Can you ID this engine?
- Thread starter G-MAN
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I'll take a stab
Chrysler
300
383"RB"(raised B) engine Fuel Injected
Chrysler
300
383"RB"(raised B) engine Fuel Injected
Chrysler 300, 1968
440k engine
Fuel injectiom
440k engine
Fuel injectiom
Right engine, wrong car.
This photo is of a 361 CID fuel injected big block "wedge" in a 1958 Plymouth Fury. (Ever see the movie "Christine"?) 1958 saw the introduction of the famous Chrysler big block wedge engines that would completely replace the Hemi across the board in 1959. In 58 they came in Plymouths and Desotos and displaced 361 cubic inches. The FI version was rated at 335 HP.
The Bendix FI system was offered as an expensive option on the Chrysler 300D, the Plymouth Fury, the Desoto Adventurer, and possibly on a Dodge model. Only a handfull of Chrysler cars left the factory with this option. In theory it was a superb system that was light years ahead of its time. In practice it rarely worked properly and almost all cars that were sold with the FI system were eventually returned to the dealers to be refitted with dual 4 bbl carbs.
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Fireflite - wedge
Firedome-hemi
The 361 was a screaming engine. My cousin had a Desoto with it (same car - different badges/chrome). Loved that "touch and go" push button shifter for the TF trans.
Firedome-hemi
The 361 was a screaming engine. My cousin had a Desoto with it (same car - different badges/chrome). Loved that "touch and go" push button shifter for the TF trans.
Was that a low pressure continious injection system????
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Nope. Firedome was the hemi (duh - dome) Although later versions carried the Firedome logo - it was created due to the hemi. I never said that there was a hemi available in the 361 in 58 (although I didn't know that there wasn't).
The DeSoto FireDome needed only 276.1 cubic inches, 7.0:1 compression, a two barrel carburetor, and regular gasoline for the same 160hp. In addition, FireDome's hemi-head limited pinging and resisted power robbing combustion chamber deposits.
Desoto-lite
[ April 09, 2006, 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]
The DeSoto FireDome needed only 276.1 cubic inches, 7.0:1 compression, a two barrel carburetor, and regular gasoline for the same 160hp. In addition, FireDome's hemi-head limited pinging and resisted power robbing combustion chamber deposits.
Desoto-lite
[ April 09, 2006, 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]
Gary, the problem with your "theory" is that the Desoto Fireflite also had a Hemi in it.
Take a look at what is written on the valve covers of this Hemi in a 55 Fireflite. You'll note that is doesn't say "Firedome." It says Fireflite. The one in the Firdome model had Firedome on the valve covers.
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Well, I cannot effectively argue about this ..at this time. I have, in the distant past, had bona fide Chrysler documentation on the origins of this distinction. This is, admittedly, 30 years ago.
If you're talking about like the old Bosch K-Jetronitc system, where the injectors literally delivered fuel continually, the answer is no.
The Bendix Electrojector was very much like today's pulse modulated injection systems. It had a pressurized common injection rail for each bank of cylinders and each injector was solenoid fired. The "distributor" that timed the firing of the injectors was driven off the ignition distributor. You can clearly see it in this photo right under that heater hose that is snaking its way around the air cleaner housings:
Here's a pic with the air cleaners removed. You can see the individual wires going to the injectors:
Thanks for the history lessons, very cool.
To confirm, according to Peter Sessler's "Ultimate American V8 Data Book", the Fireflite name was first used in '55 on cars with that model name. The displacement that year was 291. The engines were the same as each other again in '56 but bumped up to 330, the Adventurer that year was 341. In '57 all Hemis were 341, and the Firedome name was used on the 2 bbl., Fireflite was 4 bbl. The 325 w/polysperical heads was a one year addition to the Hemis in '57, it was called Firesweep . 1958 was the first year for the B-wedge head at 350, or 361 in the Adventurer and the Hemis were gone. Chrysler's name for the engine family in general at that time was Turboflash.
Boy, those marketing guys sure made it sound fun, not much of that these days.
To confirm, according to Peter Sessler's "Ultimate American V8 Data Book", the Fireflite name was first used in '55 on cars with that model name. The displacement that year was 291. The engines were the same as each other again in '56 but bumped up to 330, the Adventurer that year was 341. In '57 all Hemis were 341, and the Firedome name was used on the 2 bbl., Fireflite was 4 bbl. The 325 w/polysperical heads was a one year addition to the Hemis in '57, it was called Firesweep . 1958 was the first year for the B-wedge head at 350, or 361 in the Adventurer and the Hemis were gone. Chrysler's name for the engine family in general at that time was Turboflash.
Boy, those marketing guys sure made it sound fun, not much of that these days.
HOLY SMOKES!
GMan II is turning out to be a serious Chrysler buff.
GMan II is turning out to be a serious Chrysler buff.
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