Fwmoraes

Hello!

About a week ago, a friend of mine told me about a 360 engine and a torqueflite 727 auto trans that he is taking out from his 71 Charger. As he told me, the engine came with the car, but is non original. The engine was made on 1978 and has a little blueprint on it (a special camshaft, performer RPM manifold and 4 barrel carb).

So, I was wondering about putting this 360 on my Dart. My Dart is a 1975 Brazilian model and it is identical to 1969 American Dart, except for brakes and wheels that are specific to brazilian models.

My car is originally equiped with a 318 LA and a 4 speed manual transmission.

Searching in the forum, I found that the 360 is not internally balanced, so this balance is done with toque converter (in auto trans cars) or the flywheel (manual trans cars) and the harmonic balancer. This information makes me a little concerned about swapping engines, because mopar parts are very scarce and expensive here and people that knows how to work with mopars are even rarer.

So, I have some questions, and maybe someone that had done this before can help me sharing information about this engine swap:

1) Should I buy a new 360 specific flywheel to adapt my 4 speed trans on the car? Will this solve the balance problem and avoid vibrations in the car? Should the harmonic ballancer be changed too?

2) Should I increase my radiator capacity? Which is the correct capacity for a 360 engine?

3) Does the bell house from the 318 fit on the 360?

4) Should I change or adapt my driveshaft?

Thanks in advance!

Fred.

Gorts 5th

yeas change the flywheel and the harmonic balancer the 360 is externally balance and a larger radiator will help the bell housing should fit if they are all LA engines your drive shaft should fit if using the same trany if you swap for a automatic there may be a length difference

Fwmoraes

Hi Gorts 5th,

Thank you! This information will be helpful.
Both engines are LA. I guess the harmonic ballancer and the flywheel are available in shops as Jegs and Summit, aren't they?

I will increase radiator capacity with a larger core.

Can I post information about the project progress in this topic?
Maybe it can be helpful to other people that intend to make a similar swap.

Regards,

Fred.

440roadrunner

The correct balancer should already be on the 360

Change the flywheel

Be sure to temporarily install the bell on the engine, and measure the depth of the crank hole as some automatic cranks are not fully drilled. A "fix" used to be to cut a little off the input shaft. If you use the late model Jeep type pilot bushing/ bearing, you don't have to deal with the hole which may be undersized, as the later model bearing fits into the torque converter register on the crank.

Everything else is a "bolt in"

Mopar17

Hi there guys, Is my first day here. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right. I love to see if anybody can help me? I need to replace the whole headlight assembly of a 2010 Town & Country and I only see one bolt at the top. Can anyone tell me how to remove it? Thanks much.

Gorts 5th

your welcome Fred
440roadrunner is right also...

Fwmoraes

Hi 440 Road Runner,

Thank you for the information about the harmonic balancer.

I will look for the appropriate flywheel.

Do you recommend the schumacher motor mounts to complete this swap?

Regards,

Fred.

440roadrunner

Schmaker seem to be well regarded. There are other folks who make these "swap" mounts. You'll either need them, or to scare up a K member out of a V8 car.

I'm not familiar with the Brazilian cars, so I don't know what year(s) of V8 K members will interchange down there. Wish I could visit your country someday. But I have little money, I'm 64, and have arthritis, so the chances are pretty slim.

Coronet 500

Sounds like a great idea. Here is some good reading.

http://www.brewersperformance.com/products.asp?cat=32

http://www.buschis-place.de/mopar_36...erformance.htm

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/4bbl.html

Fwmoraes

Hi 440 Road Runner,

I think the K member is identical to the 1969 american Dart, assuming that brazilian Dodge is the same car. The only differences are the brakes and the wheels inherited from the french Simca. Different from the Argentinian and Spanish Dodges, Chrysler never offered the slant six here, all cars are V8 jobs.

The most uncommun 318 made here was an ethanol version available on light trucks in the beggining of the 80's.

If you want any information about brazilian travel destinations, please, let me know. I can give you some tips about the places to go. You have an advantage, your currency is worth twice as much as ours.

Regards,

Fred.

Fwmoraes

Hi Coronet 500,

Thanks for the useful links!
I am a little afraid of the transmission swap, but let's see if I can make it.
Probably I will need the brewer's bushing to finish the transmission job.

