318 Cam Maybe Not

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Rustyfish

Rustyfish

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After all the threads I've read through almost seems a waste of time to go there.

Getting ready to do some engine mods after the front end gets a complete rebuild kit. Once the engine is done, I'll actually get to start enjoying the car some for the first time.
Installed a new gas tank, seals and lock ring.
Upgraded to dual master brakes.
Done many of the electrical mods. Headlight relays to come down the line.
Pulled the cluster and refurbishing that as I type.

After the front end, I have an LD4B and Edelbrock 1406 ready to go. I also pulled some 302 heads from the junkyard for $10 that need going through and valve job.

I'm just questioning whether I really need to add the expense of the cam to this and whether it'll make that big a difference.

I have the 904 column shift and original 71/4 and don't plan to upgrade as I already put in new leafs.

Car will just be for cruise nights etc. but I wouldn't mind be able to move a little bit on the street once in a while.
 
  • You don't need a cam change, it will work fine, although there are better choices than the stock cam. be sure to include a new timing chain.
  • Hope your 302 heads aren't cracked, if they are, nothin' wrong with working with the heads that were on there.
  • follow that 4bbl with a good dual exhaust system
 
rustyfish said:
After all the threads I've read through almost seems a waste of time to go there.

Getting ready to do some engine mods after the front end gets a complete rebuild kit. Once the engine is done, I'll actually get to start enjoying the car some for the first time.
Installed a new gas tank, seals and lock ring.
Upgraded to dual master brakes.
Done many of the electrical mods. Headlight relays to come down the line.
Pulled the cluster and refurbishing that as I type.

After the front end, I have an LD4B and Edelbrock 1406 ready to go. I also pulled some 302 heads from the junkyard for $10 that need going through and valve job.

I'm just questioning whether I really need to add the expense of the cam to this and whether it'll make that big a difference.

I have the 904 column shift and original 71/4 and don't plan to upgrade as I already put in new leafs.

Car will just be for cruise nights etc. but I wouldn't mind be able to move a little bit on the street once in a while.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with 318 for the simplicity of it, and not needing to break in a new cam and lifters.
Now that said, it's pretty fun having a nice little obviously non stock sound sitting at a light in traffic or idling through parking lots. (not to mention the performance increase)
 
318willrun said:
  • You don't need a cam change, it will work fine, although there are better choices than the stock cam. be sure to include a new timing chain.
  • Hope your 302 heads aren't cracked, if they are, nothin' wrong with working with the heads that were on there.
  • follow that 4bbl with a good dual exhaust system
Click to expand...
Forgot to mention, engine still has stock cast manifolds but after that it has 2" dual exhaust with low restriction mufflers.
IMG_0738.jpg
 
The intake and carb upgrade will provide the greatest gains followed by the dual exhaust, cam and head upgrade. Upgrading the rear end (you’ve probably got 2.76 or 2.94 rear gears?) to 3.23 would be your next biggest improvement after the carb/intake upgrade. As others have said, the cam upgrade would help but given the other work required when replacing a cam, it wouldn’t be as noticeable compared to the simpler carb/intake, exhaust and rear gear upgrade. Depending on what year 318 you have, you might not have much in the way of emissions meaning your distributor curve won’t need to be tweaked as much. Mine is a ‘75 so to maximize the gains of fewer emissions (ie: EGR) I upgraded the distributor as well.

I started out with the same base 318 setup as you and did the LD4B/1406 upgrade, later 340 exhaust manifolds, 2.5” dual exhaust, replaced the 7 1/4 2.76 with a 8 1/4 3.23 end and also upgraded the distributor curve. I’m really pleased with how the upgrades have woken up the 318 (well 323 since it’s 30 over).
 
I would imagine i’ve got 2.76 gears. No tags and haven’t bothered to try and figure out what they are. If I were to get a full cam kit with springs and timing chain i’d Like to stay in the $350 range or lower.
Also have put in pertonix ii.
 
rustyfish said:
After all the threads I've read through almost seems a waste of time to go there.

Getting ready to do some engine mods after the front end gets a complete rebuild kit. Once the engine is done, I'll actually get to start enjoying the car some for the first time.
Installed a new gas tank, seals and lock ring.
Upgraded to dual master brakes.
Done many of the electrical mods. Headlight relays to come down the line.
Pulled the cluster and refurbishing that as I type.

After the front end, I have an LD4B and Edelbrock 1406 ready to go. I also pulled some 302 heads from the junkyard for $10 that need going through and valve job.

I'm just questioning whether I really need to add the expense of the cam to this and whether it'll make that big a difference.

I have the 904 column shift and original 71/4 and don't plan to upgrade as I already put in new leafs.

Car will just be for cruise nights etc. but I wouldn't mind be able to move a little bit on the street once in a while.
Click to expand...

If you already have it apart, a stock 340 4 barrel cam is an excellent choice! You won't be disappointed at all! Thx, 65'
 
Cam and heads are the 2 main mods for power gain.

Stock 318 heads have enough flow for about 300 hp with reasonable cam and cr.
Obviously to get the best out of the cam and heads a 4bbl is basically a must and headers are always good but on lower level cams manifolds will work.

4bbl headers and xe262h cam on a stock long block 318 is said to make 282hp @ 5000 rpm.
 
