You ain't spoiled nuthin. Anybody whose ever turned a serious wrench knows good and well there were forged crank LA318s. It's just a fact. Maybe not one this yahoo wants to swallow, but it's a fact.
318LA Myth's still being created!
- Thread starter polyjohn
- Start date
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You ain't spoiled nuthin. Anybody whose ever turned a serious wrench knows good and well there were forged crank LA318s. It's just a fact. Maybe not one this yahoo wants to swallow, but it's a fact.
Cast cranks were phased in around 1970/1972. All original 273's and 318's had forged steel cranks till then. You would not put a forged crank in a 273 and cast crank in a 318. I have a basement full of forged steel 273 cranks. Guess how many cast cranks are down there? Chevrolet also made a running change, based on year, from forged cranks to cast cranks. They were cheaper.
I have a 68 318 and the crank is cast. Canadian car. 68 was the first year for 318s in Canadian cars and trucks. I have had a few of each. 67 still had the poly. Kim
If I remember correctly, early, till 67, polysphere 318's and 273's use the same forged crank.
I also sent a forged crank to a machine shop years ago to be turned. It came back as cast. WTF. I drove up there and asked him what was up. He said he may of made a mistake but didn’t think so. I said that’s my crank on the shelf and I can prove it. He said I don’t think so. I then showed him my initials stamped into it. Yup I was on my way home with my forged crank. Never used him again. Kim
Not in the Canadian cars they didn’t. Kim
What do you mean?
The cranks were different. Kim
I remember looking in the 65 or 66 parts book and they were the same part number? We are talking about poly 318's?
I know the LA 4" crank is a DIRECT drop in into a poly 318.......but now we're kinda driftin. LOL
Yes
62 or later poly 318, yes. Pre-62 poly 318 no. (Now we're really drifting. . . .)
Indeed. LOL The pre 62 Polys have a lot more in common with the early Hemi. If we're gonna drift, let's spin that beeotch out. lol
cudamark
Well-Known Member
My take on small block cranks from disassembling hundreds of them through the last 40 years. Wait, let me dig my foxhole a bit deeper first....
Ok, here's what I've run across.....'62-early '67 poly 318's were all forged and would fit both auto and manual trans applications. '64-7 273's were all forged, with all machined for a pilot bushing for manual trans apps, and some made their way into automatic apps along with the ones that didn't get the final machine work for the pilot bushing. They were all made with the small converter register except for A100's which used 318 cranks since their automatic transmissions were all 727's. '67 LA318's were all forged. '68 started the cast cranks, both in the 273 and 318, with the same situation on pilot bushing machine work as the 273 forged. '68-April of '72 340's were all forged, and cast after that. 360's were all cast. Many truck and other heavy duty applications had forged cranks in their 318's, all machined for a pilot bushings on the ones I ran across. Some cranks have different weights and were balanced differently due to rod and piston weights. IMO, it's always a good idea to rebalance an engine if you change any internal parts that could change the balance. All bets are off on export vehicles. Ok, I've got my helmet on.....let the shelling begin!
Ok, here's what I've run across.....'62-early '67 poly 318's were all forged and would fit both auto and manual trans applications. '64-7 273's were all forged, with all machined for a pilot bushing for manual trans apps, and some made their way into automatic apps along with the ones that didn't get the final machine work for the pilot bushing. They were all made with the small converter register except for A100's which used 318 cranks since their automatic transmissions were all 727's. '67 LA318's were all forged. '68 started the cast cranks, both in the 273 and 318, with the same situation on pilot bushing machine work as the 273 forged. '68-April of '72 340's were all forged, and cast after that. 360's were all cast. Many truck and other heavy duty applications had forged cranks in their 318's, all machined for a pilot bushings on the ones I ran across. Some cranks have different weights and were balanced differently due to rod and piston weights. IMO, it's always a good idea to rebalance an engine if you change any internal parts that could change the balance. All bets are off on export vehicles. Ok, I've got my helmet on.....let the shelling begin! 
pishta
I know I'm right....
I know they all F'n leak......and a jag water pump cost 1200 at auto zone. Thats enough for me to never buy one. I have had 2 318-3 forged 'truck' cranks and I have only owned 2 318's. Just get a 273 crank or even a 318 poly crank, both forged. PAW sold drilled poly cranks as 340 replacement cranks. I bought one for like $249 and ran it. It was even balanced to factory 340 parts.
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furyus2
Well-Known Member
Reading this thread reminds me why I don't post much here anymore. It's ok if the op was wrong. But hammering him, or calling calling him a yahoo (rusty)are just not how a supposed community of Mopar lovers should treat each other. It seems like whenever one person who doesn't know everything gets their nose smacked for it.
I'm not saying we should all play kissy face, but maybe instead of some good old country snarky remarks, maybe just give the correct information.
I'm not saying we should all play kissy face, but maybe instead of some good old country snarky remarks, maybe just give the correct information.
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
Well, while I agree with the sentiment, it's exactly what the OP did, and on a huge soap box. Love him or Hate him, Tony is a MoPar guy. Seems he's easy pickens though for everyone to rip into, which is funny, cuz I don't thing he gives a rats ***. Though when you come out of the gate claiming someone else is an idiot, well, you sort of get what's comin'....
-=C
pishta
I know I'm right....
Were trying, some without the name callin'.....bad scoop is bad scoop. My kung fu isn't any better than the next guys here but I recall a 318-3 truck crank being referenced and me owning one, purchased as a forged 318-3 crank. Many moons ago......"1969 was the last year for light truck forged cranks with 318 LA engines. Dan..." he was a Chrysler engineer on moparchat. I believe him.
I looked in my 1966 Plymouth parts book and the 273 and 318 Poly are the same crankshaft for that year. Probably sorted out by post #37.
Damn! Now I need to jump in-
318 engines made by Chrysler Motor Corporation for use in Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler / Imperial motor vehicles ALL (note I said “ALL” ) had crankshafts made of metal. There I said it! END of discussion.
318 engines made by Chrysler Motor Corporation for use in Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler / Imperial motor vehicles ALL (note I said “ALL” ) had crankshafts made of metal. There I said it! END of discussion.
My take on small block cranks from disassembling hundreds of them through the last 40 years. Wait, let me dig my foxhole a bit deeper first....
I think you're probably just about dead on with perhaps the only exception being 318 truck cranks. They were similar I believe to the 400 cranks used in manual transmission trucks. Those were steel cranks right up until the 400's demise. I traded for a virgin 77 400 years ago that was a truck engine out from in front of an NP435 and it had a factory forged crank.
Das a goodun!
SS Lancer
Well-Known Member
Plenty of dirt bags in our industry that would try something like that.
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