It's leaking again...Not as bad, but still leaking a lot. I'm at a loss... It all looks fine to me. I mean the engine is in the car. So I cant examine it as well as if it were out and upside down. The center bolt tube looks fine to me. There might be a tiny gap around the center flat part, but I assumed it would close completely when I tighten up the center tube/bolt. The engine sounds fine too. There's no knocks or valve train noise at all. That plate only has one gasket around the outer edge up against the block. Should there be another gasket in the center tube/bolt? Is that the problem your describing? Although I don't see how it could be causing to leak out of the plate or the oil filter. Seems like if the oil filter gasket is good and the seal against the block is good there shouldn't be anything leaking at all. At least that's what seems logical to me. LOL
It leaked again. I ordered another remote oil system from Speedway Just in case the mancini kit leaks too. I got the engine #'s don't know if u can tell what it is. But driver side has a big #1 at the front of the block followed by smaller #'s in this sequence 435830-380 The passenger side has a big #6 at the front and the #'s further back on the side are 201083.
I don't see that casting number in the books I have and that -380 should be a -360 for the engine size. Maybe double check the numbers when you can to see if the other digits may be a little off. Either way though, it is not close to a Magnum casting number so it should be an LA.
Thanks bro, I appreciate the info. I could've confused 3's for 8's or maybe 3's for a 9? I scraped the block perfectly clean when I still had it on the engine stand and there was zero old gasket anywhere. That's the one thing I'm sure of. LOL Been rebuild motors for 40 years - Not saying I'm an expert or anything, but I've never even heard of anything like this. As far as chrysler goes - I've done 5 big blocks w/ no troubles at all. I actually already had/still have a great 440 before I ever got this car, but thought a small block would be easier in this duster. This is my first chrysler small block. Like... I would've just done a 318 had I known that 360's are NOT balanced. I don't care for that at all. I know it can be balanced but I just wanted a quick easy rebuild. Not so, on this motor. Do chryslers use adifferent oil pump for 360 magnum and for 360 LA? I got an oil pump fopr an LA motor. Is that a problem? It bolted up just fine. I ordered another aluminum remote plate with o ring from Speedway. This thing is kicking my @ss. LOL I know its a new oil pump but it shouldn't be that powerful. Unless it should be for a magnum engine. I Just realized I have some pics of that motor on the stand...I'll try to blow em' up and see those #'s better. thanks man
Here's a better look when it was on the stand/ after break in, but before in the car.
I see now. Here is a thread (below) with that casting number in post number 2. supposedly a two year only later LA casting. But that makes it a factory hydraulic roller camshaft block. Nice. It is getting very close to the changeover to the Magnum style adapter plate, but should be LA style like you have already ordered.
Thanks very much. It's good to know "for sure" what I'm dealing with now. Not knowing very much about chrysler and even less about small block chryslers, I had just assumed it was an LA block because it oiled through the rocker bar and had a flat tappet cam in it. I guess that doesn't mean anything for sure. As for the center nut hole - It's round on the inside. I bought that plate/gasket and center nut on ebay. And now that you say it's an LA block for sure - I got to thinking it might be warped even though it's brand new. The first time it leaked; it leaked from the top side and ran down all over the filter. After I removed it and put a new gasket on it and reinstalled it to a perfectly clean block... then it leaked less and from toward the back a little but mostly from bottom side now. It originally had a remote filter adapter when I got it, and I threw it away like a dummy because I didn't want the hoses to leak down there. I'd give anything to have it back now. the remote filter didn't leak a drop when I broke the cam in. I have a new mancini plate on the way - and I went ahead and a got another remote filter set up from speedway racing. That one uses an "O" ring. I appreciate your advise and thoughts on this problem. I'm inclined to agree that the plate must not be right. Now, I think it's warped. Thanks bro. I appreciate you and everyone here very much. Great group of people here.That is definitely an LA 360 block. Magnum blocks have the cast in bosses for mid engine mounts, 3 holes each side in the middle lower part of the block, like a SBC or LS. Your block just has the ears near the front like all LA's. I'm going to venture a guess that something isn't right with your filter plate. Does the center nut that the filter screws onto have a square lug inside the hole where a 3/8 extension will plug in? About every one of them that I have seen from the factory has that feature, and using a 3/8 extension plugged into that makes it a helluva lot easier to tighten than using a wrench or socket on that little thin nut. There should be very little space between the plate and the flat on the block where the center nut goes thru. Really, not much if anymore space than the thickness of the gasket around the perimeter. If you have too much space, when you crank the center nut down, it could maybe deform the plate and cause the leak. Also, next time you pull it apart, thread the center nut in without the plate on and see if it goes way in without the plate. If it is bottoming out too soon, it may not even be tightening the plate down. Hope this helps. Just the rambling thoughts of an old guy who has had to fix my own oil leaks in the same spot since 1973....lol. Good luck.
