Sale Price:
$7,450.00
Original Price:
$8,399.00
Please read the entire description. There is a long story and build sheet with this AMC engine and the only way to get the entire picture is by studying everything below. We have all machining inhouse: crank grinding, block and head surfacing, valve/seat/guide machines, cylinder bore, cylinder hone, rod cap grinder, rod cap resizing machine, and balancing. This is not a simple rebuild with new parts - this engine has been blueprinted, measured, and built like a custom race car power plant.
BACKGROUND: The pictures you see are from the engine you will receive minus the following which is not included: engine mounts, exhaust manifolds; everything else shown is included. I take great care in my engines and the ones I build for customers or myself do not see anything spared - these details are below. The most important part of these engines, the cam, has been reground on a seasoned stock AMC blank - we used the same exact and durable cam that AMC made and had it reground for: low RPM torque and quick starting (strong vacuum signal and starting compression). You simply plug this engine into your chassis, fill the carburetor, and run it at 1800-2000RPM for two 10 minute break in sessions. Then you will drive it to pull a load on the rings and break them in. I will detail this for you after purchase so you can complete break in with confidence. The goal with this engine build was to make AMC 360 torque without the fuel consumption of the 360 which can be difficult to keep up with on smaller fuel tank Jeeps. This goal has been met - with the advance that is on the custom cam (see cam card picture) you will have tractor like torque...no need to rev high to go fast or turn big tires.
BLOCK/CRANK/RODS/PISTONS: I hunt for the best parts before committing anything to the build. The block came from a 78 CJ7 and thoroughly checked. It was completely washed and cleaned before machine work. The block was bored .030 over which brings the displacement from 304 to approximately 310 cubic inches. The blocks head surface only required 0.00 to clean up (it is stock deck height). Finding the crankshaft took time as I wanted a crankshaft that measured perfect and round without an undersize grind...I found a perfect crank that required no grinding...it polished like a gem...the crankshaft on this engine is STD/STD on the mains and rods (please see the picture of the crank after polishing). Crank runout was 0.0001 which is actually difficult to even measure. Oil clearance checked on every bearing. All oiling ports and passages checked and cleaned to ensure proper flow - no under intake oil line was added nor is needed. Pistons are cast which give you nice quite power and quite forgiving on Jeep or heavy use. Hastings pistons rings with plasma-moly faced top rings, phosphate-coated second rings, and an iron oil ring. The finish is Fleet Red which gets us as close as we can find to the factory 78 CJ red. It is Seymour MRO paint which is durable - that said the paint is not show quality and has flaws but seals everything in well. There are rough areas in the factory AMC casting that look like dirt painted over - it is just a rough spot in the cast iron.
BEARINGS: all bearings were replaced with premium bearings. Cam bearings were replaced and oriented correctly for proper oil flow and pressure that reaches beyond the camshaft.
HEADS/CAM: the stock 304 heads were shot blasted and cleaned fully before machining. All valves were replaced not reground. All guides were reamed and bronze lined. Valve to guide clearance is 0.0010-0.0015. 3 angles were cut into valve seats instead of stock single angle - this gives a smooth and less obstructed flow path and better valve sealing. The new valves were lapped in. All valve stem seals replaced with premium grade. The cam is a custom grind on the stock AMC cam blank. This means you are running on a known and seasoned cam which is made of high quality steel that could be found 50 years ago All lifters were replaced with Johnson Hi-Lift lifters - these are the only lifters I know of that are still made in the USA and actually have the proper surface to last a lifetime. All pushrods replaced with Melling made in USA. All rockers, pivots, and bridges replaced with Melling made in USA. Each lifter bore was measured and lightly honed - all lifters were first hand spun in the lifter bores to ensure no jam on first start up. Heads only needed 0.005 milling to square them up. This brings chamber volume on the heads to 57.9cc. Head gaskets have .039 compressed thickness. Because this engine is designed to create big torque at lower RPM we were able to run stock valve springs.
INTAKE/EXHAUST MANIFOLDS: Aftermarket clone of Edelbrock 2131 non-egr intake manifold. The intake was installed with an OEM AMC PCV baffle pan attached to the bottom side of the manifold (as original). The intake manifold was not installed with castle wall gaskets (these eventually leak) and instead installed with the walls sealed with 3/8" bead of gasket silicone. There is no thermostat installed so there is full water flow through break-in. After break-in you will replace the coolant to remove any cooling system from our block wash leaving the inside of the block bare, install new coolant and a thermostat.
