366 GM truck motor

[divedigger]

Howdy Neighbor, I am here in Gray and used to have a couple C65s. I put power steering on the 1978 and have a manual steering gear box with less than 50k if you need it, probably have a ps cy also. Send me a email if you can use them! Thanks Steve

 

[amscontr]

From what I have heard, GM quit making any more 427 Tall Deck replacement engines, but are still selling the 366. I am always of the idea that if I can put a bigger engine in it without changing any major parts along the way, I go for it. I like the idea of dropping a 427 in it. I think that is exactly the way I would go. It should cost about the same and you get more for the money with the 427

I just found a 427 truck motor for $250.00 up in Memphis Mo.

 

[amscontr]

Motor pic

motor w/everything except flywheel and harmonic balancer

 

[Duromax04]

Nice find. How much do you think it will cost to get it rebuilt? The are still out there, but seem to be getting harder to find.
There is a dump truck for sale in KC that has a blown up 366, and they want 2100 for it. it is an old Ryder truck that they put a dump bed on. I was looking for a 427 to go in it, and couldn't find one. Where did you look to find yours?

 

[amscontr]

Nice find. How much do you think it will cost to get it rebuilt? The are still out there, but seem to be getting harder to find.
There is a dump truck for sale in KC that has a blown up 366, and they want 2100 for it. it is an old Ryder truck that they put a dump bed on. I was looking for a 427 to go in it, and couldn't find one. Where did you look to find yours?

Craigslist, it seems there are plenty of 366 motors around. I vave been searching for several weeks finding mostly junk for $400 plus and then I came across this one. First thing I'm going to is take it to a auto machine shop and have it checked out before I have to sink a bunch of money into it. Supposedly it came out of a wrecked truck w/low miles?? If everything checks out ok then I'll probably re-ring it, have the heads re-done, timing chain, bearings etc. Most rebuild kits I have seen were in the $1500.00 range and I have seen 427 truck crate motors going for $1600.

 

[amscontr]

Nice find. How much do you think it will cost to get it rebuilt? The are still out there, but seem to be getting harder to find.
There is a dump truck for sale in KC that has a blown up 366, and they want 2100 for it. it is an old Ryder truck that they put a dump bed on. I was looking for a 427 to go in it, and couldn't find one. Where did you look to find yours?

I don't know about a "transformed" Ryder truck.
This one was a factory tractor with air brakes and it has a double frame. I think the extra frame was installed with the dump bed, which is a J&J Body from Somerset Pa. the body is in good shape considering the age of the truck. It needs a tailgate, the one on it is pretty rusted and bent up. I have seen a couple flatbeds in your area from $1500 to $2300 in decent shape all with 366 motors. I have seached on the net from coast to coast and border to border for a decent 427 and just got lucky. Like I said before I have seen junk in the $400-$600 range. My goal is to utilize the air system for air shift PTO, air operated pump and tailgate and maybe an air brake tag trailer. I had one before with a 427 and a 13 spd with air brakes it would haul 10 ton plus my skid loader without any problem.

 

[Gmc7210]

I wish my rig had air brakes some of the time, except for it not requiring a cdl, it stops halfway decent, but air pto and tailgate is something i would install for sure.

 

[amscontr]

I wish my rig had air brakes some of the time, except for it not requiring a cdl, it stops halfway decent, but air pto and tailgate is something i would install for sure.

Yeah I have had my share of problems with Hydraulic, Vacuum, types of brakes. Now if I could put a Jake Brake on it????

 

[Gmc7210]

This is my old girl after a fresh coat of paint. It turned out halfway decent for my first paint job, using $30 a gallon tractor supply paint.

 

[amscontr]

This is my old girl after a fresh coat of paint. It turned out halfway decent for my first paint job, using $30 a gallon tractor supply paint.

That's a good looking truck.
I just found a pair of buckets seats w/console for mine. Thye came out of a newer Chevy pickup and are like brand new and are a matching color. The one I got the PTO and Hoist controls are on the outside of the cab next to the tailgate release. My guess is that it was installed that way from the factory because the control have grease fittings and the fabrication is perfect, plus the hydraulic hose going to the cylinder is a quick connect. So the bed can be easily removed and a fifth wheel mounted, I guess.