Thank you for reply and all of your help. Yessir, I put an oil pressure gauge inside it. But I've been starting it from the engine compartment to check for leaks and such, as this is the first time running in this car. So, I don't know what the oil pressure is exactly. I did change the pump after I broke in the cam because the old pump was right about 10lbs at a 1000rpm and since I was changing to a mid sump for the car anyway - I thought a new pump would be a good idea. I just know that it runs quiet/ no knocks or valve train clatter. Now that we know it's an LA block for sure - it's already eliminated a lot of questions and possible miss-diagnosis. I don't even know if it's charging the battery, or if the tach works, or the gas gauge works or anything else inside the car yet. Haven't made it that far as I'm alone here. My guru buddy just stopped by for a second to confirm that it was leaking from the plate next to block and not from the oil filter "O" ring. So close - and yet so far. LOL. Excessive pressure? Oh no...I'm praying that it's a bad oil filter plate. I won't know for a while till the new one arrives. Thanks bro. appreciate u and everyone here very much.
Thanks man, appreciate the info very much. Yeah, the 90 degree adapter did have a washer there, but this plate style adapter seems to only have one gasket around the perimeter or outer edge of the plate. I see what u mean about the clean and non-clean oil mixing and also thought it was strange that there's no gasket there with the plate style system. A new type of aluminum housing and remote filter is to arrive here today. I don't really care for any of these oil filter adapters but at this point - I just want to finish it. LOL This car has been a huge hassle since I started restoring it three years ago. Either, I'm too old or I have the worst luck in the world. LOL Thanks very much for writing bro.Where your center nut screws into the block, on the block itself, is there a flat spot maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter at the top of the big bolt hole? It should have that there unless someone machined it away for the remote adapter that was on it. There is a thin gasket that goes between the plate and the block, and seals up that bolt hole so that filtered and unfiltered oil doesn't mix. If you haven't used a gasket right there, that could possibly be part of the issue. It's been so long since I actually used just a plate for the oil filter, I can't remember if that particular gasket is the same as the one that is used with a factory 90 degree oil filter adapter or not? Check out the link below for some good info about the oil filter adapter gaskets. It mostly applies to the 90 degree adapters. I haven't read thru it in a long time, but it may have info about the plates like you have included. I can tell you for sure, if you ever use a 90 degree adapter on a small block, to toss the gasket that goes between the bolt head and the adapter body, and use a big copper washer!
FYI there is a good utube vid on doing this. didn't look difficult, mods to the rocker arms.
Thanks man, I think the plate is bent a little. I marked it where it leaked at the block and put it back together w/a new gasket and rotated it about 90 degrees. it leaked again exactly where i marked the plate. I ordered a remote filter housing adapter and it was too small. I don't care for the adapter plate style I was using either because it leaks too. I just bought another 90 degree oil filter adapter - just like the one I threw away. should be here in a week or so and I'll be back on the road after 17-18 years in a junk yard and a few of those at my house too. I'm sure it'll be just fine with the 90...It never leaked with the 90. it just makes a huge mess when I change it, and I have header tape too, so I'll have to cover it up some how to keep from soaking the wrap/tape. I'll just have to live with it. but appreciate your input very much. Good luck w/the stroker build. Looks great!
Happy to hear you have it working. Thanks for updating this thread with your results.