BALANCING: engine rotating assembly is balanced to run with the stock 304 flywheel (this is a used flywheel that has not been reground - if you are running a manual transmission have it reground and run it and if you are running an automatic have your flexplate match balanced to this flywheel).
Oil Pump/Timing Cover: Oil pump was rebuilt, measured, lapped, and remeasured until fully blueprinted. Oil was primed through the engine for at least 5 minutes. Every lifter pumped up with even oil flow through each rocker (important for durability). The water pump is new. The timing set is brand new USA made and all oil holes and paths checked, worked, and confirmed flowing - this not only ensures proper oil pressure but also saves your distributor gears. I installed stock studs into the water pump for a stock fan and fan clutch. The fan is a factory 7 blade, and the clutch is a new thermal clutch. This engine will use the factory 1978 AMC V8 oil filter. There is a fuel pump included - we have had good luck with these AMC V8 fuel pumps. The engine will ship with a block off plate on the fuel pump boss for those running an electric fuel pump - if you need a mechanical it will be included in the box shown.
ASSEMBLY LUBRICATION: various lubricants are required for each part of the engine build. Proper cam paste was used on the cam (you can see the cam in the block covered in paste), proper assembly lubes used on all other parts. There is no 1 size fits all assembly lube and this is why this engine required 4 different assembly lubricants.
IGNITION: GM HEI with original AMC gear on distributor as well as on the cam. The distributor was checked for fit on the timing cover to ensure it is not bottoming out (this can quickly destroy the cam drive gear). The GM HEI is basic and powerful. Unlike the AMC ignition, this setup sees 12V at start up and full 14.4V running. The best way to power this distributor is a 10 gauge wire to the + terminal on the cap. This wire should be fed by a relay that is triggered by the ignition turning on. A relay installation will give you maximum power at all times. We will set the distributor to start right up when you first turn the key for break in - I will do my best to get this as close as possible - this setting is simply to get you running for the initial 20 minute cam break in. Afterward, a timing light will be needed to bring timing to stock setting - the main goal at first is just for the engine to start and build up RPM so the cam to lifter break-in can commence. This HEI does not use anything specific to AMC and sources all parts from off the shelf GM parts. When it is time to do a tune up you will get a cap, rotor, coil, ignition module from any Chevrolet with a V8 HEI such as a 1983 C10 V8. You may choose to experiment with different high performance HEI coils and ignition modules too. New NGK spark plugs are installed and gapped to 0.045 to best take advantage of the added ignition performance. Cylinder 1 is marked on the distributor - you will install your choice of plug wire and connect them clockwise from cylinder 1.
WHAT YOU GET: on the pallet will be the engine you see from intake manifold to oil pan, pulleys back to flywheel. You will not receive the carburetor, bellhousing, starter, motor mount brackets, or exhaust manifold. I will leave the intake cover/lift-plate to help you safely install the engine. If you are shopping for a carburetor for break-in I recommend a basic 600cfm Holley - you can even purchase them remanufactured directly from Holley on their site and on eBay for a really good price.
AFTER SALE: This engine will arrive ready for you to install and will require some of your stock parts to install. With that said you are the caretaker once it arrives. Things like a freeze plug leaking or oil leak from a seal will be something that you will have to fix and not covered by any warranty. These are things that can happen on a new engine - freeze plugs can weep for a period then stop after some running - seals could weep and sweat but eventually stop - or one of those things could need a replacement - again this is something that you would have to repair and not covered by any warranty. I will ship with oil drained and a fresh oil filter - you will need 5 quarts of Lucas break-in oil for the initial cam breakin and drive. Then an oil change and another 5 quarts for another couple hundred miles of actual driving (remember the cam is broken in but the rings break in properly by having a load on the them). During this period you will drive without lugging the engine and without extended idling - RPM should be reasonable varied. After this period you will need another new oil filter and 5 quarts of a high zinc oil such as Lucas Hot-Rod (you cannot use break-in oil any longer). Doing this will keep your engine happy and living a long life. Annually change the coolant with regular green 50/50. There has been much attention to detail and only premium parts used in this engine - you do not have a warranty on this purchase because the rest of this engines life and durability is dependent on you, the buyer, to have proper installation, tuning, and maintenance. With the proper care this engine will give you years and years of joy.
We can ship to you for a very low rate - we can get this to a Fastenal store or a local freight terminal for pickup. If you would like shipping please send zip code.
There is no core required and there is no core charge. This is sold outright without the need for you to send anything back.