 

[KevD815]

Hey if you guys are looking for more power out of the 366 motors pick up a jegs or summit racing catalogue! The 366 blocks are tall deck castings of the same big block chevy used in cars and pick ups. This means some of the performance parts designed for cars will bolt right on. The intake manifolds are different because of the tall deck but you can buy a special spacer ($125) that will let you bolt on any performance intake. This will also let you use a good 4 barrel carb. The stock intake or an aftermarket one can easily be milled down to allow the use of a more performance oriented distributer. You can also swap out cams with a little more performance oriented version. You could even toss the stock exhaust manifolds and slap some headers in there

Now im not saying bolting on random parts is going to make it do wheelies but a few hundred dollars of well chosen modifications might just bring your performance levels up to acceptable standards.

 

[jmac]

I owned a 97 GMC 6500 about 4 years ago. I purchased the truck from a dealer in Tennessee. The truck was a Ryder truck with a dump body and fresh paint installed, looked great! After I had it delivered to me I started to use the truck. Truck had fluid brakes and a 366 motor and Allison transmission. The truck couldn't pull my skid steer and trailer and definitely couldn't haul any more than a few tons, I mean it would literally stop on hills when loaded.

I had it all tuned up the best I could, new plugs,wires, distributor cap etc and truck ran great just way underpowered.

I was stuck with a truck I couldn't use so I decided to try and fix the problem and had a 502 create motor installed. I spent more money on that truck, way more than what it was worth.

After the new motor was in the truck the truck was better but still couldn't move a full load and was under powered. I decided to sell the truck off, for a big loss, buy a real dump truck, bought a 89 Mack that I still use today.

About a year later I was at my local GMC dealer I see my old GMC truck there getting work done on it. I ask what they were doing on it and they tell that the motor went and they had to put a new motor in the truck. The new owner drove that truck with the second new motor in it and the transmission went!

This truck that was only worth maybe $15,000 on its best day had about $25,000 put into it by me and the guy that owned after me.

I would guess that after the truck left the dealer in Tennessee the truck had close to $40,000 spent on it and for what?

I will never go down that road again, should of bought a real truck to begin with, much smarter now.

I am not saying that you can't get your monies worth out this truck but watch how much you put into it. You could be better off putting money into a truck that will do what you want it to do from the start.

 

[ruet66]

Anyone here ever tried to pull start a dump truck? I have one that I have to move this weekend that hasn't been started in over 3 years. I put three new batteries on it, cleaned all the connections, rebuilt the starter and still the same result...it turns over like the batteries are nearly dead. I even ran a pair of 00 gauge cables directly from the batteries to the starter...same results. I'm considering towing or pulling it to start it, but have never done this with a truck this big. Anyone here ever done it? If so, do you have any advice?

 

[amscontr]

Anyone here ever tried to pull start a dump truck? I have one that I have to move this weekend that hasn't been started in over 3 years. I put three new batteries on it, cleaned all the connections, rebuilt the starter and still the same result...it turns over like the batteries are nearly dead. I even ran a pair of 00 gauge cables directly from the batteries to the starter...same results. I'm considering towing or pulling it to start it, but have never done this with a truck this big. Anyone here ever done it? If so, do you have any advice?

Is it gas or diesel? Carburated or fuel injected? Electronic ignition? What motor does it have? Does it turn over with the starter at all?

 

[amscontr]

I owned a 97 GMC 6500 about 4 years ago. I purchased the truck from a dealer in Tennessee. The truck was a Ryder truck with a dump body and fresh paint installed, looked great! After I had it delivered to me I started to use the truck. Truck had fluid brakes and a 366 motor and Allison transmission. The truck couldn't pull my skid steer and trailer and definitely couldn't haul any more than a few tons, I mean it would literally stop on hills when loaded.

I had it all tuned up the best I could, new plugs,wires, distributor cap etc and truck ran great just way underpowered.

I was stuck with a truck I couldn't use so I decided to try and fix the problem and had a 502 create motor installed. I spent more money on that truck, way more than what it was worth.

After the new motor was in the truck the truck was better but still couldn't move a full load and was under powered. I decided to sell the truck off, for a big loss, buy a real dump truck, bought a 89 Mack that I still use today.

About a year later I was at my local GMC dealer I see my old GMC truck there getting work done on it. I ask what they were doing on it and they tell that the motor went and they had to put a new motor in the truck. The new owner drove that truck with the second new motor in it and the transmission went!

This truck that was only worth maybe $15,000 on its best day had about $25,000 put into it by me and the guy that owned after me.

I would guess that after the truck left the dealer in Tennessee the truck had close to $40,000 spent on it and for what?

I will never go down that road again, should of bought a real truck to begin with, much smarter now.

I am not saying that you can't get your monies worth out this truck but watch how much you put into it. You could be better off putting money into a truck that will do what you want it to do from the start.

