318 upgrades

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Jamakin

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I am going to be swapping my slant for a 318 that I have. It is out of a 75 pickup and has around 76k miles on it. This is a good running motor but also stock.

I am doing the normal clean up paint and some new gaskets before putting it into my duster.

I'm not sure how long I will keep this motor becuase the goal is to just put it in so I can have a nice running car to have fun with while saving for all the parts I need for a better motor and also do other upgrades to the car slowly instead of having it torn down for a couple years.

Is there any quick, easy, or cheap upgrades I can do to the 318 to make it have a little bit more power? What can I expect from this motor?

I plan on swapping out the 2barrel for a 4barrel but other then that haven't planned any mods. It will be going in with a 4speed and stock 7 1/4 rear. The rear will be the next project swap after the motor is in and running.

Thanks!
 
Yeah, you'll be doing the rear weather you like it or not! LOL
The 4 speed can kill a 7.25" quick!

The motor? Tear it down and check everything out, replace gaskets...maybe a valve job and some cleanup done on the heads and a decent cam with matching springs.
 
Check it out when you re-gasket it, maybe a valve job if needed. Add a nice 4 bbl on a small port intake, good dual exhaust with headers if you want and upgrade the cam and valve springs. You can get to around 300 HP with the small port heads with streetable bolt on parts and still have a 20 mpg car on the highway. When I rebuilt my 318 I added cam, intake, 4bbl carb, and good dual exhaust. Probably close to a 50% power increase and actually improved fuel millage. The little rear end will live for a while if you are lucky but I would be working on the rearend upgrade.
 
I do plan to upgrade the rear but not for a little while. I have one that needs freshened up and a center section.

The current project is to go from slant six auto to 318/4spd I have almost everything. I am going to put everything together on another k-frame and swap everything at once. So i will be doing my disc brake upgrade suspension rebuild and upgrade and motor/4spd conversion all at the same time.

Phase two will be rear end and rear suspension. I have been saving parts for a long time now so i'm close to having everything I just need my suspension kit and to find another k-frame

Im doing it this way to cut down on the amount of down time I have so I don't lose interest in the car or just get sidetracked and i'm going 318 because I had it in the garage already.
 
mopar340dave said:
Yeah, you'll be doing the rear weather you like it or not! LOL
The 4 speed can kill a 7.25" quick!

The motor? Tear it down and check everything out, replace gaskets...maybe a valve job and some cleanup done on the heads and a decent cam with matching springs.
Click to expand...

What Dave said.


In addition, this is what I did to my /6-318 swap engine.

A 1979 - 318/904 was used. It receieved a tear down, new cam bearings and reassembled with MoPars gasket kit and the OE steel head gaskets. The MoPar box kit has thicker head gaskets so I opted to not use them as to retain what little compresion I have with the smog engine.

Then, it was a Holley 4160 (600 cfm) converter to a 4150 which you need not do, but suggest it as a worthy item to do.
Edelbrock LD4B - an excellent intake for this. A Performer will do just fine as well.
Hooker Headers into a generous 2-1/2 inch exhaust kit from Jegs which is real nice and the price was great.
Cam is a Crane (To bad there outta biz) and it is a split duration spec'd at;
216/228-.454/.480 on a 112.

I deleated the A/C from the car and used a /6 pulley to get around the issue it creates and a electric fan to free up a few ponies.

Nothing to the trans, though a Trans-Go kit awaits.

Shortened the drive shaft to fit the slightly longer 8-1/4 that replaced the weak 7-1/4. The nice thing here is, the 8-1/4 came with a 3.21 gear sure grip equiped rear.

New shocks and leaf springs, 225/70/14 are on the rear.
The carb and distributor were ruffed in for a daily driver status. It could have been better. But;
Untuned on a cold Nov. day up in southern Jersey (Atco) it ran a 15.14 @ 89. :cheers: There are high 14's in the car. Between the shift kit and a decent tune and not so danm rich, she'll run the time into the 14's.