Please read the entire description. There is a long story and build sheet with this AMC engine and the only way to get the entire picture is by studying everything below. We have all machining inhouse: crank grinding, block and head surfacing, valve/seat/guide machines, cylinder bore, cylinder hone, rod cap grinder, rod cap resizing machine, and balancing. This is not a simple rebuild with new parts - this engine has been blueprinted, measured, and built like a custom race car power plant.
BACKGROUND: The pictures you see are from the engine you will receive minus the following which is not included: engine mounts, exhaust manifolds; everything else shown is included. I take great care in my engines and the ones I build for customers or myself do not see anything spared - these details are below. The most important part of these engines, the cam, has been reground on a seasoned stock AMC blank - we used the same exact and durable cam that AMC made and had it reground for: low RPM torque and quick starting (strong vacuum signal and starting compression). You simply plug this engine into your chassis, fill the carburetor, and run it at 1800-2000RPM for two 10 minute break in sessions. Then you will drive it to pull a load on the rings and break them in. I will detail this for you after purchase so you can complete break in with confidence. The goal with this engine build was to make AMC 360 torque without the fuel consumption of the 360 which can be difficult to keep up with on smaller fuel tank Jeeps. This goal has been met - with the advance that is on the custom cam (see cam card picture) you will have tractor like torque...no need to rev high to go fast or turn big tires.
BLOCK/CRANK/RODS/PISTONS: I hunt for the best parts before committing anything to the build. The block came from a 78 CJ7 and thoroughly checked. It was completely washed and cleaned before machine work. The block was bored .030 over which brings the displacement from 304 to approximately 310 cubic inches. The blocks head surface only required 0.00 to clean up (it is stock deck height). Finding the crankshaft took time as I wanted a crankshaft that measured perfect and round without an undersize grind...I found a perfect crank that required no grinding...it polished like a gem...the crankshaft on this engine is STD/STD on the mains and rods (please see the picture of the crank after polishing). Crank runout was 0.0001 which is actually difficult to even measure. Oil clearance checked on every bearing. All oiling ports and passages checked and cleaned to ensure proper flow - no under intake oil line was added nor is needed. Pistons are cast which give you nice quite power and quite forgiving on Jeep or heavy use. Hastings pistons rings with plasma-moly faced top rings, phosphate-coated second rings, and an iron oil ring. The finish is Fleet Red which gets us as close as we can find to the factory 78 CJ red. It is Seymour MRO paint which is durable - that said the paint is not show quality and has flaws but seals everything in well. There are rough areas in the factory AMC casting that look like dirt painted over - it is just a rough spot in the cast iron.
BEARINGS: all bearings were replaced with premium bearings. Cam bearings were replaced and oriented correctly for proper oil flow and pressure that reaches beyond the camshaft.
HEADS/CAM: the stock 304 heads were shot blasted and cleaned fully before machining. All valves were replaced not reground. All guides were reamed and bronze lined. Valve to guide clearance is 0.0010-0.0015. 3 angles were cut into valve seats instead of stock single angle - this gives a smooth and less obstructed flow path and better valve sealing. The new valves were lapped in. All valve stem seals replaced with premium grade. The cam is a custom grind on the stock AMC cam blank. This means you are running on a known and seasoned cam which is made of high quality steel that could be found 50 years ago All lifters were replaced with Johnson Hi-Lift lifters - these are the only lifters I know of that are still made in the USA and actually have the proper surface to last a lifetime. All pushrods replaced with Melling made in USA. All rockers, pivots, and bridges replaced with Melling made in USA. Each lifter bore was measured and lightly honed - all lifters were first hand spun in the lifter bores to ensure no jam on first start up. Heads only needed 0.005 milling to square them up. This brings chamber volume on the heads to 57.9cc. Head gaskets have .039 compressed thickness. Because this engine is designed to create big torque at lower RPM we were able to run stock valve springs.
INTAKE/EXHAUST MANIFOLDS: Aftermarket clone of Edelbrock 2131 non-egr intake manifold. The intake was installed with an OEM AMC PCV baffle pan attached to the bottom side of the manifold (as original). The intake manifold was not installed with castle wall gaskets (these eventually leak) and instead installed with the walls sealed with 3/8" bead of gasket silicone. There is no thermostat installed so there is full water flow through break-in. After break-in you will replace the coolant to remove any cooling system from our block wash leaving the inside of the block bare, install new coolant and a thermostat.
