Rebuilding A Junkyard Mopar 360 With Minimal New Parts - Horsepower S14, E19

Mike and Joe challenge themselves to build up a junkyard Mopar 360 engine on a TOTAL budget of $1,500. Results are, of course, tested in the dyno cell.

[@ragdolltrucking]

“We found this $5000 engine with two thousand dollar heads for four hundred bucks, just like the average person would, then act like it needs to be rebuilt so it can seem like thats why someone sold it for scrap value”

[@bloodymarine3012]

I do really like this comment :D and couldn't agree more lol.

[@Yardstickler]

Yes exactly. It's stuff like this that completely eliminates any semblance of credibility that these channels have.

[@SGTJDerek]

There's no telling what you will find at a swap. Especially the larger shows. It's rare but it does happen. I would bet with that mismatched balancer it was tossed "out back" and forgotten.

[@hoagsmash4188]

EXACTLY lol wtf

[@charlesvan13]

Except you do come across cheap things like this when someone is cleaning out their garage. When I was 18 I bought a 69 mustang fastback for $1250. The guy was asking $3000, but we had an engine so he decided to keep the built 351C with 500hp and sell the rest to us for just $1250.

[@ewetoobz3840]

Good job keeping a straight face when you said 475.00 ...

[@brandonbell3089]

475$ god damn what planet y’all live on I wanna come

[@donthewellguy]

$475 for the “used” engine…. I don’t believe that….

[@ricklodestein1101]

Tree fity

[@tylerphelps4868]

Funny to see how loosely the word “junkyard” is getting thrown around these days

[@Ausblack]

My God, using a roloc wheel to clean the head surface.

[@torcher78]

Better than a scraper blade

[@Ausblack]

@@torcher78 one of the worse ways to clean a head or block, creates massive divots. Look up fiatnutz and his machine shop videos, he's done dozens and dozens of heads that you have to machine to get the part flat again

[@jimwilson7180]

Lol I call bullshit on 400.00 Roller cam and aluminum heads. Person would have to be on serious crack to sell for that price.

[@donaldpowers3314]

Magnum block there. But with the shaft monted rockers. It had to be drilled or a early magnum block. 91-92. But I've seen some people's make light a aluminum heads. But the .557 lift cam. That with the heads. Will help in the HP world. My Magnum (s) drop off in the upper rpm range but this set up it keep climbing. Oh the seat of the pants feel. It doesn't lay down.

[@CrankAddict]

How to rebuild a $5000 engine for only $1500.

[@Go4BrokeOffroad]

That's what I said. Stroker 360 only made 440hp wouldn't have sounded as good

[@Restomodz]

😂

[@bigbullfrog98]

If I found that engine for $400, I'd be asking where the guy selling it got it from. Also he would probably be asking me if I knew where he could get some "rocks"

[@ashleywilson5312]

Dont look a gift horse in the mouth. Take the motor and don’t look back.

[@carolinatray2524]

😂😂😂

[@repostpolice1425]

My first thought when looking at this. Those heads are $700 a piece bare right now. If i could find that motor for $400 I wouldn't be asking any questions either...

[@project_m3rc64]

🤣

[@wht240sxka]

Must’ve brought there wives and had a little cuckold situation to get those prices unless they’re stolen…

[@Proteusbound]

All about budget? Yeah but how many of us are going to start with a near perfect engine with all those reusable high performance parts.. Science fiction.

[@masoudhosseini9204]

I know it’s an old episode but I am happy that Mike is okay and nothing serious happened!

[@johnnikollaj496]

What happened?!?!?!

[@johngreene6783]

Lifters are reusable and promptly launches a pair onto the floor LOL

[@hawkdsl]

"These lifters are definitely reusable... *KLANK*... except that one."

[@greazedlightninggarage6768]

😂👍🏾

[@erichildreth7562]

Nice 360 build and I am glad that Mike's eye injury was not worse than it was and I am glad that he is Ok. I have learned myself to always wear safety glasses and even with safety glasses things can still happen, I have had my close calls wearing these too! Mike mentioned that he was getting a different pair of safety and I was wondering if someone could please share a link as to what Mike decided to go with if possible please. I really enjoy your channel and looking forward to seeing some more builds!!

[@mobygodfrey4936]

Glad to see a small block mope build not many mess with em due to the restriction in the exhaust port runners they jus don't breathe as good awesome content

[@fordnut4914]

475🤔

[@ForneyRider]

No doubt. Cam and lifters are more than that. And it had nice shaft rocker system. More like 6k in parts.

[@CJColvin]

Thats a neat small block Mopar.

