1988 318 engine

[LucF]

Hello Group,

I'm hoping to get some guidance here, as I'm not sure where to start or who to ask. My spouse owns a 1988 Dodge 350 camper van with the trusty 318 engine, which has 160,000 km on it. We've had it since 2020.

So far, the engine runs well, doesn’t consume oil, and has been reliable on every trip. However, my spouse feels uneasy about taking a 36-year-old vehicle on long road trips. She avoids areas with steep climbs, worried the van might not make it to the top or might not stop at a stop sign at the bottom.

My question is: For this 318 engine, is there any specific overhaul or maintenance I should consider to ensure it stays reliable for many years to come? Are there particular aspects of the engine that need special attention? What’s most likely to fail on an engine of this age?

 

[Icetech]

Hello Group,

I'm hoping to get some guidance here, as I'm not sure where to start or who to ask. My spouse owns a 1988 Dodge 350 camper van with the trusty 318 engine, which has 160,000 km on it. We've had it since 2020.

So far, the engine runs well, doesn’t consume oil, and has been reliable on every trip. However, my spouse feels uneasy about taking a 36-year-old vehicle on long road trips. She avoids areas with steep climbs, worried the van might not make it to the top or might not stop at a stop sign at the bottom.

My question is: For this 318 engine, is there any specific overhaul or maintenance I should consider to ensure it stays reliable for many years to come? Are there particular aspects of the engine that need special attention? What’s most likely to fail on an engine of this age?

if it's not making noise and no smoke, i would check compression to see how things are doing and i would 100% change the timing chain with that many miles. It all comes down to how well it was taken care of. Then normal maintenance **** like plugs/oil and all that..

That 318 might also have a factory roller cam in it, the 85-i think 93 were old school 318s but with the roller cam bosses in the block like a magnum known as a "Roller LA" or La roller.. whatever.. if you ever have the dist out you can see if it has the roller lifter stuffs in the valley. My 85 had a roller block but flat tappet cam

 

[chryslercruiser]

Maintenance items like spark plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor, as well as maybe a carb rebuild if the 88 vans still had a carburetor .... NOT saying it needs them, but they could be considered maintenance items... a mechanical fuel pump (only if you have a carb) would be something i would carry on trips!

The one thing that I would consider is to replace the timing chain and gears... If you get one for a 340 (double row timing gear) they will wear better.. A

The factory usually used a plastic cam gear, or nylon coated aluminum for quiet operation. Over time the nylon gets brittle and will suddenly flake or break off and the timing chain then has enough slack to jump a tooth and your cam timing is off by one or more teeth.. resulting in really bad running, or the engine just stops..

The cam timing set and mechanical fuel pump is really the only things I can think of that might fail suddenly due to age.. On the fuel pump, if yours is still working ok, don't change it out of concern, because some of the new ones are problematic..

 

[318willrun]

Run it ..... Seriously, we do. Check hoses and belts, carry a couple of the simple items and don't look back

 

[azaustin]

If you have access to an oscilloscope you can check for excess slack in the timing chain with that. That won’t tell you if you have gear about to fail, however.

 

[Darter6]

That 318 might also have a factory roller cam in it,

Yes I have one out of a Dodge Diplomat. Run forever with regular maintenance.

Check hoses and belts,

That would be the best. Go thru the cooling system. Rad,water pump, all hoses and belts.
Next the fuel system as stated above. Same with transmission fluid,filter service.
Unless I am mistaken a 88 may even have a timing chain tensioner.
They greatly improved the gears and may not have a factor at 160K. Unless the van didn't see good maintenance over the years. Regardless anything can break at any time.If such van is in overall good shape,dive and enjoy.

 

[mygasser]

easiest way for the 'layman' to check how much stretch the timing chain has is pop the distributor cap off and rock the crankshaft back and forth on the damper bolt. the further it moves without the rotor moving in the dizzy then the more slack there is. you don't want much slack at all.
to be fair at that mileage it's worth fitting a new set as mentioned above, just to be safe.
neil.

 

[LucF]

Thank you all for your responses. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Your wife is a smart girl
The first thing I would do is check the chain, and the second is to do a compression test. If it passes the compression test, I would go thru the cooling system, and the fuel system. Only then would I start spending money.
If it oil burns oil, I would consider replacing the valve seals.

And I would check the EGR passage under the carb. They tend to coke up and eventually the choke won't work, and the carb will cook.
If it has a heat control valve in the exhaust manifold and it still works, service it.
Make sure the A/C belts are new, the system is topped up and it blows cold! hell knows no fury like an overheated I-told-you-so wife.

Check your tires.

If you're trip includes climbing up mountains, you better make sure you have plenty of cylinder pressure, that your trans has an oil-cooler, and fresh oil, and service your diff.
If your engine bogs down, when going uphill, and your brakes won't hold, you better be all prayed-up and ready to meet Jesus.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Check the tuneup for good condition. Check belts and hoses. Check for leaking gaskets and seals. Anything that might put you down. Other than that, drive the wheels off it.

 

[George Jets]

That should be the good 318 Roller Cam Engine.

9.2:1 compression ratio, flat top pistons. Drop a 4 barrel on it > Oh Boy, Oh Boy....

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