about, may be the casting date. I haven't seen any engine assy line that date marked when the pistons and rods were pinned. There is no guarantee that the rods were used in the same order that they were produced. Material control (who supplies the parts to the line) did not always rotate the stock properly, and some older ones may be hanging around...


Then there are the teardown engines where there is a defect after final assy, then they get sent to teardown and the re-usable parts are brought back to the assy line. Very easy to mix and match parts and dates in that process... Any non re-usable parts are then scrapped...

 

[krazykuda]

How about some pictures of the parts in question??

 

[70aarcuda]

copper coated rods were to fix out of spec rods..

 

[Mopar Tim]

copper coated rods were to fix out of spec rods..

I heard this as well. GM did that as well according to my Father. MY:wack:

 

[twotone68]

Thank You All For All The Explanations and Ideas. I Am Posting The Rods n Pistons. This Is being Built into a 408. Scat 4' crank, SIR I beam rods, KB hyper u 9.4 open chamber stroke pistons, Napier second ZG rings, all the block oiling tricks, late dakota oil pan n thin wall pick up tube, Hughes multi index timing set,Hughes #SEH3642AL-8 Hyd cam, n fast rate bleed down lifters,#915 heads Fully ported ,Ferrea stainless ,2.02 /1.60"s. Pro Comp roller rockers, Hughes moly pushrods, New Style Weiand Stealth Intake port matched, Quick Fuel 780 Vac sec, carb,Revenator box, mopar electronic kit, TTI headers, 2 1/2 x pipe full exhaust, aluminum case 833 overdrive, centerforce clutch, 4.10 Trak loc . This All Is replacing the 75 318 in my 68 2 dr sedan Sport Special. This car Is And Will be daily Driven and a Few Passes Down Sacramento Raceway.