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trd

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"I have just inherited a 1966

"I have just inherited a 1966 Viking cabin crusier.
It has big block Chrylsers below, marked as "290"
I have not been able to find any information on these. Anybody have any ideas as to what they are (383? or 426 or 440cid)? I know that somewhere on the block is a tag, but they are in such a dirty mess right now I have not found them. Would save me a lot of cleaning and scraping if any one has an idea."
 
"If the distributor is in fron

"If the distributor is in front, they are big blocks: 313, 426 or 440. If the distributor is on the back (flywheel) end they are 318s or 360s.

Jeff"
 
May be 413s. Big block tags ar

May be 413s. Big block tags are bolted to one of the rear valley cover bolts near the oil pressure sending unit.

Dan
 
"Boy you guys are fast.....5 o

"Boy you guys are fast.....5 oclock hit and i got two answers...but i already know that they are big blocks, just not sure what size they are, as I cannot find a "290" anything, 260,280,300 or 330 yup, I am assuming that the "290" is hp. What was Chrysler offering in 1966? I think they are 440's"
 
"not 440's, they are rated

"not 440's, they are rated at 330 hp min, think the 290 hp motor was the 383, with the big carb on it"
 
"I don't see a 290 hp list

"I don't see a 290 hp listed either, but there were some strange goings on at Chrysler Marine. Did you know THEIR "460 marine engine" was made by FORD!

Jeff"
 
""RB" engine(Raise

""RB" engine(Raised B).
Look for a machined off pad at the front of the block (water pump side) forward of the pan, under the intake manifold, with a number stamped on it. I think towards the right side looking from the water pump. 413, 426, 440, (too old to be the 440).

"LB" engine(Low B).
Being the low "B"s had a shorter stroke, the deck of the block, that the heads bolt to are a shorter distance from the center line of the crank, than the raise "B"s. 3-3/8" as compared to 3-3/4".
Look for the block casting to be machined forward (water pump side) of the right cylinder head, flat machined pad with numbers stamped on it. 361, 383, 400.

Re: 460 Ford
As I understand it, that when Chrysler stopped producing the big blocks, they still needed something to hold their entry in the boating market, Fords (marinized by Chry)

How about this one Jeff
When Bertram wanted big power gas engines for the boats, they asked Chrysler o supply their V10 8.1L 500+HP power plants. Chrysler declined, saying that they just weren't going to bump production up to that point.

Fred 156-M"
 
"Thanks, Helmut. That's a

"Thanks, Helmut. That's a keeper!

Jeff

PS: I really like the 426 with dual 4 barrels, but 100 octane fuel! Yikes."
 
"Good pic of what must be a po

"Good pic of what must be a poly 318 too and the story behind the 460 is correct too. The 440 was done by '78.

However, Chrysler does sell the V-10 block to Ilmore so they live on....! Some still say Viper on the valve covers.

http://www.ilmor.com/marine/gen-III.html"
 
"Got a chance to get a better

"Got a chance to get a better look at the beasts below deck. Turns out they are 426's. On one of the valve covers they are maked Chrysler "Imperial 290". Reverse gear are Velvet drives, 72C 2.57:1, and surprise snuggled in between the mains is a Onan 15KW generator. Also relieved to find that everything was winterized properly 4 years ago when she was last pulled for the season."
 
"I guess it is<font size=""+1"

"I guess it is<font size=""+1""> a mess </font> in the engine room , if you didn't see a 15kw Genny.

Fred 156-M"
 
I think that would be called a

I think that would be called a 426 "Wedge" not to be confused with a 426 Hemi. The Wedge was a 383 block with a 440 crank in it.

Dan
 
"Yes Fred, the boat interior i

"Yes Fred, the boat interior is a mess. The boat has been sitting for 4 years, and some creature (probably a racoon, came and went through a slightly open sliding window with a missing screen) made his home on the battery boxes that are in between the engines. Lots of poop and shredded paper, grass and other assorted soft stuff made up the "home". Now that I have removed most of that, and looked around with a flash light, lots of things are visible (inverter, sniffers, a second bilge pump, battery charger) The genny is actually behind(aft)of the mains (lots of room in here, Much roomier than my 32' Sea Skiff).In fact I think that there is plenty of room to move the genny port or starboard, move batteries to the opposite side, and that should leave enough room for a small 2/3 cyl kicker for salmon fishing in Lake Ontario. I read throught the manual that I down loaded and it does describe the 426 Golden Commando as having wedge style cylinder heads, and I am sure thats what this is, not a hemi. It would be interesting to find out what the differance is between a 426 Golden Commando and a 426 Imperial 290 is. I'll bet not much, probably a marketing thing."
 
"Dan,
You need to revise you

"Dan,
You need to revise your beliefs a little.
"Wedge" is the shape of the combustion chamber.
"Hemi" (Hemispherical) is the shape of the combustion chamber.

The 413, 426, 440 all have the same stroke crank shaft, (the pistons travel up & down 3.75 (3 3/4) inch.
Whereas the 361, 383, & 400's have a shorter stroke crankshaft 3.38.

The 413, 426, 440 engine blocks have a little bit longer cylinder bores than the 361, 383, & 400 blocks.

Dan, if you were to try to use a "383 block with a 440 crank in it" I think the crank would turn OK but, the pistons would strike the heads, because the crank shaft would be trying to move them up 3/8 inch past the height of the cylinder block.

Tom re:
"It would be interesting to find out what the difference is between a 426 Golden Commando and a 426 Imperial 290 is".
There was no "Imperial 290" listed.

426(cid) Golden Commando was the M-426-B 290hp.
OR there was a
Imperial 250(hp) was a low compression 413 listed.


Fred 156-M"
 
"Well Fred, I guess the Imperi

"Well Fred, I guess the Imperial 290's in my boat are from 1966, the manual that I found is from 1964. I will take a photo of the valve cover and take a better look for a tag on the block. I will take a shot of that as well. I'm sure I can attach a photo to these posts."
 
It took a while but here are photos of the Imperial 290's....
PreRestoration019.jpg
PreRestoration020.jpg
 
I still cannot find information specific to these engines. They are 426 CID, and appear to date from 1966 (port) and 1970 (starboard). I can find lots of info in general for Chrysler marine V8's of this vintage, but nothing specific to these engines.
 
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