The reggie has the car at high 2800 lbs. The 8cylinder added some weight there. Another 200? 180 lbs. for me, half tank of gas at time of the run.

This is what you can expect from your is the engine is in good shape/trans shifts fine and the gear ratio is what I have or better. (3.55's would be nice)

Have at it, have fun.
 
if your going to 4 speed, i would definately change the cam. as the stock will not perform well with a 4 speed. you can get a stock 340 grind pretty cheap and it will perform great. i also reversed my pistons for an added little gain. and used stock 360 rods, for added strength. theese are all cheap effective mods to a 318 that will give great benefits to performance. as well as a double row timming chain. and brass freeze plugs. mine runs really strong.
 
A 340 cam or the MP upgraded version would be nicein that. A head milling for some compresion would be a bennifit to that!
 
Excellent post and replies. Very helpful, I posted somewhat similar thing a couple days ago. I just converted to 4 speed and 3.55 gears and am looking at ideas to upgrade my 318.
 
For what you want Id just stick a summit cam in it.
Best bang for the buck upgrades are 4 bbl intake,cam and headers.
 
I'm not sure I'd just go with a summit cam without knowing anything about them. More than a couple cam manufacturers use the same lobe profile as for a chevy, which doesn't take advantage of the mopars' larger lifters.

Even without a rebuild, I'd think a Lunati 60402 would be a good choice. Although, without a rebuild, I think I would leave it at that. The 60403 is a great cam, but with 75k on the clock its probably overkill.

4 barrel carb and intake and headers are good mods. I wouldn't get too crazy though without a rebuild, the 4 barrel and headers can be re-used if you rebuild later.
 
This cam will make that little 318 come alive!
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-4452782/

Brand Mopar Performance
Manufacturer's Part Number P4452782
Part Type Camshaft and Lifter Kits
Product Line Mopar Performance Purple Camshaft Kits
Summit Racing Part Number DCC-4452782

Cam Style Hydraulic flat tappet
Basic Operating RPM Range Idle-5,800
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift 228
Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift 235
Duration at 050 inch Lift 228 int./235 exh.
Advertised Intake Duration 268
Advertised Exhaust Duration 276
Advertised Duration 268 int./276 exh.
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.429 in.
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.444 in.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.429 int./0.444 exh. lift
Lobe Separation (degrees) 114
Intake Valve Lash 0.000 in.
Exhaust Valve Lash 0.000 in.
Computer-Controlled Compatible No
Lifters Included Yes
Lifter Style Hydraulic flat tappet
Valve Springs Included No
Retainers Included No
Locks Included No
Valve Stem Seals Included No
Timing Chain and Gears Included No
Assembly Lubricant Included Yes
Pushrods Included No
Rocker Arms Included No
Gaskets Included No
Quantity Sold as a kit.

add an inexpensive set of headers and some 2.5" or 2.25" duals with an x pipe and a set of spintech's! It will surprise and spank many!
 
If you run the stock heads and you are getting a valve job (yes u r LOL) and changing springs, go ahead and surface the heads...not to actually mill them down...just to give a nice fresh surface, maybe .005"-.010", so you don't have to worry about your pushrods.You could do a mild upsize on the valves too, but now you're spending money....
 
mopar340dave said:
If you run the stock heads and you are getting a valve job (yes u r LOL) and changing springs, go ahead and surface the heads...not to actually mill them down...just to give a nice fresh surface, maybe .005"-.010", so you don't have to worry about your pushrods.You could do a mild upsize on the valves too, but now you're spending money....
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the help! I am giving serious thoughts to the cam now. I think while its apart that would be worth the money and not much more time. I already have a timing change set that I'm going to change.

I was thinking about one of these kits.
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/campopa.html

But now I am giving some real thought to the summit kit. 8)
 
72bluNblu said:
I'm not sure I'd just go with a summit cam without knowing anything about them.
Click to expand...

It is widely know that Crane Cams grinds the summit cams until Crane went out of biz. What is left on the shelfs is all that is left until summit gets a new grinder.


