abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
cheapest, easiest and best bang for your buck is to recurve the distributor. 
Cheap 318 performance mods.
- Thread starter Calhoun
- Start date
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Between abodyjoe & AJ’s recommendations, those two (distributor recurve and torque converter) will give the best immediate bang for the buck with the most noticeable results.
michiganpat
Well-Known Member
the "cracked" ones are fine to run, they never leak water where they crack between the seats, might be able to get some for really cheap, and they flow better than a 360 head, but with a small chamber for compression. 1.6 ratio rockers also give you more lift/flow out of the cam.
IIRC 20 years ago I found a potential "cheap" performance spring for them, the stock springs out of a GM 3400. More Information for MELLING VS2224. uses an 8mm valve, IIRC you're limited to about .480" lift....
Even though I recommended against there use, this is what I am doing right now. The cracks appear in between the valves and effect nothing unless there huge. The cracked heads are currently up top a 5.9 in a Duster with an old Crane Hyd cam, pictured below with the normal bolt on HP parts.
The new lift to .530 is handled by a Hughes. Engines trick spring kit.
I gave my reasons above as to why to skip the Magnum head in favor of aluminum which I stand by. Of course, should he decide to move away from the stock head.
You will HATE a 3500 RPM converter on a street car with a small cam*.
Have to say it again- HATE.
*Unless you're one of a select few that enjoy it, and if you are before long you'll have a several grand or more into it and possibly be installing a 360/59/408, so it won't matter.
Have to say it again- HATE.
*Unless you're one of a select few that enjoy it, and if you are before long you'll have a several grand or more into it and possibly be installing a 360/59/408, so it won't matter.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I think "cheap" has to be defined here no? If we are talking effective use of funds put a 360 in it you'd need the heads anyway... 
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abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
I think "cheap" has to be defined here no? If we are talking effective use of funds put a 360 in it you'd need the heads anyway...
Define? It was defined.
It was in the 1st post by the OP but yet again, the thread devolves into the ridiculous mantra of spend more money!
He asked for cheap effective 318 engine mods only. Nothing about a converter nothing about gears, just the engine.
The first mention of 360 - 408 ,AKA larger engines has just been made. Standby soon it will be big block! The stroker big block, then Gen III HEMI swap, then “Look at what I found for you, a cheap Hellcat engine for only $6K! Best deal going!!!!”
This threads initial advice is done. I count 1 posters advice outside the engine mods requested a good one and one to follow. After that, the thread has run its course and the good advice is done. From here it’ll turn into a **** show with ridiculous advice that has nothing to do with the original question unless someone goes out of there way to actually give good advice for the original question for the 318 engine.
And the **** show has begun!
ECHO - EcHo - echo —- echo Echo — ecgo
michiganpat
Well-Known Member
back about 15 years ago, I picked up a magnum 318 with a spun main bearing for like $200. I took the original 318 that was in my '85 5th ave that had about 65k miles on it, reringed/bearinged it, had a 5angle VJ done on the magnum engine's heads, home bowl port and gasket matched them, used the MP .028" thick head gasket, and had the '85's roller cam sent off to Bullet to be reground to the lobes I specified in my post. reused the stock magnum rockers, used hughes 1110 springs and 2.2L mopar retainers, and found the proper length pushrods for it from summit. back then on moparts there was a jig floating around to redrill the mag heads to LA, I think I used that.....I may have had ~$1k into that long block. took the headers/intake/carb (hedman, RPM air gap, 600CFM edelbrock electric choke AFB) that I had on the 360 I had put in my 5th ave and put it on that 318. it ran just as hard as the 360 (reringed shortblock with bowl ported/gasket matched 1.88" valve heads and a comp XE262) but with better low end response and much better fuel economy (like 20-25% better).
honestly, instead of throwing $$ at a 70's 318 with a cam/headers/intake and those poor flowing heads, it might be worth looking for a good running magnum 318 as a starting platform if you can pick it up for a couple hundred bucks. hardest part would be redrilling the heads to LA intake pattern unless you're OK with running one of the $150 chinese knockoff air gap manifolds https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW8XLRGD?tag=fabo03-20...
I won’t argue that but then again, I think a re reading of the original post is in order to better answer the actual question asked by the OP.
If the question was not, “What can I do cheaply to my current 318”, I’d say your answer is perfect but it’s not along with a bunch of others here making your answer not only wrong but of no actual help to the OP and his quest for knowledge.
Even though it makes sense… but then again, since your suggestion getting another engine, you should have suggested a 5.9. Or a stroker kit for the 5.9, then suggest a blower, aluminum heads, 5 spd manual, F.I. And etc….
Or just straight to a stroker and poked Gen II HEMI with a 10/71.
Why didn’t you suggest that?
And the thread degrades even further with no one giving a **** to the original question. Just spend mo money! And lots of it. Spend it like the U.S. government throws money at its problems, real or perceived, like the Ukraine! Yes, yes that’s it! He should spend billions of dollars stroking and poking his engine and re-upping his drivetrain for his beater
Bali, you got it, you are the man! You’re so freaking smart. Why are you a freaking genius? Oh wait you are a genius that’s right. And you spend money spend money spend money more money more money screw him spend money spend more
That I tell you a little secret, spend money!