Regards,

Fred.

Gorts 5th

Please post the project with photo's it help's, and we like to help, there are several post in here like that.
i have a few and there are many others. check em out.

Gorts 5th

Are both counties right hand drive vehicle's?
If not they have some differences.

Coronet 500

Don't be afraid, you can pull this off easy. If it was an auto in the car now you'd have lots of work putting in all the pedals, linkages and so on.

360 with the proper flywheel and balancer makes this like your taking out the 318 and replacing it with an identical engine bolt for bolt.

Piece of pie, Easy as cake.

Fwmoraes

Hi Gots 5th,

Yes, our cars are right hand drive.
I will post pictures of project. I will take the engine this week, but the project will start in a few months, because I must finish two other previous projects.

As a curiosity, I attached a picture of an advertisement from Dodge after Dart's launch in brazilian market.

Regards,

Fred.

Fwmoraes

Hi Coronet 500,

Thanks for the encouraging words!
My car is originally a 4 speed car. So it has all necessary equipment.

Here, most Dodges are manual transmission equipped, colud be three or four speed. Automatics are rarer.

Regards,

Fred.

TVLynn

Being rt hand drive you may need to reuse your 318 manifolds or custom headers. Otherwise it is an easy swap. Already a 4speed the driveline should be up to the task. The 78 motor is a low compression motor so you may want to surface the heads .050 Also need to surface the intake side of the head so the intake fits. Use form a gasket gasket maker for the end seals

Fwmoraes

Hello TVLynn,

Do you think the headers can a problem? Do you think the header can interfere with steering shaft?
The engine has its original headers.

Regards,

Fred.

TVLynn

If you use YOUR original parts/ headers you should NOT have a problem.. As to the flywheel IF you have a good balancing shop or can send it to the states You could have it re balanced for the 360. The 360 torque converter just had a weight welded to the converter like balancing tires. Another way would be to drill holes in the opposite side from where the weight would be Everything from your 318 that is needed will work except the left motor mount is different so get that with the motor if you can

You do NOT need the Shumacker mounts

TVLynn

I can't give you any advise, but you should start your own thread in the technical section

Fwmoraes

Hi TVLynn,

This is great information!

I will get the engine next friday, so I will try to get the motor monts with it.

The donor car was originally a 383 Charger and the owner will put a 383 on it. Will the 360 motor mounts fit a 383? If not, will be easier negotiate the motor mounts with him.

Thank you very much for the info.

Regards,

Fred.

Fwmoraes

Hi TVLynn,

This is great information about the flywheel. I was a little concerned about it.

I will get the engine next friday, so I will try to get the motor monts with it.

The donor car was originally a 383 Charger and the owner will put a 383 on it. Will the 360 motor mounts fit a 383? If not, will be easier negotiate the motor mounts with him.

Do you think is easier and cheaper re balance my flywheel than buying a new one already set for a 360?

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Fred.

Gorts 5th

if you get the motor the 318/360 mounts will work they should be the same
the motor should drop right in place of the 318
a suggestion though i would install the trany out of the vehicle to save your neck trying to line up the input shaft.
maybe?
the right hand drive has several differences,
the steering box mounts on the opposite side the engine should be slightly off center left / right depending on drive side, the radiator might also be different slightly to the left so the mounts might not swap the motor to the k frame but the 318 mounts should do it, i'm assuming the challenger is left hand drive.
like to see pictures of your engine bay to see what's different from our 's

TVLynn

Your other question. 383 and 360 mounts are different.. That is the part between the engine and the rubber insulator

Douglas Paul

I know this thread is ancient. but I have a couple questions. I'm considering buying a fairly low miles 360 that came out of a motorhome and installing it into my B-200 that came stock with 318 three on the tree. I looked at flywheel prices for a 360 and they were anywhere from $80.00 to over 500.00. I'm not getting it if I have to pay 500 for the flywheel. Is there any special balancing that needs to be done at a shop on the new flywheel? I'm a little confused on this. Also it's not clear whether I need to get the old mounts or can use the ones in the van. As they were both in a van set up I don't think manifolds or any other external parts will be an issue, it should fit right in.

Iowan

An OEM style flywheel for a 360 is all you need.