Stock '71 340 Rebuild - Pistons and Cam Selection

[Yellow71Cuda]

  

I'm keeping the stock exhaust manifolds and carb.  Pretty much a stock rebuild.  Please share your thoughts.  I need some help.

Machine shop recommends:

[Cuda Cody]

I'm a big believer in the Mr. Six Pack cams on stockish builds.    

https://forum.e-bodies.org/engine-transmission-and-rear-end/4/proven-340-engine-combos/2156/

[Chryco Psycho]

for less than the price of the gasket kit why not use a better Forged piston instead of a hyper ? you may want to do more with the engine in the future !
i would use a forged repop of the factory 10:1 piston https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/slp-l2316f30
  Cody has had good results with the cams he uses & Lunati Voodoo cams work great too .

[Cuda Cody]

Forged piston are the way to go if you think you'll be going with some bigger HP later.  Anything under 500 HP and the hypereutectic pistons will be fine.  I tend to like forged better, but I have used hypereutectic pistons with good success and will likely use them again in the future.  The main advantage to them is they do not expand and contract with heat as much so they can be built to tighter tolerances.  And therefor you're less likely to get that forged piston slap sound on cold start up. 

[Chryco Psycho]

No a fan of Hyper pistons not much cost savings & they are very brittle , never use them 

[RUNCHARGER]

I agree totally with Psycho, I always run forged pistons. I like to use pistons lighter than stock too but I think all forged pistons these days should be relatively light.

[Yellow71Cuda]

I'm a big believer in the Mr. Six Pack cams on stockish builds.    

https://forum.e-bodies.org/engine-transmission-and-rear-end/4/proven-340-engine-combos/2156/

•9.2 to 9.4 to 1 compression (Runs great on pump gas)
•Mr. Six Pack Cam Bob Karakashian 248-477-7776 days / 248-489-4076 eves

Cody...may I ask what pistons you use for this build, and what are the cam specs?

[Cuda Cody]

Bob (Mr. Six Pack) does not give out the specs on his winning cams.  They are fairly close to stock, but instead of a 115 grind they are at 114.  Little tweaks that he has found to work over his long history of building engines and racing in the F.A.S.T series.  A lot of guys running the F.A.S.T run his cams.  I would worry more about the cam then anything else.  It is the heartbeat of your car and a perfect cam will make you love your car.

The pistons in the latest 340 build were forged.  But I just built a 426 Hemi with KB hypereutectic pistons though.  My stock 2002 Dodge Viper came from the factory with hypereutectic pistons.  I like them because of how little blow bye and expansion there is.  But I like Forged for their strength and toughness.  Make sure to use good file fit rings. 

The only thing I might add is that you engine builder probably has his opinion on what he wants to use based on what he's had success building.  So keep in mind if you use his suggestion he's kinda on the hook to make sure it works like he says.  If you use hypereutectic pistons because I did and you don't like them it's going to be hard to get me to fix it for you. 

I'm a big believer in the Mr. Six Pack cams on stockish builds.    

https://forum.e-bodies.org/engine-transmission-and-rear-end/4/proven-340-engine-combos/2156/

•9.2 to 9.4 to 1 compression (Runs great on pump gas)
•Mr. Six Pack Cam Bob Karakashian 248-477-7776 days / 248-489-4076 eves

Cody...may I ask what pistons you use for this build, and what are the cam specs?

[Yellow71Cuda]

Thank you all!

[Chryco Psycho]

Bob (Mr. Six Pack) does not give out the specs on his winning cams.  They are fairly close to stock, but instead of a 115 grind they are at 114.  Little tweaks that he has found to work over his long history of building engines and racing in the F.A.S.T series.  A lot of guys running the F.A.S.T run his cams.  I would worry more about the cam then anything else.  It is the heartbeat of your car and a perfect cam will make you love your car.

I'm a big believer in the Mr. Six Pack cams on stockish builds.    

  The cam is the single most critical part to choose Comp would Never be    my choice

https://forum.e-bodies.org/engine-transmission-and-rear-end/4/proven-340-engine-combos/2156/

•9.2 to 9.4 to 1 compression (Runs great on pump gas)
•Mr. Six Pack Cam Bob Karakashian 248-477-7776 days / 248-489-4076 eves

Cody...may I ask what pistons you use for this build, and what are the cam specs?

[Plum_crazy_T/A]

I called mr sixpack today, 6-15-17 regarding a cam for the T/A. Really nice guy and sounds like he knows these motors. I may get his #2 cam.

Cody did I see a video of a dyno with one of his cams?

Art

[autoxcuda]

A comp XE268 is a nice bump up from stock for an off the shelf cam.

You can get it ground on a 112 deg lobe separation. For more tame idle, sacrificing a little HP.


Just for the heck of it, id suggest penciling out the cost of a Scat cast crank balanced stroker kit. Making sure to account for ballancing, rod resizing, crank grinding cost working/rebuilding with the parts you have now. Just to explore all options.

[Cuda Cody]

@Plum_crazy_T/A  yes, I posted a few in the gallery:

[video]https://forum.e-bodies.org/gallerypics/videos/1_09_03_17_1_25_52.mp4[/video]

[Cuda Cody]

 

[video]https://forum.e-bodies.org/gallerypics/videos/1_01_04_17_12_12_06.mp4[/video]