Never mind working with what you have screw that crap spend money!
Thanks to everyone for being helpful!!!!
You guys are incredibly awesome! Now go get your tattoo, spend money!
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Ill just say the 70s 318 is cheap or free for a reason...
Ill just say the 70s 318 is cheap or free for a reason...
I’ll just say, your of no help.
Re read the original question and answer it, or not.
Spending more money on another engine isn’t the answer to the OP’s question even though (from a certain prospective) it makes sense. And I’m not arguing that point ether. But then again, that’s not answering the question.
If anything, your part of the problem!
Spend money, now go spend more money! Great! You’re finished, now dump the engine and get a bigger one! Spend more money.
Wait! Did you stroke it with it set up for N02? Dang dude! You should have done that! Now spend more money!
And the **** storm continues! Spend mo money!
Don’t answer the question, just spend money.
Never mind you have what most everyone thinks is a worthless POS, spend money.
Hold on! Let me be snide and make a F’ed up comment so you feel like **** under someone sneaker, ready…
“Ill just say the 70s 318 is cheap or free for a reason.”
But don’t worry! Just spend money! It’s easy, here! I’ll do it for you!!!!
Add in text of idiotically spending money on what he never wanted in the first place.
michiganpat
Well-Known Member
well, the original poster did mention getting 302 heads for it in the original post. if he is thinking upgrading heads, the best bang for the buck will be a set of OEM magnums, because you also get the added bonus of 7% more lift on the same cam due to the different rocker ratio.
looks like he already bought the '77 318, so that is water under the bridge. personally I would have sought out an '85-up 318 or a magnum 318 as my base to build because of the OEM roller cam hardware, and in my experience, regrinding the factory roller to something a bit more aggressive was less expensive and more reliable than a flat tappet cam cam and lifter package.
I wouldn’t worry about it, there’s nothing wrong what you said. Until now this thread to me seemed to be going fine.
Might as well save your breath. There's a lot of "not listening" in this thread. (and not reading, or reading and not comprehending)
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
HookedOnPhonics ® | Digital Learn To Read Program you actually have to click on it to truly appreciate it...LOL
At toolman - The rant is in fun… but honest
So now we’re on Rinse & Repeat?
I like that idea. I did the same-ish, when my daughter wrecked her ‘00 Durango. Nabbed that 5.9 right fast.
And what was my reply to that and the subsequent reply to when someone mentioned about the crack in the head?
So now we’re on Rinse & Repeat?
I like that idea. I did the same-ish, when my daughter wrecked her ‘00 Durango. Nabbed that 5.9 right fast.
Swap meet "Performer" intake- $100-$150
Swap meet 500-625 AFB carb- $100-$150
Local shop dual exhaust- $ depends on shop
Stock Mopar electronic ignition if it doesn't already have it- about $150
Clutch fan if it doesn't have it- $varies but should be about $50
Good quality spark plugs and wires- $varies
Advance spring replacement/tuning- $ought to be real cheap
After that it gets pricey.
Swap meet 500-625 AFB carb- $100-$150
Local shop dual exhaust- $ depends on shop
Stock Mopar electronic ignition if it doesn't already have it- about $150
Clutch fan if it doesn't have it- $varies but should be about $50
Good quality spark plugs and wires- $varies
Advance spring replacement/tuning- $ought to be real cheap
After that it gets pricey.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Personally and in my experience I cant see seeking out 318 parts (302 heads) the natural progression that I went through as a young man is play around with the 318, cam, headers carb exhaust, ran good but want better ... seek out and find a 340-360 ...that is the natural way of things not seeking out heads (done it) paying to have them redone at a machine shop (done it) machining this porting that only to end up with another engine (340-360-5.9 Magnum) any way and that one that you dumped all the money into to start with sits in the corner collecting dust (done that too unloaded it at a loss... ) I understand having fun and hobbies cost money but what any 318 guy is truly after is only satisfied with a 340-360...it simply costs too much to get it out of aa 318 that Vizard build will be the proof of the exuberant cost . OP said cheap I think that has been covered here there is only so much "cheap upgrades" on a 318 then you hit the "now its getting expensive what do you want to do build the bigger engine or try and prove something with this 318...?" wall...
Ant
Well-Known Member
I should point out that all the good information we gave is only applicable to keeping the whole budget low enough if the engine being used is in good health and is known to run fine with no issues. If there is anything iffy found that would require a machine shop to fix then this could become expensive to do.
So keep that in mind and hopefully this engine is in pretty good shape.
So keep that in mind and hopefully this engine is in pretty good shape.
BTW... to the OP who has probably given up on the forum already... Same mods as any motor... get a nice mild cam.. good intake/carb.. and all that stuff... you said you are looking to make it run better, not be a race car.. small mods will make it run better.. don't have to get nuts to make a nice driver.
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