BALANCING: engine rotating assembly is balanced to run with the stock 304 flywheel (this is a used flywheel that has not been reground - if you are running a manual transmission have it reground and run it and if you are running an automatic have your flexplate match balanced to this flywheel).
Oil Pump/Timing Cover: Oil pump was rebuilt, measured, lapped, and remeasured until fully blueprinted. Oil was primed through the engine for at least 5 minutes. Every lifter pumped up with even oil flow through each rocker (important for durability). The water pump is new. The timing set is brand new USA made and all oil holes and paths checked, worked, and confirmed flowing - this not only ensures proper oil pressure but also saves your distributor gears. I installed stock studs into the water pump for a stock fan and fan clutch. The fan is a factory 7 blade, and the clutch is a new thermal clutch. This engine will use the factory 1978 AMC V8 oil filter. There is a fuel pump included - we have had good luck with these AMC V8 fuel pumps. The engine will ship with a block off plate on the fuel pump boss for those running an electric fuel pump - if you need a mechanical it will be included in the box shown.
ASSEMBLY LUBRICATION: various lubricants are required for each part of the engine build. Proper cam paste was used on the cam (you can see the cam in the block covered in paste), proper assembly lubes used on all other parts. There is no 1 size fits all assembly lube and this is why this engine required 4 different assembly lubricants.
IGNITION: GM HEI with original AMC gear on distributor as well as on the cam. The distributor was checked for fit on the timing cover to ensure it is not bottoming out (this can quickly destroy the cam drive gear). The GM HEI is basic and powerful. Unlike the AMC ignition, this setup sees 12V at start up and full 14.4V running. The best way to power this distributor is a 10 gauge wire to the + terminal on the cap. This wire should be fed by a relay that is triggered by the ignition turning on. A relay installation will give you maximum power at all times. We will set the distributor to start right up when you first turn the key for break in - I will do my best to get this as close as possible - this setting is simply to get you running for the initial 20 minute cam break in. Afterward, a timing light will be needed to bring timing to stock setting - the main goal at first is just for the engine to start and build up RPM so the cam to lifter break-in can commence. This HEI does not use anything specific to AMC and sources all parts from off the shelf GM parts. When it is time to do a tune up you will get a cap, rotor, coil, ignition module from any Chevrolet with a V8 HEI such as a 1983 C10 V8. You may choose to experiment with different high performance HEI coils and ignition modules too. New NGK spark plugs are installed and gapped to 0.045 to best take advantage of the added ignition performance. Cylinder 1 is marked on the distributor - you will install your choice of plug wire and connect them clockwise from cylinder 1.
WHAT YOU GET: on the pallet will be the engine you see from intake manifold to oil pan, pulleys back to flywheel. You will not receive the carburetor, bellhousing, starter, motor mount brackets, or exhaust manifold. I will leave the intake cover/lift-plate to help you safely install the engine. If you are shopping for a carburetor for break-in I recommend a basic 600cfm Holley - you can even purchase them remanufactured directly from Holley on their site and on eBay for a really good price.
AFTER SALE: This engine will arrive ready for you to install and will require some of your stock parts to install. With that said you are the caretaker once it arrives. Things like a freeze plug leaking or oil leak from a seal will be something that you will have to fix and not covered by any warranty. These are things that can happen on a new engine - freeze plugs can weep for a period then stop after some running - seals could weep and sweat but eventually stop - or one of those things could need a replacement - again this is something that you would have to repair and not covered by any warranty. I will ship with oil drained and a fresh oil filter - you will need 5 quarts of Lucas break-in oil for the initial cam breakin and drive. Then an oil change and another 5 quarts for another couple hundred miles of actual driving (remember the cam is broken in but the rings break in properly by having a load on the them). During this period you will drive without lugging the engine and without extended idling - RPM should be reasonable varied. After this period you will need another new oil filter and 5 quarts of a high zinc oil such as Lucas Hot-Rod (you cannot use break-in oil any longer). Doing this will keep your engine happy and living a long life. Annually change the coolant with regular green 50/50. There has been much attention to detail and only premium parts used in this engine - you do not have a warranty on this purchase because the rest of this engines life and durability is dependent on you, the buyer, to have proper installation, tuning, and maintenance. With the proper care this engine will give you years and years of joy.
We can ship to you for a very low rate - we can get this to a Fastenal store or a local freight terminal for pickup. If you would like shipping please send zip code.
There is no core required and there is no core charge. This is sold outright without the need for you to send anything back.
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