[willysjeepseller]

I pulled the rear main seal to replace it 4,000 miles after what apears to be a paint can rebuild. Never turned the crank just slapped the new parts in. Rust pits in the cylinders and everything. What do I do, it looks to be $1500 to just rebuild the motor. The rebuilder was telling me that he has seen the heads crack and the top of the cylinder blow off on these motors. Is he just full of it or should I get a new SBC and throw it in?

 

[fullygruntled]

It'll cost you more than $1500 to build and put a SBC in there. That rebuild quote may also be a little high.

If the motor is in that bad condition, you can probably find a good runner in a junkyard wagoneer.

 

[ddestruel]

I have heard that the reason they crack is because idiots put them together and use the wrong torquing sequence even from the factory. what city are you in? Just found a guy in Sacramento who collects AMC stuff and loves to rebuild them and keep them alive. Also swing over to bulltear.com, lots of AMC engine parts.

Highly recommend keeping it AMC, a SBC conversion costs a fair chunk by the time you are done. the rebuild costs are really close to those of redoing a SBC, or if you buy a crate motor you are going to be in the same price ballpark also within about $500-700, but adapters, mounts, radiator ect in the conversion will eat up that difference.

if you do the rebuild right on that motor 400+ ft/lbs torque is easily acheived and the motor is great for off idle torque too it is not hard to acheive 250+ ft/lbs off idle. If you are pre 1975 its even easier to make a rumpity motor.

MC (from Bulltear) will chime in here probably with some advise but first give us a few more details and or read these threads from pirates and Bulltear a wealth of AMC engine building information



AMC 401/360 engine building
CJ6 build up
360 performance build up

AMC engine build ups HP & numbers

Bulltear 360 build up

 

[willysjeepseller]

I think it was a 78 Waggy 360 cause the jeep was an original 304. It has more power than I want the way it is. I was thinking just rebuild it with a RV CAM, performer manifold (I think they have one with CA smog?), and a truck avenger (smog problem with getting rid of the 2bbl?).

 

[willysjeepseller]

Another question. My 360 has great low end torque. Seems to be better than many SBC's I have driven. Anybody know why. Stock cam? Should I bother with getting an RV cam for the rebuild?

 

[ddestruel]

The Bore to Stroke Ratio. I know a few guys who have gotten away with 401's in thier 76+ CJ's in place of the 304's no problems, most just put the 304 intake on and ran it. Put all the smog crap on make it look factory and you are fine. I dont think the truck avenger will work, but i dont know that for a fact, someone who is a smog tech can probably tell you what to look for there.

I believe you can get away with the 4bbl performer intake since it has the EGR and Edelbrock does have Smog compliant carbs. thats the best i can tell you, but in reading those pages you will read a few lines comparing the 350/383/400 and the 360/401 and why the AMC builds much better torque

 

[willysjeepseller]

Thanks Guys. I will do some more digging but I think I am going to keep the AMC. I just see too many SBC motors in Jeeps.

 

[ddestruel]

Cool keep it jeep.

Now in the rebuild if you need a new timing cover (probably cheap insurance) go over to www.bulltear.com go into the Discussion Forum go down to products, and custom goodies, look through the threads. MC has some awesome AMC V-8 stuff in there, like nickel plated, long life replacement timing covers and oil filter adpaters or stock replacements, really reasonable with his prices. Check it out. I shopped all over when i did my 401 and learned in the end i would have been better off calling him in the first place.

Good Luck and like i said PM and ill dig up the info on that AMC guy in Sacramento too. Becareful not to let just any old engine shop rebuild your AMC they like to try chevy things on a motor that just doesnt respond well to chevy technology

 

[apeters89]

I just swapped in an AMC 360 into my YJ to replace the 258. I liked the torque, I liked the fact that I got a running 360, w/ TF727, all attached to a fully operational Waggoneer for $300.

 

[jeep family]

If you are pulling a waggy 360 that runs strong I wouldn't touch it. If you are going to do a build you can do them fairly cheap.

Tear the engine down yourself. You will be glad you did.
Get a machine shop to do your machine work.
Get the engine balanced. Even blueprinted if you have the $$.
Rebuild the engine yourself. You will be glad you did.
A full rebuild kit will run you around $500-$600.
I got an RV cam with 5 degree advance to really put the power on the low end. But if you put a special cam in make sure you build the heads to match. I had to replace all the springs in my good head to allow the lift and movement of the cam.
I threw fuel injection on mine and could smoke all 4 36" TSL's from a stand still at a light. But what you really will enjoy is the response you have when there is about 3 feet left in a 30ft climb and you need that little extra juice to crest that obstacle.

 

[mtroy]

Sorry for the hi-jack, but other than the Bulltear site (I just registered there), is there any other good sources of info on the AMC engine? I am looking for general info on ignition upgrades, fuel system options, etc. Just trying to get familiar with the AMC 360 as I am considering it for a motor swap. Not looking for a 400 HP monster, just a good running, torquey trail engine.

Thanks.

 

[ddestruel]

Sorry for the hi-jack, but other than the Bulltear site (I just registered there), is there any other good sources of info on the AMC engine? I am looking for general info on ignition upgrades, fuel system options, etc. Just trying to get familiar with the AMC 360 as I am considering it for a motor swap. Not looking for a 400 HP monster, just a good running, torquey trail engine.

Thanks.

Read through those links that i attached higher up here in them there are quite a few places that discuss AMCs like Froadin, Herman Lewis.... Paytons Performance. A torque trail monster is easily gotten, 400hp is only what some of use strive for.

 

[BIG CHIEF76]

www.amcforum.net

 

[MC]

AMC engine web site links

AMCforum.net
AMCLives.com
american-powersports.com/dave/image/amx/tech
Bulltear.com/forum
carr.lib.md.us/~gripper/americanmotors.html
ISFJA.org
unstablebobgable.com/ :flipoff2: bob!
Performanceamstyle.com (Randy)


..right around 3000 more

 

[Comet]

I'm building a 401 with Edelbrock's new EFI and an RV cam and the dynosim numbers indicate 453ft lbs of torque at 2000RPM (the sim. doesn't go lower than 2K RPM), so you can get real good torque numbers outta these things without a lot of work. Oh, and I second the call on Bulltear. MC now has Edelbrock stuff too and great prices. I got my EFI and shorty headers from him.