[@tonymonastiere8510]

Next time you get metal in eyes, try a very strong 💪 magnet. Flushed with eye drops.

[@douglasdailey5998]

I really like watching these videos, i get some pretty good ideas on what I'm going to do to my 1976 Short bed Dodge D100.

[@johnmacom3208]

You got a aluminum heads, elec water pump, roller motor for $475??

[@albertgaspar627]

1) clean with oven cleaner or lye, gloves and glasses, and chase with rifle bore cleaning brushes to save a dollar, then toss on old tire into pickup bed and go to the car wash. Rust? look up electrolysis or soak in a molasses mix in a kiddie pool to save the next buck. 2) if you're really going to sand off gasket material from deck surfaces, use a flaaaat long board so you aren't digging in and leaving high and low spots with some circle grinder--otherwise you circle jerked yourself into more work when its time to seal up that head gasket. 3) no ScotchBrite pad on the cylinders, unless you want to screw up the cross hatch. Use a Magic Eraser with some ATF as a detergent to clean the cross-hatch. 4) installing cam before the crank gives you the ability to reach into the crankcase and help guide that camshaft in. Checking crank thrust when taking the block apart can tell you there's an issue to machine on before putting the crank in and checking the thrust to find there's an issue that needs addressing. 5) the Uncle Tony crowd will tell you to turn the pistons 180 degrees (shifting them from one bank to the other) to offset the wrist pin and get 5 more hp. 6) how to get cheap roller lifters and a cylinder head that flows better than the average360 LA head made between 1974 and 1984...buy a Magnum from the junkyard. funny how that cool electric pump disappeared.

[@mattmcneice7223]

lol got to laugh at the uncle tony joke! id love to see tony do a dyno before and after, id bet it loses power. by far the most outrageous claim I've ever heard. you'd think the aftermarket would have discovered this trick already, guess they're all just a little slow

[@albertgaspar627]

Still waiting on richard holdener to do a dyno test. Uncle Tony also still paints the inside of the block. saying it prevents rust. In reality, no one has ever pulled a sealed engine out of a junkyard to find rust inside--the oil film left behind repels water. More importantly, if painting the inside of the block ever did the things folks claim, why aren't they painting the heads, the crankshaft, the connecting rods, the cam, the pistons...don't all those parts need the same benefits? I'll make a prediction now, swapping pistons turns out to make 5hp. We'll see.

[@mattmcneice7223]

@@albertgaspar627 My prediction is ZERO hp. Road kill guys think the same too

[@albertgaspar627]

@@mattmcneice7223 There may be some variable between engines that offers a chance, like someone cleaned something and voila got better cylinder seal and felt a difference--same people who swear their 305 pulls as well as any 350 out there. Someone like Smokey Yunick should have measured a difference, but he thought long connecting rods were the winning formula but Reher and Morrison couldn't duplicate his results. The aftermarket should have found something, but they also sold us windshield wipers with little wings and spoilers on them and magnets to clamp around your fuel line :)

[@christopher5585]

$475 for that LA 360 ? You hit Gold !!

[@HorseJizzTim]

finally a real man's build.

[@jutde]

You’re joking, right? Did you actually watch the video?

[@-OokySpooky-]

As a full bore MoPar guy this build is fucking horrifying on so many levels

[@pudnbug]

I really enjoyed seeing this engine, that somebody had spent a bunch of money on and then abandoned, cleaned up and put together properly. I hope it found a good home, as in some cool car of the era, and will enjoy a long life.

[@petermontagnon4440]

Well son ....been there done that!!! You never know !!!! I had a piece of metal bounce of my cheek off my safety glasses and in to my eye! Crap happens!!! LOL

[@mikec3142]

No way you paid $400 for that. Just the accessories alone are worth that. It would sell for $1500 minimum. That is no way near a junk yard motor. That would be like hitting the lottery with all that for that price.

[@ericlingo8195]

Surprise to see no one caught the fact. That's a magnum block with LA style heads. No oil going to the top through the block. Block not drilled. To supply the heads with oil. Push rods are solid. No oil passage in the Push rob That's what you get with Chevy guys. Building a mopar engine.

