86 Black Roller 318, swap/interchange into 72 318

[FunnyOldMan]

Searching for information on what would make the best interchange for these two blocks. Prefer to keep the Blue 72 and sell a bare black 86 block and heads. Would like to get adjustable rockers. Wonder if cams can swap/interchange over. Will be mated with a 72 904, 8.75 or ¾ 3.23 489 Thanks in advance.

 

[lemondana]

Be better to use the 86 block, should be a roller cam engine.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Be better to use the 86 block, should be a roller cam engine.

Care to share why? 86 has yes a roller cam, hyd lifters, 73 340 crank. Would prefer to sell 86 block. 340 internals 318 Blue 72 block would be me goal atm. Maybe get a solid roller comversion. Wanna build a reliable Blue 72. "YOUR MY BOY BLUE!"

 

[lemondana]

Partly because roller cam retrofit to a non roller cam block is more expensive. Solid roller will be most expensive. It all depends what you have planned for the car. If I was using a 318, I would use a hydraulic roller cam. If you use your 86 block, just buy a cam for that and stock replacement roller lifters. I think a solid roller would require a consumable brass distributor gear. Call the cam companies and find out what you need to do. I'm just a peon here. Wait for a few other people's opinion.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Partly because roller cam retrofit to a non roller cam block is more expensive. Solid roller will be most expensive. It all depends what you have planned for the car. If I was using a 318, I would use a hydraulic roller cam. If you use your 86 block, just buy a cam for that and stock replacement roller lifters. I think a solid roller would require a consumable brass distributor gear. Call the cam companies and find out what you need to do. I'm just a peon here. Wait for a few other people's opinion.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Not all 318 rods are light duty, only the early ones were light duty, the later ones are the same as the 340's and most of the 74/75 up 318's use the heavier 360 rods.

Here is a brief description of the part numbers,

Yr, engine, pin type, part number, forging number
64-71, 273/318, Floating, 2406785, 1518699
72-73, 318, Floating, 2899495, 2899496
74-86, 318, Pressed, 3751015, 3418645
68-73, 340, Floating, 2899495, 2899496
71-86, 360, Pressed, 3751015, 3418645

There are also a lot of 2899495 and 2899496 rods that are not floaters, and I have also found several 70 and 71 318's with this rod as well.

Also the 72 and 73 340's were cast crank motors, 71 was the last year for the internally balanced 340

 

[rumblefish360]

Searching for information on what would make the best interchange for these two blocks. Prefer to keep the Blue 72 and sell a bare black 86 block and heads. Would like to get adjustable rockers. Wonder if cams can swap/interchange over. Will be mated with a 72 904, 8.75 or ¾ 3.23 489 Thanks in advance.

View attachment 1716238702

View attachment 1716238703

In all honesty, I’d run the roller cam ‘86 and paint it blue.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

In all honesty, I’d run the roller cam ‘86 and paint it blue.

Block is not able to run taking parts off to sell block and heads. Can the 72 block be of use needs head gaskets and freshen up. 86 needs more then.

 

[junkyardhero]

it depends?

the heads will interchange between the them, so i guess pick the better of the two pairs. the cam is a no-go, roller doesn't go into the early block without a fair amount of fussing and fighting. i'd just pop for a new hydro or solid unless you absolutely have to have a roller, in which case open up your wallet for a retro fit. adjustable rockers are same/same.

personally i'd leave the 72 bottom end well enough alone. snap the heads on, stab in a cam and ship it.

if you're looking to swap that 73 340 crank into the 72 motor, that's a whole different game plan. it can be done but there's considerations, namely among them balancing the rotating assembly.

what's wrong with the roller block in that it is "not able to run"?

 

[AJ/FormS]

Seriously, indeed you are a
FunnyOldMan.

There doesn't seem to any rhyme nor reason to your plan.
Or if there is, I'm too dense to see it.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

it depends?

the heads will interchange between the them, so i guess pick the better of the two pairs. the cam is a no-go, roller doesn't go into the early block without a fair amount of fussing and fighting. i'd just pop for a new hydro or solid unless you absolutely have to have a roller, in which case open up your wallet for a retro fit. adjustable rockers are same/same.

personally i'd leave the 72 bottom end well enough alone. snap the heads on, stab in a cam and ship it.

if you're looking to swap that 73 340 crank into the 72 motor, that's a whole different game plan. it can be done but there's considerations, namely among them balancing the rotating assembly.

what's wrong with the roller block in that it is "not able to run"?

Heads leak bad on 86, thank you for mentioning heads can interchange, 340 crank was for future build with 86 and maybe sometime aluminum heads, and said rockers. 86 has speedpro hyper .030 over pistons, isky 270 hyd cam. 72 was for noatalgia type drivetrain. Conver 86 to solid then.WAY LATER... Saves me time for what to take with me to spring fling trades. Would love to have one 318 and the original slant it came with.... Seams it is better to keep 86 short block for when Blue 72 gives up.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Seriously, indeed you are a
FunnyOldMan.

There doesn't seem to any rhyme nor reason to your plan.
Or if there is, I'm too dense to see it.

Plan is to have a spare short block, swap heads and aim to have 400 fwhp down the line from one of the 2. Needed to know what would interchange to keep, remove to sell, and what to toss.

