318 build!!!

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7dswinger

7dswinger

MOPAR's rule
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My current 318's got a tick/knock going on now so I can finally give myself an excuse for a new engine :D
I know there's a lot of these posts here, did a search, read them but I still have questions as this is my first time re-building an engine.

I'm going to go look at a few good candidates to rebuild in the next few weeks.

Not sure what cam to go with, I'm thinking about either a lunati voodoo or high efficiency cam and lifter kit. I believe I can't go more than .454 on the lift but correct me if I'm wrong.

Thinking about going with keith black pistons, thinking about kb167 std's, want to get the compression up but I still want to run ~83 if I can. 318's have floating pins so I'd have to match that up right? I want to re-use the rods if I can.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to replace the studs, if I go ARP am I going to have to change anything around?

Other than that I can't think of anything right now that's perplexing me.
 
7dswinger said:
My current 318's got a tick/knock going on.

Thinking about going with keith black pistons, thinking about kb167 std's, want to get the compression up but I still want to run ~83 if I can.

318's have floating pins so I'd have to match that up right? I want to re-use the rods if I can.
Click to expand...


First thing that caught my eye was the "std" pistons.......you really need to measure properly or get it to a machine shop to determine if a overbore is needed.

Your final compression with the kb's and cam choice may or may not let you run junk pump fuel. Again measurements and calculations...

As far as the .454" lift, you can go a little more without guide work, but again, the cam required and the accompanying springs may change that.

I would assume your rod pins are pressed fit also.

I know I didn't really answer any questions, just a few more things to think about...:D
 
Your not running low octane fuel with those
Pistons and 318 heads.

Purchase new rods. It's cheaper than fixing/reconditioning the old ones.
Don't worry about if the piston floats are not. The rod makes that choice for you. There is no power differance that you could feel between the two.

Replace all bolts and nuts with a quality unit. ARP, Pioneeer etc....
Studs? What studs?

Max valve lift can be altered easy. Have the machinist fix that. That valve lift is low. Don't worry.
 
No worries anything is usefull.
If that's going to be the case with those pistons I may just stay with stock ones. Not looking for a high performance build but I don't want it to be a dog.

Alright that makes sense with the rods. Any good one's to look for? Off the top of my head comes Scat, I can pick up a set of 8 for 350 off jegs,

If only they had a rotating assembly for a 318 I'd pick that up for it but appears Scat only has them for the 340 and 360...

Sorry I meant bolts not studs, brain fart
 
I say take it apart first then see what is wrong with it. Yeah maybe your spot on and it spun a rod bearing and screwed the crank up pretty good. But maybe it spun it and it didn't mess it up that bad, or maybe something else was making noise. I just feel like if possible don't make any decisions till you know what your working with.

sometimes you gotta drive it to work the next weekend so that is not possible which I totally understand.
 
First check and measure all the neccassary things like boresize etc.
Then make your decission for Pistons.
I like the KB167. But i´m not sure how to drive these with that low octan Fuel.
As long as i come from Germany, there is no Fuel out here with that low oc´s.
Minimum here is 95.

for a nice running 318 with a little bit higher CR is the 02 Voodoo cam a good choise.
Good alround Cam. Some Headers with that will be a nice little Street Teenager.

If you buy new Rods or Poistons, you have to rebalance the Engine anyway.
So if you count all the costs for that together like Bearings, Pistons, Rods, Rings etc.
it is maybe an option to go with a small Strokerkit like the 318-349.

http://www.rpmmachine.com/318-349-chrysler-stroker.shtml

I build an Engine with this Strokerkit and i was really impressed from the Power and driveability! Build that with the Lunati 02 Cam and stock Heads. Ede Performer intake and Headers.

Make your math! I think with a small Stroker it´s more sensefull because you have all new Parts and don´t have to reuse the 40 Year old stuff ;)

Just an impression
 
I'd go with Kb's and 360 heads, if I remember right zero decked, .040" gasket and 68 cc chambers give you 9:1cr
 
Do yourself a favor, look at the specs for the connecting rods and let me know what the difference is between all the small block rods.
 
Stroke it if you wish, you'll be at 2K before you leave the engine stand.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Do yourself a favor, look at the specs for the connecting rods and let me know what the difference is between all the small block rods.
Click to expand...

It will cost about $50 more to recondition the rods with new bolts, than to buy new rods.

The stock rods have oil squirt holes, and the new Eagle rods do not. For those who prefer to have the squirt hole, it may be worth the extra $$ to recondition the old rods.
 
My machine shop charges $85 plus bolts to resize big end of rods and equalize center to center. That is plenty good enough for me.
 
I'm going to look at a good running 318 later this week hopefully. I'm keeping the car running and driving while I build an engine/trans on the side for it.

at 85 a rod it'd be cheaper to buy a set of Scat rods, or is it 85 for the set???

If I go with the stroker kit I'd have to bore the block bigger, standard bore is 3.91 and the stroker kit's bore size is 3.940. Don't know if I want to go that way if I don't have to. If I have to bore it than that's a possibility.
 
Eagle doesn't have oiling up top there rods?!?!

Screw Eagle
 
i just bought Eagle Sir i rods and those have small holes on wrist pins for oiling.
mine were floating if that matters
 
My 2 cents is that you need to clarify what's currently wrong with it.

A knock and a tick are totally different.

A tick could be as simple as an exhaust leak, a bad lifter, or a bent pushrod.

A knock is usually a lot more serious.

Have you done a compression check?

Have you removed the valve covers?
 
compressions fine, you can't hear it from up top and I have pulled the covers, nothing seem wrong. It's coming from the bottom of the engine. It's not quite a tick but not quite a knock either, hard to explain, I'll try and get a video or something of it today.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Do yourself a favor, look at the specs for the connecting rods and let me know what the difference is between all the small block rods.
Click to expand...

stock rod length is 6.123", which from what I've seen is the same for the 340 and the 360. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
 
Take it apart and check it out, if it sucks, go grab a Magnum, be done with it. $200 at PNP.
 
I'll check flex plate again, still checking for exhaust leaks but so far nothing.
I've looked at swapping in a magnum and I'll be in a grand for one with the engine and all the other parts to drop it in. Still an option, I'm taking my time planning this out.

Edit: Can't find any exhaust leaks. Magnum swap may be the way to go in the end though. I'm just worried about getting a dud, but i'd think as long as a the oil and fluids are good it'll be fine.
 
If you go look at a Magnum (or anything), bring a battery and compression tester (and maybe a starter if they remove it) to the yard with you and bump it over to test compression before you even hand over the money or put it in your truck. At least you can test that much even if it's out of the vehicle.
 
If you do go the Magnum route.

PNP doesn't allow batteries in the yaad, might want to sneak one in taken off the battery rack when they aren't looking and take it inside the yard, bring it back when your done.

Honestly, if you can't do the compression test, the newer engines don't have the drawbacks the old ones do, they go forever thanks to better metalurgy, minimal core shift and metric rings. Pick the one that feels tight when you crank the front with a rachet, doesn't have too much gunk in the lifter valley and doesn't have chips of metal when you pull the oil pan and move on. Guarantee you can still see crosshatching on the bores.

Have them mark the heads, and take the mini starter too.

Also, the whole crack between the valves is more the sky is falling than anything else, sure they may crack, doesn't mean it's gonna hit the water jacket. Check them out, wish I would have investigated mine further before I pulled the trigger on new ones...
 
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