[@jacobbaker1921]

Block has 1k in bolt on parts. Found for 475 bucks. Movie magic lol

[@briang4470]

Was hoping this would be a mostly stock build like a real backyard mechanic at home would assemble on a shoestring budget. But as soon as they said they bought that motor for under $500 bucks I knew this episods was gonna be a joke, you couldnt even buy the cylinder heads in used wore out shape for that let alone the expensive deep sump oil pan and demon carb, I think they did it because they didnt want to do a all stock motor and only make 200hp and disappoint people but that's how it really is if your looking for a motor like this you not gonna find anything like it for under $1,000. Their acting like his motor was all junk and super cheap but for alot of people most of the parts on that motor are way out of people's budget, most people are lucky to get a decent carb and intake but for cylinder heads, fancy oil pan, and all the other goodies this motor is out of reach for alot of people and these shows make this stuff seem cheap but in reality its not.

[@pioneerfarm4369]

LOL you hit the nail on the head I know I got one LOL

[@jutde]

Junkyard my ass, any junkyard is going to see that for what it is and strip the parts for sale individually. They got a discounted disposal from a buddy who probably upgraded with a crate engine.

[@conservativecrusader80]

I'd think the Demon carb with a little cleaning would have been a better piece than that weird looking Holley.

[@andrewnowman8341]

You went over budget when you count in the medical bills.🤣

[@annamckinney6622]

They built a 410 stroker motor a year ago, promising a part 2 with dyno testing. I know it's somewhere in the low 500's in HP and TRQ, but......we're still waiting......

[@aaronbarnes8938]

Because the engine got tore up you go back through the video and pay attention to detail they use solid pushrods so there was no way in hell for the rocker arms to get oil since I'm the late model blocks that do not have La oiling Provisions you have to use shaft Mount roller rockers that oil through pushrod when using LA style cylinder heads on a Magnum block or you need an early Magnum block 93 to 95 that are still drilled for LA oiling.

[@leemarshall5840]

Guys i love the channel amd what you guys do but there is no way you bought this motor for the price you stated. Please dont mislead your viewers and give those just starting out in this hobby false hope that theyll find a motor like this for such a price.

[@scottpeters371]

That episode is from 10 years ago so it's possible

[@briang4470]

@@scottpeters371 no way, you couldn't even buy those heads used for what they claimed that they paid. Realistically your gonna pay atleast $1000 for that engine especially with the carb,intake,distributor and oil pan alone are worth way more than what they paid. Honestly it's hard to find a running bone stock 360 for what they claimed they bought this one for.

[@rickmosholder4593]

@@briang4470 I agree. While I enjoy these shows, their "we got this for a deal" tendency is ridiculous.

[@christopherwilson7698]

When he pulled the coolant plug I thought it was the oil pan plug 😂 I was like oh nooooo. Lol

[@user-bo9wp6en3c]

as always budget builds are never budget builds on this show

[@marcusholtzheimer9316]

We got this engine with thousands worth of upgrades for for 400 bucks lol

[@thomaslockley945]

That was a steal i wish i could find one with all that aftermarket stuff for that orice

[@davidetchellsetchells4692]

The heads, intake, and valve covers, not to mention the oil pan and roller conversion are quite expensive, normally you might find a used or junkyard engine with one of these for $500. But not all. The last small block i built cost 7k in parts including twisted wedge heads $1500 each, callies billet crank 2k, carillo rods , king bearings, mahle pistons, chrome rings, needle bearing small end machining for rods Bowtie block, deep sump pan, titanium valves with 5 angle valvejob and port blending etc, secret carb and intake it made 780 hp, not bad for a stock bore chevy 350. But obviously not unobtainable either with careful planning and execution, research etc. I researched the parts combo for 2 years before ordering anything, sometimes thats what it takes to build a dream engine,,,, lotsa dreaming,,,, then lotsa money and labor, and patience.

[@riotshieldwarrior833]

Love watching the builds I just can't stop watching

[@daviddavid5880]

Sorry, I couldn't hear this episode over the sound of all two thousand sets of our eyes rolling at you "just finding" that fully-loaded motor.

[@lionsfaninva5536]

as someone who does structural metal fabrication in a shipyard environment, the best thing for grinding is safety glasses and a face shield. it's called double eye protection. if I am working at home I never grind with glasses but grab the face shield. It prevents a lot of injuries

[@tonyfarrar1218]

Like how they got it with an Electric WP but on the Dyno they were running a Mechanical pump

[@rickskedden9595]

I will take 2 of those nice cheap 360 mopars

[@The_Devil_Nside]

475$ yeah I'm sure

[@joshuaphillips1867]

They probably had this engine in storage and “listed” it for this episode…. Lets rebuild this engine that somebody has already built?!

[@johnbehneman1546]

I LOVE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY MOPAR FAMILY!!!!

