Repair And Fix it

Chryslers LA-series 360 engine, named for its displacement of 360 cubic inches, was one of Mopars mainstays in the 1970s. It was released in 1971 with a two-barrel carburetor; a four-barrel carbureted version was added in 1973. After production of Chryslers 340 ended in 1973, the 360 became the most powerful engine of the LA series. In 1976 it was offered in three forms: a two-barrel version, a four-barrel version and a four-barrel, high-performance version.

Description and Applications

The Chrysler 360 was an overhead-valve, V-8 engine with cast-iron block displacing 360 cubic inches, or 5.9 liters. It had a 4.00-inch bore and a 3.58-inch stroke. It ran on unleaded gasoline, with a minimum recommended octane rating of 87. The engine had five main bearings and featured hydraulic valve lifters. The compression ratio was 8.4 to 1.

The 360 appeared in many Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge cars in 1976 as either the base engine or an option. These models included Chryslers Cordoba and Newport, Dodges Aspen, Coronet, Charger SE, Dart and Monaco, and Plymouths Fury, Gran Fury, Valiant, Duster, Scamp and Volare.

Performance

In its basic, two-barrel carbureted form, the 360 produced 170 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 280 foot-pounds of torque at 2,400 rpm. In California, a four-barrel Carter carburetor was used in place of the standard Holley two-barrel; the result produced 175 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 270 foot-pounds of torque at 1,600 rpm. Also available was a high-performance 360 using the same four-barrel Carter carburetor, which produced 220 horsepower at 4,400 rpm and 280 foot-pounds of torque at 3,200 rpm. This version, known by its sales code of "E58," was utilized primarily in high-performance Dodge Darts, Plymouth Valiants and police cars.

Other Specs

The 360, like the 340, used Chryslers "J" cylinder head, with intake valves measuring 1.88 inches in diameter. The firing order of the cylinders was 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. The engine had a capacity of 16 qts. of coolant and 5 qts. of oil. The recommended spark plug gap was .035 inches. Champion N12Y plugs were standard, with RN12Y optional. RN12Ys were standard on the high-performance engine. The recommended hot idle speed was 850 rpm, 750 rpm in California with 1,700 rpm as the recommended cold idle speed. A single-snorkel air cleaner was used on the 360.

Cadillac had three engines in its lineup for 1976. Two of the engines were different versions of the 500 cubic-inch V-8, which was one of the largest engines on the market, and the third engine was a 350 cubic-inch V-8.

Standard

The standard engine in 1976 Cadillacs was the 7.7-liter 500 cubic-inch V-8 engine. This engine had a four-barrel carburetor, a compression ratio of 8.5-to-1, a bore and stroke of 4.3 inches and put out 190 horsepower. It had 360 foot-pounds of torque and could power the Calais to 130 miles per hour.

Potential

The fuel injected version of the 500-cubic-inch V-8 was a 8.2 liter engine that could produce 210 horsepower. It had 380 foot-pounds of torque. The rest of its dimensions were the same as the other 500-cubic-inch engine.

Significance

While Cadillacs were known for their size and power, refinement of the smaller Seville continued in 1976. The smaller car had a 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine that produced 180 horsepower and 275-foot-pounds of torque. It had a compression ratio of 8-to-1 and fuel injection.

In 1976, the standard engine on the full-size Cadillac was the 7.7 liter, V8, 500-cubic inch which provided the smooth ride and power that Cadillacs of the time were known for. In a year of transition, as the company rolled out smaller engines in its Seville, the 1976 500 was one of the last massive V8 engines to be found stock in a Cadillac.

Size

The Cadillac 500 is a 500 cubic inch engine, which is massive by modern standards and of respectable size by muscle car standards of the fifties and sixties. Matching this size with a 7.7 liter capacity, the 500 was capable of plenty of power.

Cylinders

The Cadillac 500 ran eight cylinders, making it a V8 engine. These engines are rarely found today, as the economy is more concerned with fuel efficiency than raw power. However, these engines were common in the seventies and are still used on cars designed for racing and high-torque trucks made for hauling, as well as high-end sports cars.

Fuel delivery system

Utilizing a carburetor system for fuel delivery, the Cadillac was not able to take advantage of soon-to-be-developed fuel injection, but rather relied on the tried and true system that automobile combustion engines had been using since their inception. Easier to maintain and adjust th,e carburetor was the standard for at least ten years after the 500 was no longer produced.

Model years

The 500 was used on 1971 to 1976 model years, with a short five-year run that reflected the changing idea of how a car should run in the seventies.