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Thread: how to beef up the 340

  1. #1
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    how to beef up the 340

    i have a 340 engine and i am looking to beef it up and get as much horsepower out of it as possible. i in the process of restoring a 66 skylark and in need of some ideas on how to improve performance of the existing 340. anyone please help. if it is better to trash the motor and get another one please advise of that as well.

    thanks

  2. #2
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    I just acquired a 1966 Skylark with a 340 4v V8, as well. After doing a lot of research, there are many ways that the 340 can be improved for more horsepower.

    Search around the forums on this site for links to headers, exhaust, engine overhaul kits, and the like. Also, get the parts catalogs from Year One, TA Performance, Original Parts Group, etc. and you will find what you need. Of course, Internet searches for specific parts and modifications will help, too.

    I plan to get at least 350 hp out of my engine when I do my upgrades. It will take time, but I think it will be worth it to keep the 340 under the hood.

  3. #3
    the 340 is out of the same engine family as the notorious Buick turbo v6 of the 80's, the 215ci stock block Indy car competitor of 1961 and the Buick 350.

    though light, it is very strong as it's a fully skirted Y-block design.

    the problem is that it was only in production for two years ( 1966-67 ) and there is little to no development for it and very few parts. www.TAPerformance.com is on the verge of putting aluminum heads for this on the market ... but that's more because the 215/300/340 design is shared with the Land Rover v8 than because it's for the 340.

    which, by the by, finding a Land Rover engine guy near you would be a good idea to have this worked on.

    turbo and / or nitrous would be the most cost effective ways to get power into it.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/wizkid4...7617480262913/

    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  4. #4
    these are some of the mods that AM&P makes to the 350 block. i'm not sure exactly how much changed between the 340 and 350 beyond the cam and valve pattern.

    http://www.automachperf.com/350.html
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  5. #5

    my 340

    The previous owner had removed the plugs and set them on the air cleaner cover. Took a BFH to get the pistons out. Was told my my machine shop the 340 has parts but it is much more expensive than say a 350 chev.
    I plan on setting a pontiac 400 in it. Any thoughts, opinions advice?

  6. #6
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    Well, you are on a Buick site, so you are asking a bunch of Buick gearheads about engine swaps. So I will say it for everyone here- a Buick engine would be what I like, and all the variety of Buick engines are one of the things I admire about the marque.

    I like a 350 Buick or 455 Buick for a swap into your car, I'm a Buick fan so that is MHO.
    Ted Nagel
    (6)65 Wildcats; 65 Riviera; 65 Special Wagon; 65 GS; 65 Skylark; 67 Wildcat; 67 California GS; (2)68 GS400; 69 GS 350; 70 GS Stage 1; Wanted: time to fix 'em

  7. #7
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    One of the interesting things about the aftermarket industry is that it gives a lot of focus on Chevy and Pontiac parts and not a lot of focus on Buick and Olds parts. I have always been a huge fan of GM and owned many GM cars. But I would want to keep my Skylark as much as a Buick as possible.

    This challenge is not limited to what I put under the hood. The car did not come with A/C so trying to find an era correct system was difficult. I lucked out on finding a 66-67 Harrison Under Dash Unit that would have been a dealer installed option back in the day. The Unit has a "Chevrolet" emblem since it came out of a 66 Nova. But it would still be the same part used by a Buick dealer. Once I take the emblem off and put it in my car, then it will look era correct.

    If you are going to use other division parts for your Buick, then it will depend on what you want to replace. The 66-67 Chevelle speedo and gauges are similar as the Skylark. The 66-67 Olds wheels are similar as the Skylark.

    The more people demand Buick specific parts for their Buick, then the aftermarket will respond. I think there is an increase of Buick specific parts out there, including parts to restore/modify a 340 V8. I am still doing my research and determining my budgets. But I think that it is possible to keep the 340 V8 and get reasonable increases in performance.

    It will be interesting to see what you will decide with the 340 V8. Keep us posted either way.

  8. #8
    The biggest issue with the Buick 340 is the lack of an aluminum intake manifold. Any other parts you might need are available including aluminum heads and performance parts like forged pistons. However, there *are* a few IR intakes around that will fit the 340, though very expensive, and a few individuals can and will build custom intakes. With the aluminum heads and intake the engine weight is in the ballpark of 400 lbs, almost exactly what a 302 Ford with alloy heads and intake weighs. So it is a very light engine. It also has great torque production which is a very good thing for any street engine. By comparison the SBC for instance is very heavy. Even with iron heads and intake it is light for it's displacement.

    JB

  9. #9
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    Jim,

    I am curious.

    How much of a performance gain would one get if there was an aluminum intake for the 340?

    Thanks.

  10. #10
    Probably just lose weight, unless it was a true performance intake, then something like the typical gains you see with similar intakes, which usually means moving the "sweet spot" up the rpm range a bit (Claims of 20-50hp seem common). Now if you had something like a ported set of heads such as the Real Steel Merlins or the soon to be released TA SBB heads a good intake could make quite a difference, given the right cam, carb (or efi) and exhaust.

    JB

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