magnum block/ LA questions

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coorsman2005

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To start out like to say hi to everyone. Been in many diesel forums but new to the Mopar forums. Been in mopars my whole life. I scattered my 360. I have a magum 360 in the shop. I'm considering carb converting it. I want to run a manual fuel pump. Can I install a 360 LA can under the roller lifters? Or no cause the 360 can is flat tappet? I would like to hear your suggestions of what I should do there. I already have the timing cover ect. That I need on that part. On the other hand I'm pulling the heads to check for cracks. If one or both is cracked. Can I install the factory LA heads. I know they oil differently. But if I run the magnum pushrods I don't see what it would hurt. But I'm not sure and have never done this or been around what I'm attempting. Please feel free to give me any advice. I'm not building a race motor or high perf. Just an everyday average engine. Thanks a lot for your help
 
LA hyd roller & flat tappet cams, do work in Magnum engines . LA hyd rollers slide right in, use stock Magnum rollers & valve train. Hydraulic flat tappet cams ,use AMC v8 lifters, & you will need a custom length oil through pushrods.( need an adjustable pushrod, to get the correct length) Remember Magnums use a 1.6 rocker ratio, that adds roughly .025"-.030" over the stock LA 1.5 ratio. I recommend Hughes Engines 1110 valve springs, for anything over stock cam lift.Using a LA cam core ,& a LA timing cover, a stock LA fuel pump eccentric, should bolt up. A Magnum cam core, Hughes engines sell a bolt on eccentric. LA heads aren't considered a bolt on( valve train oiling route,different) If going carved check out EQ stock replacement heads (p.n. CH318B) Stock replacement heads with more iron bigger ports & more airflow than stock. The cool part about these heads, they use the LA intake manifold bolt pattern. More info at www.Magnumswap.com I did this swap, I love the concept.
 
Bomber nailed it. You can't mix flat tappet and roller cams and lifters and you can't use LA heads on a magnum block even with oil through pushrods cause LA heads oil to the rocker shafts. You'd starve them and cook them real fast. The Engine Quest (EQ) heads bomber mentioned would be your best bet if you need heads. Their a real decent low cost head. I'm running them on my 408, although they've had some port work and a custom valve job. In my Cuda I have ran 12.24... Not bad considering how mild it is and running street gears and my car is a heavy pig
 
Thanks a lot guys. I'm fixing to order the Hughes eccentric bolt on piece. For the fuel pump. I'm trying to buy an air gap intake for the magnum setup now. So hopefully the heads check good. The heads are pulled and when I get to work Monday im going to mag particle test and dye penetrant test them. Also on the flex plate. I need a stock 5.9 magnum plate correct then remove the weight from the tc right. I think the only magnum plate I have laying around is a 5.2. Which if I remember right there different. Because the 360 is external balanced and the 318 is internal? I believe I'm right on that. Thanks again guys
 
Correct, best of luck.Add on: if you run long tube headers, mock them up before installation. Some headers hit, the truck engine mount bosses. ( grind as needed, 1/8" clearance worked for me.
 
Some Magnum blocks have the oil passage for head oiling drilled. Does anyone know the last year block the passages were drilled from the factory?
 
Don't forget when figuring for compression or machining deck height that the Magnum engines came with a shorter deck height than the LA. The two engines are not the same in that respect.
 
Get a 96-02 360 Magnum flexplate and run a neutral balance converter. I bought mine at a yard for $30. IIRC 94-95 360 magnum used a neutral flexplate and weighted converter.
 
Thanks on the info on the flex plate. How much cam can the stock springs handle. You guys are helping a lot thanks again
 
coorsman2005 said:
Thanks a lot guys. I'm fixing to order the Hughes eccentric bolt on piece.
Click to expand...

I don't like the Hughes bolt on fuel pump eccentric "adapter". :finga:

Get the proper cam, don't use that underdesigned band-aid. I had to modify it because they sent me the cam without the nose for the fuel pump, and charged me for the adapter kit, instead of just sending me the proper cam.... :violent1:

Cheap *** way to get another $30 out of me for the parts..... :finga:


Hindsight, I should have sent it back and told them to give me the proper one, but you know how it is once you start to "fix" something that isn't right.... :violent1:
 
coorsman2005 said:
Would I just order a roller la cam? Or how would I get the proper cam. Thanks for the help
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Would I just order a roller la cam? Yes
Some cam company's list it as a LA retrofit roller or long snout.

You could also run a low pressure electric fuel pump and send your cam to bullet or Oregon cams and get the roller you have reground.
 
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