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Need to go to school on an old 360

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smlogan

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Just salvaged an old 28' Marinette with a 4006830 360-2 Chrysler. Its a four barrel with electronic ignition. From what I have found, this is a rare one based on a 360-2 code. Its an early 1977 code, making it a 78 model? I found info on it and lost the site page at allpar.com. Got it to crank over. Someone stuck in an old mechanical distributor. Not good from what I read. I want to rewire and find a correct distributor. Does anyone now this motor?
 
A word (FWIW) on the casting number xxxxxxx-xxx-2 (or -3,-4,-5,-6). I find conflicting information/opinions on this. Some say the dash number indicates use designation such as industrial, police, etc. Other opinions say it's duty cycle components within the block. Still others mention nickel content of the block. The one I believe is most likely would be the block casting revision. I base my belief mainly on 440 Source's "Informational Pages:" explanation of the 440 engine casting number..........

http://store.440source.com/Aboutus.asp

As far as the correct distributor, the manufacture service manual should contain the Chrysler seven digit part number, if you can find one. In the automotive world it's easy. My '77 SM lists three different distributor part numbers for the 360. Marine will be a lot tougher I sure. I do believe a lot of Chrysler parts books of that era were put on microfiche. Maybe a marina / shop that's been around forever may still have them in the attic (Lol).
hurrikain.com may also be a reliable source.

The "Chrysler Marine Startup Facts Manual" has engine wiring diagrams for quite a few years and different engines. Probably worth the 20 bucks online.
 
still not getting the mechanical distributor statement.
All have mechanical advance, many will also have vacuum advance. The distinction between automotive and marine is the marine ones are sealed to prevent fuel vapor from igniting inside the engine bay.
Mallory makes a unit that should work as well, however the stock ones rarely need more than knurling and resizing the bushings; even then it takes a LOT of hours to wear one out.
 
I believe he is talking about a points type ignition. The main difference is the advance curve you cannot use a vacuum advance on a marine application. I had a 79 dodge 360 van and it had the reluctor type trigger with a module mounted on the firewall but not sure about the marine application in that era. The 360 is called a small big block it has the two bolt mains instead of four bolt mains, basically a 318 bored way oversize.
 
waynebrown said:
still not getting the mechanical distributor statement.
All have mechanical advance, many will also have vacuum advance. The distinction between automotive and marine is the marine ones are sealed to prevent fuel vapor from igniting inside the engine bay.
Mallory makes a unit that should work as well, however the stock ones rarely need more than knurling and resizing the bushings; even then it takes a LOT of hours to wear one out.
Click to expand...
Do you have a part number of a mallory distributor for a chrysler marine 360?
 
DUI will build a GM HEI for a Mopar marine application as well.



It's not in their catalog but they can make one and IIRC it's half the price of a Mallory or Mopar one
 
Be sure and check the timing chain. Pull the cap and watch the rotor as you turn the crank clockwise with a wrench to TDC or just make a mark to any point on the engine to the damper pully then slowly turn the crank counterclockwise while watching the rotor until it moves then look at he mark on the pully. Anything more than a few degrees go ahead and put in a new timing chain and gears to go with the new distributor.
 
The mopar electronic ignition in them days not reliable . You can change the advance curve in that points type dist. Make that small block come alive.Do you have the thermoquad plastic main body carb?
 
Are you setting the points using a dwell meter? It will take a act of congress to get the advance curve for a mopar so set the dwell at 32 degrees and base timing at 6 degrees BTDC then check max timing advance should be around 32 degrees at 2800-3200 rpm.
 
kimcrwbr1 said:
................It will take a act of congress to get the advance curve for a mopar .................
Click to expand...

A member posted a clue..............
http://www.marineengine.com/boat-forum/showthread.php?401216-Chrysler-318-Advance-Curves-(Mallory)

A couple item that may be of interest......

4 seconds flat makes an advance limiter to fit stock distributors........
http://www.4secondsflat.com/Mopar Mechanical timing limiter plate.htm

Note the 3874020 marine ECU is the same part number used as "standard equipment" for all vehicles 1975-1975.
 
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skulleez said:
The mopar electronic ignition in them days not reliable . You can change the advance curve in that points type dist. Make that small block come alive.Do you have the thermoquad plastic main body carb?
Click to expand...
What?? The Mopar electronic ignition is foolproof and very reliable. The only weak point was the ballast resistor but that is a 5$ piece and easy to keep a spare on board.
 
If you got the bucks the vary best way is to go with a mallory unlite dist. fully adjustable. nobody likes to row home.
foolproof lol don't know where you heard that As i'm a cert. chrysler troubles shooter for over 30 years Its safe to say I had my share
 
skulleez said:
If you got the bucks the vary best way is to go with a mallory unlite dist. fully adjustable. nobody likes to row home.
foolproof lol don't know where you heard that As i'm a cert. chrysler troubles shooter for over 30 years Its safe to say I had my share
Click to expand...

I run/ran mallory on all my mopar stuff for a reason, and I'm a die hard mopar guy.
I'd stick with the points system, or use the mallory conversion.
 
I have a 1975 M360.
I use this website a lot to sort things out. http://www.marinepartssource.com/chryslerpb/7585pb.asp

And, you will want to purchase and download the manual here: http://www.hurrikain.com/Chrysler-manuals-inboards.htm

I happen to have this page book marked https://www.marinepartssource.com/chryslerpb/7585-ecsno915.asp

What others have written about the ballast is correct. Carry an extra onboard. You will know it has a hairline crack when it starts fine cold, won't start when the engine is hot, and then 15 minutes later after you've been checking this and that and suddenly for no apparent reason it starts again.
 
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