[@StrikersLG]

450 dollars my ass. No one has an engine like that and sells it for anything under 2,500 minimum. Alumium heads, Jesel rockers, retrofit solid roller lifters, solid roller cam, single plane intake, electric water pump, and moroso oil pan? No chance. Junkyard my ass and 450 dollars my ass.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Enjoyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@darickgonzales2882]

How do you find a 400$ engine with the parts that engine had. wow that is unheard of.

[@sleepychallenger]

"That engine aint $400!" Taken straight from the "I'm too broke for this" starter pack. Why do people complain about the prices on these things? This stuff isn't cheap. If you want to spend only $400, continue up-badging you charger

[@davidabrams1]

I rebuilt a 1968 327 using a crank from another block.no line boring re used rods and pistons. Used cam found in junk yard with unkown lifters.new bearings and rings honed cylinders. lapped in used multiple different best looking vavles from multiple heads in the best 2 looking heads with Ford cupped valve seals. 4 barrel Chevy factory cast iron holley bolt pattern intake from junk yard. In my buddies dirt floor car port Started ran great drove 59 chevy truck from Kansas to California towing trailer in 1987.. i drove truck as a comuter for a couple years. Tgen drove truck off and on up until 4 years ago.rebuilt motor correctly all new parts

[@BelowAmbient]

noone is going buy a 360 like that for $475 lol... clueless

[@reaper-sz5tm]

Those heads are almost $1400 alone so yeah, total bullshit build.

[@Billhatestheinternet]

I had what happened to Mike happen to me twice. Same situation, same eye. Using a grinder, the first time I just had my eyeglasses on (in the military, that was considered sufficient). Had to go to the VA ER to have the shard removed. About a year or so later, I was using a grinder again, although this time, I had the type of full safety glasses on OVER MY EYEGLASSES. I still got popped! Off to the VA I go again, for the SAME DOCTOR to see me. Had to explain I had proper eyewear on this time. And that I was switching to full goggles (think DeWalt ski goggles) from here on out (which I did). They had to use a syringe to remove the object both times. That prevented any further incidents. I have always said I am the real life incarnation of Wile E Coyote and/or Tim the Toolman Taylor.

[@Ecosse57]

those used to be big block numbers. not bad. nice authentic banter is refreshing too.

[@michaelfoster1453]

Safety first! Always fun and games till someone losses an eye!

[@Frank-o3f5b]

Looking for recommendations / ideas on a 360 motor build for an 83 Jeep Cherokee that will be doing some occasional travel trailer pulling in the Midwest and West threw the mountains. Key points Fuel Mileage and Torque to get me through the mountain passes without unfolding my wallet every 100 miles for a fill-up.

[@anthonycadiou8367]

You guys were blessed, the previous owners, were to ashamed to ask for help. Wrong balancer!!!!

[@scottbatey3130]

Straight round cylinder bores, are the most important ingredients,in the production of horsepower.... "Mopar tech manual"

[@williespoonemore3392]

I found a 2000 dodge club wagon for a couple grand and well , it has a 360 motor in it but it seems they must a did some work to it cause it's a sleeper with posi track !

[@nanceeleana]

How about rebuilding something new like an International 345? or 392? Kind of tired of the Mopar, GM, Ford rebuilds.

[@deerespetes8849]

Must have had a inside connection to get that motor that cheap just saying

[@aarontaylor4471]

450 dollar Mopar😭😭😭😭😭 I can't find set or used roller rocker for that. And it had aluminum heads, new dizzy, comp cam, roller tappers, RPM air gap, demon carb, moroso oil pan and roller rockers????? Hahahah I need that towns craiglist page. I smell fish, hell you can't even build a Chivy for that....🐮💩

[@josephrose9226]

Glad you still have both eyes. Stay safe.

[@johnswede1933]

Somehow they find a ridiculously low price on built 360 then trash it by putting on a tiny carburetor. These came stock with 850CFM

[@brandonbell3089]

80$ for a hot tank yah mean

[@jeremypike9153]

You sir have some pre-ignition going on. I watched the bolt in the cylinder head back itself right out. That is a drag racing trick by the way

[@brettlyde9220]

What if somebody had a internally balanced that engine

[@aaronbarnes8938]

So have you guys ran this engine again because I'm sure it's had rocker arm failure by now. You have a magnum block with LA cylinder heads and as you can see in the video it is not an early production block that still has the LA oiling drilled. You guys definitely need to get someone that knows about Mopars in the shop. You needed to have used shaft Mount rocker arms that oil through pushrod since you no longer have block oiling to the Head. such a shame as first the Trickflow headed 360 and now this one.

[@rayhope7957]

Glad you eye was ok after that!

