|
Post by paulo on Dec 26, 2019 16:14:20 GMT -8
Deep breath,here I go...I may not be crazy enough but I sure am lost enough... In 1987 I moved to the USA as an international student...enjoyed anything with 8 cylinders,specially Mopars...and I was surprised to know that Chrysler had bought AMC! (The closest thing to AMC in Brasil was the Willys factory that built CJs,pickup trucks, wagons and Aeros from late 50´s untill Ford bought them in 1971. They all used the straight 6 F head motor with 2.6 and 3.0 liter untill 1975.) Well after 11 years in New Jersey and a degree in Automotive Technology, I moved back to Brasil in ´99 and for some reason I just can´t explain well, the AMC bug bit me. I now have a 1968 Javelin that I imported from Oklahoma a few years back. I am trying to convert it from automatic to MT and I am lost as far as which flywheel to use. Down here parts for AMC are impossible to find.Everything must be imported at sky high freight and import duties taxes. I was thinking about trying a mid ´90s straight 6 flywheel since some of them were imported to Brasil by Chrysler.I believe the L 6 also has 164 teeth,but then there is the balancing issue... Enough. Thanks for existing you all. Paulo
|
|
|
Post by sc397 on Dec 26, 2019 16:51:19 GMT -8
Welcome! Which engine do you have in your Javelin?
|
|
|
Post by stickshifter on Dec 26, 2019 18:16:59 GMT -8
Welcome!!! And my condolences on being bit by the AMC bug. You are doomed. LOL Sorry but I can't directly answer your question. But I commend you on converting to a manual trans. ;-)
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 27, 2019 8:40:22 GMT -8
Welcome. We need to know engine cubic inches and or if it has the early flat with small center hole crankshaft flange or the 1972 and later crankshaft flange withe raised ring and large center hole. The flywheel you need depends on this. A flywheel from a 4.0 will fit the later flanged crank, but needs to be balanced to your engine. It will not work with the six cylinder “ zero” balance.
|
|
|
Post by paulo on Dec 29, 2019 8:23:15 GMT -8
Its a very original ´68 with a 290 and AT. I also brought a 343 block and a crank writen Armor-Steel that one day I plan to build.It has no flywheel. And I luckly located and bought a 360,carb to pan,unknown year...also no flywheel! In other words all I have is a flexplate that I will not use. After a quick research I learned of a company that makes a flywheel with removable weights to possibly balance both my 290 and my 343...? Any of you have used one of them? And yes...I am doomed and proud of it!
|
|
|
Post by sc397 on Dec 29, 2019 8:49:36 GMT -8
Oooooouu, Armaspheal... The 290 and 343 use the same flywheel but they are balanced differently. When you rebuild the 343 just take the 290 flywheel to the machine shop and have it balanced to the 343 rotating assembly. What year 360 do you have? There are part numbers and the year of cylinder heads embossed on the heads. If the back end of the crankshaft is exactly like the 290 and 343 it will be a 1970 or 1971. Any 360 made after that has a different crank shaft flange.
|
|
|
Post by paulo on Dec 29, 2019 12:01:24 GMT -8
I am learning...OK so my plan to use the same flywheel for the 290 and 343 by just taking or adding weight is not possible? The PRW brand seems to allow such swaping. And how about the Arma Steel crank? I bought it from someone in Michigan as beeing correct for a 343. I will inspect the 360 tomorrow.The word is that in the mid 70´s someone from canada was on an adventure across the Americas and broke down in Sao Paulo with transmission problems.Since no parts were to be found a complete Dodge engine/trans adaptation was performed and the tourists left the AMC power train behind. It sat in a shop for decades untill I got last year.It is not stuck and both, cylinders and crank are STD!
|
|
|
Post by 69Rebel on Dec 29, 2019 15:26:42 GMT -8
Arma-Steel is just a GM trade name for pearlitic malleable cast iron.
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 29, 2019 17:25:49 GMT -8
You can use a 290 flywheel on a 343. It just needs rebalanced to the 343 crank and 343 damper. They can make the weighted side heavier by drilling weith 180 degrees from where it needs more weight. You can make a 343 flywheel work with the 290, it just needs the hevy side lightened a little. How this is all done correctly is the crank, damper and 1 rod and piston along with the flywheel in question is all taken to an engine shop ( that does balancing) can rebalance the whole works. They can also fill a hole with welding or a plug to make it heavier in a spot or drill a side to make a zero balance six cylinder wheel have counterweight to it. Rick had a flywheel “ match balanced “ for me, where they took one flywheel, calculated how much weight it was counterbalanced at, and made a new flywheel identical to that, and it worked. A 343 and 290 are balanced differenty, the 343 needs a little more counterweight. A 290 does not have a lot of counterweight. If you compare the 290 and 343 dampers, you can get an idea how much counterweight they require. Now a 360 has considerable more counterweight than a 290 or 343, as is evident by the larger counterweight on the damper. If you look at your 290 automatic flexplate, you get an idea how little counterweight it requires. They made 360’s ( before 1972) that had early type cranks and flywheels. After 1972 all amc engines used different crankshafts and flywheels , so that you cant use eary wheels on late canks and vice versa. A 4.0 flywheel will fit a 1972 and newer v8, but needs rebalanced. A 4.0 flywheel will physically bolt to an early crank, but has no “ register” to center it correctly. You cant bolt a 1972 or earlier flywheel to a 1972 or later crankshaft. It will not fit due to the later crank flange is too big to fit the recessed area on the early flywheel. I know of no source to buy a new flywheel specific for a 290. Since you have no wheel at all i would guess your best option is to find a used 290 wheel. A 343 or even a 390 wheel would work if rebalanced. Unfortunately 1972 and earlier six cylinder wheels wont work as they are smaller diameter. Most everything you find new these days tends to be for 1972 and newer engines. Consequently, 1972 and newer engines, six cylinder and v-8 use the same flywheel configuration as far as diameter, ring gear, crank flange, pressure plate mounting goes. Early engines and flywheels are the oddballs nowadays.
