magnum la headed stroker ?'s

[abodyhotrod]

anything i need to know other than tapping the oil hole on each deck for the rockers.
as well the water pumps are different. but can i use the la style water pump?
what about the little boss's for say like the crank sensor, do i just plug it.
what balancer am i gonna need for a stroker internally balanced?

my machine shop said they had a 89 360 block but turned out to be a 98. should i use the 98

what else might i need to know?

yes its gonna be a roller.

 

[fishy68]

The 98 block will be just fine as long everything's good with it. I'm not positive but I believe you can just install the la pump on the magnum cover and it will be fine. You just need a 340 forged crank harmonic balancer. Plug the bosses and your good to go there. The only thing I'm not sure on is the oiling mod. I know when using magnum heads on an la block it's no problem but I'm not sure about the other way around since the la heads need oil to the rocker shafts and the block isn't drilled. I suppose you could probably lay a head gasket (La type) on the deck and mark where the hole is and very carefully drill down to the lifter galley. You'd need to be precise though cause if you missed the galley you just trashed the block. A good machine shop should be able to do it I'd think. Again I'm not positive on that but that's my best guess. Maybe somebody else will chime in with some info.

 

[3404spdvaliant]

.
what balancer am i gonna need for a stroker internally balanced?

A 'neutral balance' balancer.
Every thing else bolts up.

 

[charger70]

anything i need to know other than tapping the oil hole on each deck for the rockers.
as well the water pumps are different. but can i use the la style water pump?

I think you need to use the LA timing cover also, to use an LA water pump.

 

[lhearold]

Magnum 5.2 balancer works. Also you will need a neutral flex plate or flywheel. Can't use the LA water pump with magnum timing cover. They made the internal design different for the reverse rotation. Get an LA cover or go surpentine. As for drilling the deck for valve oiling on the LA heads. It ain't easy since the holes have to go all the way from the deck to the cam bearing journal. Not a problem for a good machine shop but I have seen some that punched thru somewhere other than the cam journal. Why not use LA heads? For the most part they are better anyway. Want it to look like an LA just use the LA valve covers. You will have to slot a couple of the holes for them to fit but not a whole lot.

Larry

 

[dgc333]

LA valve covers fit magnum heads without any modifications, you just don't use 5 of the 10 holes on the magnum head.

I use a mopar performance steel core valve cover gasket and so far in 23k miles zero leaks with the LA valve covers on the magnum head and I have had the covers off several times and re used the gaskets.

 

[rumblefish360]

Your right fishy.
Charger 70;

I think you need to use the LA timing cover also, to use an LA water pump.

The Magnum's timing cover is shallower dur to the non use of the fuel pump ecentric. This may cause a spaceing problem. I'm not sure. I don't remember anybody complaining about it, but it is not as thick as the LA's cover.
Ihearold (Larry) makes a mentiuon about reverse water flow, but again on that, I don't remember anybody complaining about it.

Abodyhotrod, if your going roller, make sure you use the right snout camshaft. A long snout camshaft is for the LA cover only and the short snout can be used in ethier cover. Also, of course, pay attention to the distributor gear needs.

IF it were I that was doing this, I'd use a LA cover since your going to use LA bolt on accerories. (SP) Pulleys, P/S, Alt. etc.....
I think it'll just line up that easier.

 

[camd64]

Yes run a LA timing cover and LA pump. this will let you use the long snout cam as they have alot more grinds to choose from compared to the short snout. unless your going with a custom grind. as far as the crank sensor yes just plug the hole, its just a window to the cranks trigger wheel. as far as the oiling let the machine shop do it. the crank should be internally balanced but always get the whole rotating assembly spun with your neutral balancer and flex/fly.

 

[340sFastback]

You will need a very competent shop to drill the holes for the rocker shaft oiling. Like said above the hole goes from the deck to the cam bearing and it must be precisely where the cam bearing oil hole is; not easy and a shop that builds mostly fords and chevys probably won't do it right. If it were my engine I would run the EQ heads or get some Magnum heads and run push rod oiling and forget about drilling the block.

 

[charger70]

This is the 2 best pics of the front covers I could find.