AW-4 bolt pattern & strength.......

Was reading in one of the rags I get that the AW-4/ 4.0 has the same pattern as the AMC v-8's. IE 304, 360, and the 401. Is this true? Would it be able to handle their output in sdtock form? Inquireing dreaming minds want to know!

All AMC engines (except the 290, 327, and 390) have the same bolt pattern. So yes...the 232, 258, 304, 360, 401 all share the same pattern. (someone please be a jackass and tell me if I forgot any motors).

I think it would stand up to a 304 but that would not be that much more power. I don't know how long it would last against a 360 or 401.

hmm, well if thats is true, i wonder if all trannys that came with bolted to those AMC's would match our 4.0's

It would make sence that they would. But I don't see why you would want them though. Now a 360 or 401 in an XJ with the reliable AW-4 would be neat but I doubt it is practical. The problem I see with it all would be to find a flexplate and Torque converter that would mount to both the engine and the tranny. I read also some where that the 304 or was it the 360 in stok form barely hit 200hp.

LRRH said:

All AMC engines (except the 290, 327, and 390) have the same bolt pattern. So yes...the 232, 258, 304, 360, 401 all share the same pattern. (someone please be a jackass and tell me if I forgot any motors).

Click to expand...

You forgot the lowly 199 I-6 and the old 287 V-8. You also forgot the 343, and you messed up on compatibility. The 290/343/390 (pre-1970) have the same bell housing bolt pattern as the 304/360/390/401 (post-1970). The much older 287/327 (which was NOT a Chevy engine) had the different bolt pattern.

What you may be thinking of is that the pre-1970 engines used a Borg-Warner automatic tranny, and that had something different about mating with the crankshaft. Sorry, I don't remember if it was bolt pattern, pilot diameter, or what the difference was. AMC started using Chrysler automatic trannmissions in 1970, which was the same year they raised the deck height and stoked the engines.

A 304 is a stroked 290, a 360 is a stroked 343, and the 401 was a stroked 390. If you look at a 343 block next to a 360 block, unless you read the number cast into the side you won't be able to tell one from another.

Ok so waht about strength? How strong is it? It holds up to stroked 4.0's that I imagine put out gobs of torque. So what are the posiabilities of mating a 360 to a AW-4 then? Drawbacks? Has it been done yet?

If you're going stout with your motor, why stick with the AW4. Get the TH400 that's bolted up to the quadratrac's and never worry about it.

Of course, that's not what you asked about but I thought I'd throw it out.

Sean

The AMC V-8s also put out GOBS of torque. I'd run an AW4 behind a stock 304, but I wouldn't expect it to live long behind a 360 or 401. (Actually, I would expect it to live behind those in my vehicle because I generally have a lighter foot than most, but for the average bear I think they'd tear it up. However, if the AW4 were beefed up with the heavier planetary unit out of whatever Jap car it was used in, then you might have a package)

the only 340 varient (30-40le) that uses more clucth packs and metals than the aw-4 were the cruiser and 4-runner......no jap CARS contain any stronger planetary assys than the aw-4

level 10 told me that they have a rebuild kit that can handle around 7XX in HP & TQ. Can't say if it is true though.