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 29, 2019 18:18:15 GMT -8
I had the same situation as you years ago. A 290 with nomanual flywheel. Just lke you i got a 290 automatic javelin. The m-43 automatic is pretty much crap. I opted for a four speed and needed a flywheel. I could not get anyone to make a 290 wheel. Joe mondello said he could “ make one for an amc v8” but after sending it back and forth a few times it became apparant he could not make one balanced correctly for a 290. I ended up finding a used 290 wheel. These early wheels are getting scarce. I know you can get a new steel flywheel that will fit your 290 crank. Unfortunately it will likely not be balanced for a 290, and will need balance work. American performance products out of cocoa beach florida has a pretty wide selection of amc flywheels, they are new steel billet hi quality wheels. The 299 never was a popular engine choice. If i were you i would investigate that complete 360 you have. It would be easier to find a wheel for, particularly if it is newer than 1972.
|
|
|
Post by sc397 on Dec 29, 2019 18:49:31 GMT -8
I am learning...OK so my plan to use the same flywheel for the 290 and 343 by just taking or adding weight is not possible? The PRW brand seems to allow such swaping. And how about the Arma Steel crank? I bought it from someone in Michigan as beeing correct for a 343. I will inspect the 360 tomorrow.The word is that in the mid 70´s someone from canada was on an adventure across the Americas and broke down in Sao Paulo with transmission problems.Since no parts were to be found a complete Dodge engine/trans adaptation was performed and the tourists left the AMC power train behind. It sat in a shop for decades untill I got last year.It is not stuck and both, cylinders and crank are STD! Did you buy the 343 Armasteel crankshaft from me?
|
|
|
Post by spud on Dec 29, 2019 20:01:44 GMT -8
The early type prw wheel fits early cranks ( with the 4.5” flange) and has weights for 343, 360, 390 and 401 engines. The info i read did not indicate a 290 weight was available. Might need to contact prw to verify. American performance products ( amclives.com) has a very complete line of steel flywheels for all applications ( including automatic trans) and does offer two wheels for a 290, one is with yhe factory balance and the other is zero ( neutral) balance, which is not counterweighted. Both are approximatelt 400$ and must be special ordered. A neutral wheel is used when the rotating assembly has been rebalanced for a neutral( no counterweight) wheel.( It would be pretty easy to get a 290 rotating assembly to a zero balance condition , since it already doesnt need a bunch of counterweight) but you still have to disassemble the engine and rebalance to use a zero balance wheel. So unless prw does make a weight for a 290, you would still need a balance job for their wheel. American performance offers a heel specific for a 290, and should bolt on with no modifications needed. Not sure how much it would cost you when it finally gets in your hands though. Likely a lot.
|
|
|
Post by 69Rebel on Dec 29, 2019 20:33:32 GMT -8
If it were me, I would go with the 360.
|
|
|
Post by paulo on Dec 30, 2019 8:52:34 GMT -8
Wow...I am impressed with the amount of information you folks provide. In my unusual situation due to the geographical location,I must play with the 290 for some reasons. First one is that I am stuborn. When I bought the Javelin on an Ebay auction some 6 years back,the owner warned about the possibility of engine and trans damage due to flood. Well my bid from way down won the auction for a little more than 1.000. I was happy and afraid but the currency rate was reasonable at 2.5 of brasilian money to 1 Mighty Dollar. After spending almost another 1.000 to have it towed to Miami for exporting ,it sat in a warehouse full of new Camaros,Mustangs,and some other pure-blood exotics including a McLaren. I was the poor guy. Then after a few months of red papers and endless burocracy to have the importation aproved by the stupid brasilian government,the car was loaded in a container and I crossed my fingers.To make a long story short after a long struggle, with the container seized in Brasil for 2 months and paying daily fess due to incorrect documentation done in Miami,I received the container and hugged my beloved car. The engine would turn only about 90° back and forth and I thought the flood was the cause.After struggling to remove the oilpan I was shocked to find out that the engine crank and rods were perfect! No signs of flood.In fact the oil pan and steering system were crushed by the fork lift back in Miami.Dushbags. I hammered the oil pan back,reinstalled,cleaned the 2 barrel Motorcraft and the 290 song the AMC voice in Brasil.Delight! Oil pressure good,the AT engaged firmly and I even drove it a bit in the back yard. I had many visitors to look in disbeliefe that it was alive. Well enough soup opera. Here are the numbers I read this morning on the mistery 360. Back of the block near the camshaft plug - GSH G1. Crank flange diameter 2.665". Both side walls - 360. Cast number ,back left side near the trans - 3195528. Lifter valley 360 A308 6.Heads - 3231475-2 3-20. Valves are quite big at 2.03" / 1.68".Its all STD. It is a 2 barrel and uses a Motorcraft Duraspark distributor.Now you experts tell me aproximately which year this 360 is. SC360 I don´t remember who I bought the crankshat from. And one more suffering...Crankshaft balancing machines down here are very rare and very expensive to use. I found one broken down sitting for years in a machine shop...I will try to get it fixed and I will have to build bobweights for it.Yes I am in the jungle trying to do american hot rodding.Doomed.
|
|
|
Post by amxdreamer on Dec 30, 2019 14:52:43 GMT -8
Paulo, it's always nice when people that ACTUALLY know what they are talking about reply. Pay close attention here and you won't go wrong.
|
|