More than a couple cam manufacturers use the same lobe profile as for a chevy, which doesn't take advantage of the mopars' larger lifters.
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

Actually, ALL cam manufactures use Chevy lobes on there cams for all makes since it is easiest to use. BAR NONE!
Taking advantage of the MoPar lifter yeilds little gain on mild and med. street builds on only taxes the vale springs. This advantage is a minor gain at best in this area.
If you step up to the plate on a decent street build, it'll show an aveagre 15 HP. The stronger/more radical build, the more power it will show.



4 barrel carb and intake and headers are good mods. I wouldn't get too crazy though without a rebuild, the 4 barrel and headers can be re-used if you rebuild later.
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]
As long as the cylinder & oil pressure show strong reports, he's good to go. Low compresion being the enemy here.
 
Jamakin, the Summit cam and lifter sets work fine but that MP one I suggested will work great for ya! You don't need all the stuff in that Comp kit. You've got a new timing chain...if you don't wanna do the heads, just do the springs and the cam/lifters. Your stock keepers and retainers will be fine.

Here's the listing for the springs:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-412024/
Ouch at $8.95 ea. Get the specs and buy the springs in Summit brand or wherever you can get them reasonably priced.

Good price on the cam and lifter set though. That cam will outperform the Summit cam...just compare the usable rpm range.

While you're swappin the springs, swap these too:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TEFL...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3ef8750453

What intake/carb are ya gonna run? A used small port dual plane is cheap and easy to find and it's just as easy to find a replacement carb...$ LOL

Rumble, S&S Cycle bought up Crane and they are going to continue on!
This great because Crane is a really good company and they are right down the road from me.
http://cranecams.com/?show=crane-ss
 
mopar340dave said:
Rumble, S&S Cycle bought up Crane and they are going to continue on!
This great because Crane is a really good company and they are right down the road from me.
http://cranecams.com/?show=crane-ss
Click to expand...
I know, I have a freind that works for S&S cylces and I got the low down before the press by two weeks. Cool huh? He he he
I have heard this for months with no results yet to be seen. S&S is to contiue the motorcycle line of parts first. (Of course)
Now tell me (Good news I hope) has the Crane doors opened up for anything besides removal of stuff? I think it a sin they went out of biz.
 
The last time I drove by there it was on the weekend, so it didn't look any different than usual. I'll see if I can make it by there this week. I live north of the halfway point between St Augustine and daytona, and I work in St Augustine...in other words, they are a little out of my way...LOL.
I've been wanting to go talk to them in person anyway. They have made me pushrods on zero notice! Manton did the same thing for me back in 91, LOL. There are still some really good companies out there, and we need to support them.
 
That'd be great Dave. No stress on it though. If you have the time and gas....great.
 
it's cool, i need to run down there to a store anyway. I'm interested in what's goin' on with them too. I hope they are up and runnin and making some improvements.
 
I have run the .441"/.441" Summit cam in a mild 318 in a '72 Dart with good results. I also had headers, Edelbrock performer intake & 600 cfm carb. The little 7 1/4 rear didn't like it very mutch though even with a 904.
 
Believe me, I'm not saying the Summit cam is bad, they are a big improvement over stock and that one is designed to work with the stock springs.

The Mopar cam has a smaller adv dur than the Summit cam but has a much better at .050". This cam is designed with our short stroke's need to fill early. It's also real fat on the exhaust side to make our heads work! it needs the springs to keep it in check.
The Purple shaft has a wider and higher operating range, too.


P4452782
Advertised Duration268 int./276 exh.
Duration at 050 inch Lift228 int./235 exh
idle-5800

SUM-K6901
Advertised Duration276 int./286 exh
Duration at 050 inch Lift218 int./228 exh
2000-4500 rpm
 
jamakin, you can mill the heads if you also (if needed) mill the intake to match. You can get inexpensive shims for the rocker shafts to take up the difference on the length so you can still use your stock rockers and pushrods....sometimes my memory actually works!
One of our resident math wizzes could maybe figure how much it's good for, and/or thinner gaskets.
 
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