[@skeets6060]

Sooo you got a motor that somebody already spent a ton of money on it, so your budget of 1.5k is true BS

[@klobucarpa]

You got lucky. That's what that is.

[@Noah-se7mn]

I love this

[@r.a.d.u.s.armyret.2904]

I wonder if they kept track of where each lifter was before they removed them. Since they're reusing the both the cam and lifters they've already developed a wear pattern.

[@JacksoNR26]

318 vs 360 which is better for a hot budget small block mopar

[@montyhoutchens9217]

I'm guessing the vehicle was probably in a flood . Any other ideas why water would be in the engine..

[@jerryfarmer5989]

I ain't never seen a used engine with kind of stuff for $400.00. Yeah just the "average" person can get one. The Moroso oil pan alone wasn't cheap.

[@kellyh4035]

No a micrometer but calipers.

[@justinwnichols03]

Can you give a list of parts used in this build (both "existing junkyard" and new parts? I have 2 360 Magnums that I will be rebuilding one for a daily Durango and one for a 2500 that I really did pick up for $400. Real help needed!

[@clemfandango2930]

A lot of guys commenting on how there’s no way they got this engine for $450 and then I look on my local craigslist and see a guy selling a running 360 with a 727 trans out of a small motorhome for $475.

[@oneispispike3205]

Hey Fellas!! Please Do Wear Protective Eye Wear, It's An Important Thing!!! Take It From Someone Who Has Lost An Eye!!! Trust Me The World Is A Different Place Without Both Eyes!!! I am about to embark on a project, my 97 Dodge Ram SS/T 5.9L 360 Magnum Thanks for sharing, looking for ideas and a direction to go in!! Ugh so many ways, have no idea what to do.....

[@hbanyea]

Great job but never cleanup cylinder heads or the block with a disc polisher 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@dirkdigler79]

Why is the intake manifold dirty?

[@michaelatkins9780]

It's a shame when one of the two guys (younger) can't hide his hate for mopars for at least one show.

[@thehemiolds455]

Feel the eye pain I was çutting a exhaust I almost lost an 👁️

[@thomass7617]

OH SNAP, good joke , blind in my left from military , but I still laughed

[@rayhope7957]

nice work guys!

[@jacquesstanz9235]

It would of been graet if jou guys could put the old damper back ,to see the difrerence in power

[@Pendaws]

Number 1 :)

[@EchoSixMike]

Rust on valve springs=straight into the trash. And they could have rebuilt that Demon carb for around 100 bucks or less. The core motor for 475 might have been believable if it were some used up old W2 dirt track engine or something like it from an estate sale.

[@allanmcelroy9840]

Is this a magnum or LA block?

[@christopherwilson7698]

Ok that engine has at least 3500 dollars worth or parts, another 5/700 in machine shop costa plus the cost realistically I’d guess roughly around 5 Thousand would be more like it so don’t jump into this without

[@jjtool5800]

Wonder what it would have made with a good carb.

[@smilsmff]

@7:15 and it shows the Camshaft distributor gear, question: Is that Steel Gear you are using with a Roller Camshaft? or is it Bronze?

[@nathanrice1796]

These guys don't really "build engines" they "throw together parts."

[@ricklodestein1101]

Where's this junk yard??

[@jcat96]

Wondering why there's a Camaro at the end of this Mopar build

[@jeremypike9153]

You should have gone to an eye doctor brother. I've been there and done that. Sat in our local hospital for 4 hours and realized it's time to buck up and wait for a specialist they did me much better than the local hospital

[@antilaw9911]

Read comments.... dont laugh... i bought cheap rusty Plymouth volare for $150 many years back had plain high mile slant 6. Some old friends ww new growing up into crack n coke etc were desperate for a car with tabs. My oldest brothers friend. He traded me strait up for B5 blue 72 Cuda" 340. He wasnt mechanic. I saw it had alternator wire hanging off, and needed correct fan spacer. I went home got correct spacer i had, went back and drove car home. 175,000 miles burned tiny bit oil but ran real good. Slap stick, buckets etc. My one brother told me years later that he said... yeah(my name) got me on that deal.

[@demetrisjones5143]

no way you found that engine for $475

[@dannyskaggs6587]

Will you sell that motor you building to somebody that needs it

[@dynodon100]

The LA360 has a different vib. ball. as well as weights on the converter or flywheel. This should have shone up .

[@annamckinney6622]

It can be internally balanced.

[@dynodon100]

@@annamckinney6622 But they did not do that as it is $$$$

[@ericlingo8195]

Well, it was on an LA 360.

[@dalleymonroe3836]

Love to have that in my truck