A Mack is defineatley the way to go.
As far as buying "converted" Ryder or U-Haul truck that explains it. It's like putting a dump body on a million mile"Fleetliner" and expecting to preform like a Mack or Western Star.
When I started this post I was wanting some feedback from people other then the locals around here who run them motors. It seems the 366 might be a tank motor that's a little under powered but it can take a hell of a lot of abuse. I got a 427 in the garage that I'm getting prep'd for replacement when this motor goes. I have tossed the idea of a small diesel this or that. Now if I had to make a living with this truck that would be different, it's just a truck to have around to use for when I'm laid off or whatever.
Making a living with a single axle or any dump truck around here is pretty tough. I don't know how many people I have seen lose their newer trucks and the folks with the older ones are still running.
What kind of Mack do you have and how is it spec'd out? Was it a factory dump truck or a converted road tractor?

 

[Willis Bushogin]

starting

Anyone here ever tried to pull start a dump truck? I have one that I have to move this weekend that hasn't been started in over 3 years. I put three new batteries on it, cleaned all the connections, rebuilt the starter and still the same result...it turns over like the batteries are nearly dead. I even ran a pair of 00 gauge cables directly from the batteries to the starter...same results. I'm considering towing or pulling it to start it, but have never done this with a truck this big. Anyone here ever done it? If so, do you have any advice?

As stated, there is alot of info you are not providing us. gas/diesel/air brakes/year model/etc, kind of tranny
I would see if you can turn the engine over with a pull bar, or take the starter off and use a pry bar to turn the flywheel. It sounds like something is preventing the engine to turn, could be
1.stuck engine/seized rings
2.water on top of the piston (head gasket, cracked head/block, etc)
3.unburnt fuel on top of piston, locking it up (mostly a diesel problem)
4.is the tranny/clutch stuck in gear causing you to try to turn the rears when starting

I have pulled dump trucks to start, be sure to have a good driver in the dump truck, so he doesnt rear in the puller truck. I almost bought a dump truck a few months ago. It was a 88 Ford L9000 tandem, L10 Cummins diesel, 155,000 miles. It had been sitting about 3 years, tried to jump it and no luck, I ended up pulling it and did get it started, but if you cut it off it wouldnt turn over and Im loosing water. I didnt buy the truck, but it was a cracked head, letting water get on top off the piston. If its a diesel, air brakes, you have to charge the air system and make sure you have the fuel shutoff valve it the correct position (not all engines have this) mostly Cummins.
Keep us posted, good luck

 

[jmac]

amscontr, My Mack has 38,000 rears and 18 fronts, em6 motor and 7 speed,
here is a photo:

 

[Duromax04]

The brakes are going to be your hard part for pull starting an engine. If you can't pressurized them to release them, then you are stuck.

If it is a diesel, which I am guessing it is with 3 batteries, then you might want to pull the injectors and spin the engine over and see what blows out. If it is hydrolocking, you will know when you do that. After you do that and put the injectors back in, and if you can get it to turn over, shoot some ether in it while cranking. But before you do that, check your fuel filters and all that to make sure you are getting fuel.

 

[Speedpup]

I have a 1984 GMC 7000 since new 5/2 speed tranny, 366 gasser, hydraulic brakes, 28,000 GVWR & 18' flat bed. Had a 1975 C-5000 Chevy before that. I have been looking at the same dash and cab for 34 years.

Use to pull a Lull telehandler on trailer and the truck loaded which was just about 60,000 pounds. Still going strong with no problems. Long Island is fairly flat except for a few locations. Not a rock it by any means but I get their and if I use all the gears it is fine. Emission preheat tubes rotted out few years ago. Engine still runs good. Now it is so old it doesn't even have to have emission testing any more Truck weighs about 10,000 empty. I hope they bury me in it. Still has original exhaust on it.

I think I will get it repainted for the second time soon. I have a new hood as the original rusted on the sides but I just patched it up. This time I'll drop on the new hood. It has been a great truck. No regrets on the 366 I think just the bore is different on the 427.

 

[tetnt07]

sounds like the cylinders are galled from some one trying to start it over and over and over. when the engine doesnt start you dont get any lubrication and the rings just grind away at the cyls till they just drag something fierce. i worked on a new 502 that a guy thought he could install himself he got it put in but his wiring was not up to snuff, so when he tried to start it , no start. but insted of seeking help he just kept on cranking and cranking till about two months later he brought it to my shop. well it goes without saying the pistons, rings , cylinder walls were done. pull starting might just tear it all up. good luck!