Geez after reading this I'm thinking either your engine is pretty worn out, your transmission is slipping or the fuel injection really is as bad as these guys say it is. Do you use the stock block to build a 408? it sounds like an interesting proposition but I don't see why you couldn't make the 360 put out a ton of power by just boring it to a standard oversize using some flat top pistons, alluminum heads and a cam designed for low end grunt. any way you decide to go be sure to ditch the stupid stock tbi setup.

remember i think the stock 360's back then pushed under 200hp and ft pds of tq

 

There is nothing wrong with the factory fuel injection. It is a dead simple system but people are to lazy to properly diagnose the problems, instead they get a problem and keep throwing parts at it to try and fix it and end up spending a fortune.

To the OP make sure you check your timing, basic tune up items, etc. Your truck should be able to tow with no problems.

 

I might have given a wrong impression there, the biggest trouble I have heard of from guys on here with the fuel inj system is it seems to be untuneable which is why i suggested the OP junk it if he wants to make more power.

OP my Carb'd 4 speed 85 360 would have no issues towing a trailer that size right now, it has towed much heavier ones and only has like 3.23 gears but honestly uphill into the wind I too would want more power

 

Yes, the rated hp and tq is very low for that year. I want to bump the timing up, but I'm unsure if and how you can with it being all part of the tbi control unit. I've built a few carb dodge motors and was very impressed with the 318s hp and tq with a mild tq cam on regular hydraulic lifters. This motor has a roller cam and I don't know if I can change them out to regular lifters. The roller cams are very pricey. However, if the power gain is worth the money, I would go that route. My other dilemma is I have to keep the air system for emissions. I know the air pump takes very little power to run, so I can work around that. I'm just needing some advice for a decent build and I thought a stroker was the way to go.

 

have you done a cylinder compression test ever? because if the rings are weak its not gonna make power from the excessive blow by

 

120 to 125 each hole. Not great, but not bad either

 

I don't have the specs right by me but that sounds real low to me......

 

120-125 is ok but the number is also dependent on the altitude where he lives. A number of things affect the outcome of the compression test; cranking speed, temperature, altitude, worn cam lobes, worn timing chain\gears, etc.

I didn't see how many miles are on this truck but you might want to check for excessive wear in the timing chain\gears by performing a deflection test on it.

 

My pickup has 89,000 miles on it and my elevation is 2,600. Cranking speed I'm unsure, I removed all the spark plugs before I did it so the motor could spin as free as possible.