Today, dollar for dollar, is the 318 faster than the 340 ???

Agreed! Way to often the words of “Dump the teen and get a 340” are used without care or concern. I think it is mostly due to a low reading comprehension if they even read the thread at all. In conjunction, the OE post er looking for basic help on a hop up of there engine is t getting the help. You “THINK” your helping them but your not with there limited budget or just the simple desire to work with what they have. And the “Just grab a 5.9” isn’t as cheap as purchase and dump in and go ether. Close, but no cigar.

There is not a damn good reason at all to throw away a good running 318 in favor of a $700-$1,000 340 block that needs work starting with basic machine work. Then there is the cylinder wall check. Is it even worth a boring? Or can it get away with a honing?

With a engine that is already running good and shows good on a compression check, why not just go from there?