What Is the Mopar 340 Wedge Engine?
by Bobby R. Goldsmith
The Wedge engine was a Mopar motor that utilized a particular type of combustion chamber. However, many Mopar enthusiasts are confused by the 340 Wedge engine. They wrongly assume that the Mopar Wedge badging found on late-1960s Dodge and Plymouth vehicles was a marketing gimmick for non-hemi V-8 engines.
Combustion Chamber Configuration
Wedge engines featured an angled combustion chamber that provided a more efficient intake and exhaust of air, fuel and gases. In particular, the 340 Wedge was a small-block Mopar engine that featured the angled valve train and combustion chamber of a standard 340 V-8.
Popular Applications
The Mopar 340 Wedge engine was first labeled on the E-body Plymouth Duster. It could be identified by a badge that read "Wedge 340" instead of "340 V-8." The designation confused consumers at the time due to the relatively low-power of the engine and the small cubic centimeter displacement that the design featured.
Wedge Controversy
The Wedge concept was slow to take off because of this misconception. However, Mopar followed the 340 Wedge with larger and more powerful engines such as the 413 Max Wedge and the 426 Wedge.
References
Writer Bio
Bobby R. Goldsmith is a writer and editor with over 12 years of experience in journalism, marketing and academics. His work has been published by the Santa Fe Writers Project, "DASH Literary Journal," the "Inland Valley Daily Bulletin" and WiseGEEK.
