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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Clarksville, TN
    Posts
    17

    Default engine comparison

    Alright. Lately with the way my engines been running I dont know what to do. But first things first, the guy who got this car 'rebuilt' i think got screwed. its a 401 amx, but i cant be sure the engine matches unless i find the vin numbers on the block. where are they located? if this engine isnt original, how hard is it to find a 401? Are there any big differences between the 360 and the 401 that might tell them apart from one another?

  2. #2

    Default

    To confirm the correct cid for the VIN code the cid number is cast on the sides of the block in approximately 2" high numbers, they’re located behind (above) the engine mounts. The 401 is designated by a Z in the VIN. Visually the 360 and 401 look the same so you'll need to set the parking brake and crawl under the car with a flashlight to look for the '401' cast in the block.


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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Clarksville, TN
    Posts
    17

    Default

    good post thanks for the info... its a 360 after checking it out... maybe it did get bored over but if someone were to bore it over, would they even be able to bore a 360 over to 401? it looks like a pretty small block (without having the heads off to investigate) to bore over that much. the vin also says its a jav 360 (according to the 1973 TSM, not even amx, but its got all the badges...)... still not running right though. my firing order is way off. i tried redoing the spark wires, redid the plugs, maybe im not sure on the cylinder numbering. starting from the drivers side front, being #1, it goes counter clockwise, right? now remember, im only referring to cylinder numbering, not firing order... ive got that as 18435672, one being on the outside (roughly facing towards the radiator) and going clockwise. any help for a broke *** amx-er? does anyone happen to be in clarksville with one of these that can come and help out? im getting really frustrated with this thing, and for the fact that its got 'amx 401' badges on it, it REALLY aggravates me. honestly, i wouldnt have bought it had it not been a 401. either way... if anyone can help, please post. thanks

  4. #4

    Default

    The bank of cylinders on the driver's side starting from the front are numbered 1-3-5-7 with 1 being at the front of the car, 7 being closest to the firewall.

    The passenger side bank are numbered 2-4-6-8 with 2 being at the front of the car, 8 being closest to the firewall.

    The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 with the rotor turning clockwise (you have 5-6-7-2).

    Number 1 on the distributer is located just left (driver's side) of the forward distributer hold down post. If that isn't very clear there's a diagram of it on page 9 in the Pocket Specifications Booklet that you can download for free here:
    http://www.amx-perience.com/pdf/1970...onsBooklet.pdf

    Even though the booklet is for 1970 the tune-up specs are the same for your engine.

    401's are getting harder to find but are still out there. They pop up in the classifieds section from time-to-time. The 360 will still run pretty strong though, you'll just need to get it dialed in is all. And no, you can't make a 360 into a 401.



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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Clarksville, TN
    Posts
    17

    Default

    well that made a huge difference on its idle. thanks for the tip. ill give reputation points on your responses... anyhow, i HEARD you would raise the deck with thicker gaskets and metal spacers, and then put in longer piston rods for a longer stroke, therefore making it bigger displacement, but i dont know how much that would make a difference. leaving it same stroke and raising the deck would lower the compression, making it better for turbo, but i would prefer s/c on this size engne... is lower compression good for s/c too? i guess this stuff is more related to engine and drivetrain section, if a mod wants to move it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Morrison Tn
    Posts
    22

    Default Clarksville Neighbor

    Hi, I live near you in Mcminnville. I sometimes drive through Clarksville and would like to see your car sometime. I have a 74 AMX clone that I am finishing. anci@blomand.net

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 74AMX
    well that made a huge difference on its idle. thanks for the tip. ill give reputation points on your responses...
    You're welcome.
    anyhow, i HEARD you would raise the deck with thicker gaskets and metal spacers, and then put in longer piston rods for a longer stroke, therefore making it bigger displacement, but i dont know how much that would make a difference. leaving it same stroke and raising the deck would lower the compression, making it better for turbo, but i would prefer s/c on this size engne...is lower compression good for s/c too?
    Thicker gaskets can lead to blown head gaskets, in the long run it'd be easier and more reliable to find a 401. And you definately want low compression for a super charger. Too much boost with too high of compression will make things go BOOM.
    i guess this stuff is more related to engine and drivetrain section, if a mod wants to move it.
    Moved.


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Clarksville, TN
    Posts
    17

    Default

    So here's another good question for you. I decoded my VIN via 1973 TSM, which labels it as 360 2 door hardtop javelin 1974 (not AMX, mind you), yet everything all over the car (grille, turn signals, interior door panels, go-pak with tic-tac, etc.) say its AMX. In these years, if you wanted those tings intalled, was it an add on option straight out of the lot? Or would your VIN always reflect AMX? I hope I made that straightforward enough... I'm just confused about what route to go down with restoration.

    Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the brushed aluminum dash still had the left side rectangular cut-out right? I pulled the dash apart and found this cut-out behind a flush dash piece, which looks like an a/c vent hole but no a/c in the car. (the aluminum trim covered this hole in other words, and also covered another rectangular cut-out underneath the radio, which now has an equalizer in it, and I'm sure that's not factory.) If it will help I will post pictures, I just have to go to work at the moment.

  9. #9

    Default

    You could order the Go-Pac from the factory. I have the Go-Pac in my car but not the Aluminum trim. My car is also not an SST so in stock form it appears to be a plain jane 6 cyl car. An A/C car would have the vent holes cut into the trim a non A/C car will not have the vent holes cut into the trim. I have a dash overlay that I bought not paying attention and it was for a non A/C car so no vent holes.

    It sounds as if someone has bought all the trim for an AMX and installed it on your car. It may or may not have had the Go-Pac from the factory. There is no way to know for sure unless you are lucky enough to have forund a build sheet in the car. I found the build sheet for my car under the passanger carpet but it was so faded and deteriorated I could not read it.

    I'm not sure if AMC varied any of their vin designations so here is the breakdown from a 74 TSM.

    For a 74 AMX with a 401 the first 7#s of you vin should read as follows:

    A 4 C 7 9 8 Z XXXXXX

    A= AMC

    4= 1974

    C= Automatic floor shift (M= 4spd, A= column shift)

    7= Javelin

    9= 2dr hardtop

    8= Javelin AMX or Matador X (if there a 7 in this position you have a Javelin)

    Z= 401 V8 4V (N=360 V8 2V P= 360 V8 4V)

    As an aside the AMX designation was only a cosmetic package for the 71-74 cars.
    Art

    74 Javelin

  10. #10

    Default

    Another item. If you pull the Go-Pac, look carefully at the wiring harness. Cars with the Go-Pac had a wiring harness dedicated to the Go-Pac. Cars without the Go-Pac had a harness minus all of the Go-Pac connections. If your harness appears to be hacked or the wires appear to be added in then your car most likely did not have Go-Pac from the factory.
    Art

    74 Javelin

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