 

[junkyardhero]

the 86 short block seems like the winner here. i'd build from there if it were me. heads are easy and all that.

realistically, you don't get anything from the 73 crank. it's a little more laurent le boeuf but it's (probably) cast, same same stroke, probably heavier, and you have to deal with the whole balancing thing. so bragging rights, maybe.

dress it old school and nobody is gonna know the difference between a 86 and 72 unless you told them

 

[junkyardhero]

Plan is to have a spare short block, swap heads and aim to have 400 fwhp down the line from one of the 2. Needed to know what would interchange to keep, remove to sell, and what to toss.

400 to the wheels from a 318?

sell everything everything and start over with a stroker kit. or a 360.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Heads leak bad on 86, thank you for mentioning heads can interchange, 340 crank was for future build with 86 and maybe sometime aluminum heads, and said rockers. 86 has speedpro hyper .030 over pistons, isky 270 hyd cam. 72 was for noatalgia type drivetrain. Saves me time for what to take with me to spring fling trades. Would love to have one 318 and the original slant it came with.... Seams it is better to keep 86 short block for when Blue 72 gives up.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

400 to the wheels from a 318?

sell everything everything and start over with a stroker kit. or a 360.

400 at flywheel, less is fine aswell with what is around. 360 would be nice but people are asking to much for those lately. Would like a 360 crank to cram into either 318. performer intake and holley 650 with 1 inch spacer. Rockers on 86 are blown through aswell aswell head leak.

 

[Big.J.007]

400 to the wheels from a 318?

sell everything everything and start over with a stroker kit. or a 360.

FWHP = Flywheel horsepower.. still 400hp from a slapped together 318 with no real parts compatibly or interest in learning is very lofty..

 

[FunnyOldMan]

FWHP = Flywheel horsepower.. still 400hp from a slapped together 318 with no real parts compatibly or interest in learning is very lofty..

Guilty, learning on budweiser budget with champange taste until budget provides luxuries. One need to run sooner the later, while other gets to sit until better parts come along.

 

[junkyardhero]

FWHP = Flywheel horsepower.. still 400hp from a slapped together 318 with no real parts compatibly or interest in learning is very lofty..

i missed the "F" there... i'll wake up here in a minute...

agree on the 400 from a slapped together combo with no real matchy-matchy is a lofty goal.

i've done it, but everything was dress-right-dress an you need detailed machine work, compression and heads that flow like a mother. and it will just-t-t tickle 400.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Thanks fellas, I know time is need to do this work. Clay Smith shop is not far from me so when I really get the chance I would send a block there. Until then working out of my garage. Hyd to solid a swap and go, or machining needed?

 

[junkyardhero]

400 at flywheel, less is fine aswell with what is around. 360 would be nice but people are asking to much for those lately. Would like a 360 crank to cram into either 318. performer intake and holley 650 with 1 inch spacer. Rockers on 86 are blown through aswell aswell head leak.

it's an old trope, and it's mos def long in the tooth around here, but you can almost make 400 with a 360 falling out of bed. with a 318 you're gonna need really good heads, compression and a lot of cam for the cubes. and even then it'll be just there at 400. but not with that intake and a 650.

set your goals at a more reasonable level, say 300~325 and you're more likely to achieve them.

all the parts and machine work you'd need to splash for on a 318 to make that power, if applied to a 360 would go much, much further.

it sounds like you've got a live dog with that roller motor. massage that into something decent and save your coin for something else.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Plan is to re gasket Blue 72, to my knowledge bone stock, slap together performer and 650 on for now. 86 is from you guys say will be a one I want to take time on to do right. Ran before I pulled but leaked everywhere. Wanna maybe go with magnum aluminum heads. Shame too, 86 heads were 302 j heads. 300 horse is a good learning start.

 

[FunnyOldMan]

Doubt anyone will have a deal for a 360. Let alone gas money and extra 50 lbs they bring with them. Spring fling has suprised me beforr though.

 

[junkyardhero]

Plan is to re gasket Blue 72, to my knowledge bone stock, slap together performer and 650 on for now. 86 is from you guys say will be a one I want to take time on to do right. Ran before I pulled but leaked everywhere. Wanna maybe go with magnum aluminum heads. Shame too, 86 heads were 302 j heads. 300 horse is a good learning start.

if you're that far in, throw a cam at it. nothing wild. but like a 360 2bbl melling is cheap as chips, or a basic RV or one of those white box summit single pattern jobbers. that with a performer and small 4bbl will run real nice.

Doubt anyone will have a deal for a 360. Let alone gas money and extra 50 lbs they bring with them. Spring fling has suprised me beforr though.

you never know what may show up in the swap. i know a guy with a complete magnum...

 

[rumblefish360]

Plan is to re gasket Blue 72, to my knowledge bone stock, slap together performer and 650 on for now. 86 is from you guys say will be a one I want to take time on to do right. Ran before I pulled but leaked everywhere. Wanna maybe go with magnum aluminum heads. Shame too, 86 heads were 302 j heads. 300 horse is a good learning start.

302 heads are NOT J heads. J heads are early 340/360 heads.
I would not bother with 302 or OEM Magnum heads.
IF the block was a Magnum / no oil through the head gallery, I’d go straight to the Edebrock Magnum heads. Otherwise, it would be a regular aluminum LA head.

An ‘86 block is a roller LA and I’d do that with a hyd roller cam and OEM/Mellings replacement hyd roller lifters. Better pistons for more compression. Being a 318, it’s hard to get some decent compression without a dome piston. And that’s what I’d purchased. A KB piston with a dome. There available in hyperutecic and forged aluminum.