Chrysler 360 and 440 oil pan baffle
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2024 10:46 am
Chrysler Oil pan baffle
When the development of the Chrysler 360 began the engineers discovered that with the longer stroke of the 360 that a oil wedge was developing in the oil pan which was dragging back the crank shaft the reducing the HP as much as 100 Hp when engine RPMs were over 3200 RPMs. ( see photo) To address this problem they added an oil pan baffle as (seen in photo.)
Note: To address the balance of the 360 a different flywheel and harmonic balancer was created to correct the 360 balance issue. This is why the 360 is stated to be externally balanced. * You can not use a 318 fly wheel or harmonic balancer on a 360.
Trojan set their boats with Chrysler 360 to have a max RPM of 4000 RPMs. We have found that with the poorer fuel today and non leaded fuel that better performance can be achieved by reducing the prop pitch so the Wide Open Throttle ( WOT) is 4300 RPMs. By increasing the WOT to 4300 RPMs test have shown an increase of 15 HP when RPMs are above 3000 RPMs. This pushed the Chrysler 360 from 250 HP to 265 HP. The increased in RPMs gives the best crushing speed of 3200 RPM.
The discovery of the crank wash on the Chrysler 360 caused the Chrysler engineers to add an oil pan baffle to the big block 440. Early 440 were rated at 300 HP when the baffle was added the HP went from 300 HP to 330 HP.
Beacon Marine
609 713 4602
There should be an oil baffle in your oil pan.
With out it it robs 100 HP from the 360.
They should have been in there but if someone built there on 360 they may have skipped this part.
When the development of the Chrysler 360 began the engineers discovered that with the longer stroke of the 360 that a oil wedge was developing in the oil pan which was dragging back the crank shaft the reducing the HP as much as 100 Hp when engine RPMs were over 3200 RPMs. ( see photo) To address this problem they added an oil pan baffle as (seen in photo.)
Note: To address the balance of the 360 a different flywheel and harmonic balancer was created to correct the 360 balance issue. This is why the 360 is stated to be externally balanced. * You can not use a 318 fly wheel or harmonic balancer on a 360.
Trojan set their boats with Chrysler 360 to have a max RPM of 4000 RPMs. We have found that with the poorer fuel today and non leaded fuel that better performance can be achieved by reducing the prop pitch so the Wide Open Throttle ( WOT) is 4300 RPMs. By increasing the WOT to 4300 RPMs test have shown an increase of 15 HP when RPMs are above 3000 RPMs. This pushed the Chrysler 360 from 250 HP to 265 HP. The increased in RPMs gives the best crushing speed of 3200 RPM.
The discovery of the crank wash on the Chrysler 360 caused the Chrysler engineers to add an oil pan baffle to the big block 440. Early 440 were rated at 300 HP when the baffle was added the HP went from 300 HP to 330 HP.
Beacon Marine
609 713 4602
There should be an oil baffle in your oil pan.
With out it it robs 100 HP from the 360.
They should have been in there but if someone built there on 360 they may have skipped this part.