The op didn't mention which heads he has on his engine now. The 302's if they aren't cracked (some do) are a nice improvement. They have a very efficient closed combustion chamber and flow pretty good for a stock build. They also have hardened seats for todays gas. It sounds like he has a lot of the good stuff already installed or ready to go. The dual exhaust looks good and the LD4B and the 1406 are a excellent choice. You can get into trouble with too much cam in a 318 without a converter and bigger rear gears. Keeping the @.050 duration below 220° is the key for a stock converter. Rusty likes the Comp 265DEH. It is a split cam and should work well with cast manifolds. There are quite a few cams at the 220° or below range. The closer to 200° you get, the smoother the idle and the fewer issues you have with lack of low end power and vacuum for power brakes if you have them. I have run dozens of those cams on the dyno program and all are in about the same torque and horsepower range. There's a good thread to read if you haven't already. RustyRatRod's Guide To Hot Rod Bliss
 
Still has the stock heads on now. I know it's at least mid to later 70's 318, it has hardened seats. Talked to a speed shop and they want to know what cam and springs I'll be using before they do any work. Hopefully the reason the truck I got the 302 heads from wasn't there because they were cracked. I don't think I'll be too hard to please in this area. I've chirped the tires with the 2 bbl that's on it now. But I want it still to be pretty streetable. What is the closest to a stock 340 cam?
 
Ma Mopar had a specific cam for the 4 speed 340 in 68. From 68 on they used the 340 automatic cam for all the 340's till ???72 maybe? I believe the 340's had a looser converter. There's that slippery slope again. A 340 cam in a 318 makes it idle rougher and needs a looser converter and/or gears.
 
Here's a quote from @moparmandan about a Comp he put in his Teen:

" COMP-Cams 20-220-3. 250/260 .432/.444
Took our 318 Scamp with stock bottom end around the block for its first shakedown this past weekend. 7.25 with 2.76 gears. Still did a peg leg burnout for half a block without even getting in it hard. Can't wait till we put the 8.8 in with 3.73 Trac loc and tweak the tune. This is gonna be fun. Cam seems too pull well off idle. Probably too small for a lot of people."
 
toolmanmike said:
Here's a quote from @moparmandan about a Comp he put in his Teen:

" COMP-Cams 20-220-3. 250/260 .432/.444
Took our 318 Scamp with stock bottom end around the block for its first shakedown this past weekend. 7.25 with 2.76 gears. Still did a peg leg burnout for half a block without even getting in it hard. Can't wait till we put the 8.8 in with 3.73 Trac loc and tweak the tune. This is gonna be fun. Cam seems too pull well off idle. Probably too small for a lot of people."
Click to expand...
That's something to look at. I think no matter what, once I put everything in it'll be night and day different from what it was when I got it. Pretty lazy now, but can't really have too much fun because until the front end is done, it's still pretty unsafe (as Nader would say) at any speed.
 
I used a Crane cam @ 216/228-.454/.480-112 (and there matching springs) in a ‘79-318 with a new timing chain, LD4B, 600 carb, headers into a Jets exhaust. 904/3.21 gears and a stock size tire. First outting was a 15.14 in the 1/4. After tuning the ignition and carb, there was certainly more seat of the pants power found.

IMO, the cam is worth it. Inexpensive and effective. No converter change needed.
 
I got more "seat of the pants" power by tuning my distributor advance than I did anything else on my teen so far. I have a LD4B, a 600 Edelbrock, and 340 manifolds ready to go on. I also have a set of 302's. If I have things apart that far I might as well put a small cam in with a new chain and gears. I really don't need to build another engine but I have a roller 318 that would be fun to put together.
 
toolmanmike said:
I got more "seat of the pants" power by tuning my distributor advance than I did anything else on my teen so far. I have a LD4B, a 600 Edelbrock, and 340 manifolds ready to go on. I also have a set of 302's. If I have things apart that far I might as well put a small cam in with a new chain and gears. I really don't need to build another engine but I have a roller 318 that would be fun to put together.
Click to expand...
Right, if it's torn down that far that's the time. Which heads are you going to try first?
 
This was a just spending your money the internet way.... LOL

Ported 302’s! 2.02/1.60 valves installed. Let’er rip!
 
I used the summit K50052 109.99 cam & lifters kit to my front door... LOL! But, I just looked and now they are 157 bucks? What? I bought mine 2 years ago for 109 bucks??? better cams out there for sure...
Pulls real good, even with stock manifolds. Only turned a 14.9 in the 1/4, but an impressive 94.9 mph, and that's with 2.76's, stock converter.
 
rustyfish said:
Right, if it's torn down that far that's the time. Which heads are you going to try first?
Click to expand...
I will have to decide. If I am going to do the whole thing in the spring, I need to get the heads to the machine shop. I might only put the intake and carb on and work on the exhaust later in the summer.
 
318willrun said:
I used the summit K50052 109.99 cam & lifters kit to my front door... LOL! But, I just looked and now they are 157 bucks? What? I bought mine 2 years ago for 109 bucks??? better cams out there for sure...
Pulls real good, even with stock manifolds. Only turned a 14.9 in the 1/4, but an impressive 94.9 mph, and that's with 2.76's, stock converter.
Click to expand...
I know I looked that up, thought you were Catfishing me.
 
Not to hijack but the summit cam/lifter kit is on my radar for my budget rering and 4bbl swap. I'm thinking the k6901 and the enginetech 340 springs at rockauto. Is the k6901 too big for a 73 B body bigger tires and 8.25 granny gears. I think for the cost and recommndations the summit cams sound like a decent option.
 
I'd be more worried about blowing up that weakass 7 1/4..when you add more power..
 
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