Breathing new life into the 318 in the Scamp!

[DaveBonds]

Onward,Mr.Bonds....

Some prefer Jesus. Abodybomber is my homeboy.

You know what,I like your style.
I had a stock 318 that I added nothing but bolt ons. Turned that thing into a tire burner.
If your interested I can post some pics of it and give you the details.

I'm down! One of the coolest things about being a member of this forum is seeing the different combinations play out without actually having to spend all of the time and money changing everything up in your own garage.

Fixed the broken pic links above. Added some.

Afer I blasted, unmasked and chemically cleaned the heads, I discovered some silica soot on the metal that came up with my finger, so I'm going to pressure wash them and air dry them again, before I lap the valves and install everything.

There were some areas in the runners where the castings were joined that were kind of ugly, so I went through the runners with a carbide bit and cleaned up some of the odd casting areas and got rid of burrs at the ports.

I'm debating on gasket matching the intake and head ports on a 318 port, just to be sure that they are squared up. I noticed that the production casting on both the LD4B and these heads aren't perfectly true and if nothing else it might get rid of some of the garbage areas in the radius of the corners? I may check the gaskets against them at the very least to see how off they are.

The exhaust air ports needed to be blocked, so I marked a bit with masking tape for a depth check after running a smaller bit all the way through and ran 1/4" 20 set screws into the head, with some high temp thread lock.

I taped the tap that I used as well, so that I had a nice bottom on the thread for the set screw to bind on.

The guy at my old house was nice enough to call me and let me know that my box of parts from Summit showed at his place, so I picked them up and installed some Comp Cams hex head jets into the secondaries to match the hex head jets on the primary. They were actually cheaper than the replacement Holley jets that this called for and I was able to get them in .001" increments.

Since I'm at 5400 and had 6000ft jetting in the primary, I went 5000ft at .075" from .080" sea level on the secondary to put it right in the middle when I get 1/3 throttle or more. I figured that running it a hair lean under cruise is ok.

I've also decided to go with a clutch fan on the car, because it is running a touch colder than it should with a 195 thermostat and the aluminum radiator I put in it. I also want it to warm up quicker than it does.

My friend parted out a dish washer at his old work, so I'm going to cut some stainless from it to make a new heat stove on my english wheel and bead roller that will work with my 360 truck exhaust manifolds and clear the power steering. The stock truck manifold heat stove won't work, because the mounting ridge is at the bottom and I don't have access to it, so I'll just make another one out of something that will look nice and not rust, that will bolt on to the manifold differently.

I've also decided that since I'm running a close clearance on those manifolds to the power steering box, that I'm also going to run a factory power steering cooler that I have.

I'll get pics that stuff as it develops on the car.

 

[Johnny Dart]

So heres the story on a budget 318 build.
This was an oroginal 60,000 mile 2bbl 318 in a 70 Dart I bought. All stock.
I wanted to improve the motor/performance without breaking the bank.Strictly bolt on performance,with stock cam and bottem end.First I took all the old unecessary crap off,and spray bombed it still in the car.
I added an Ede Performer, Ede 600cfm,with a Mopar Performance electronic ignition kit. The kicker was adding a dual exhaust,with a set of
340 HiPo exhaust manifolds I had laying around !
Completely changed the whole attitude of this car. It would literally smoke the 8 3/4 peg leg down the street. One of my all time favorite motors.
The motor ran so well that when I went to sell it,I got $2000 for the long block,minus the carb and manifolds.

 

[younggun2.0]

i had a very similar set up. i had a 68 318 out of a b-body. put the eddy performer intake on it with holley 650 dp. i took .020 off the heads and ran the steel shim gaskets. i used a mopar .484 cam in it with the 273 adjustable rockers. i ported the stock exhaust manifolds and ran 2.5 in. duel exhaust. had a 904 with 2500 rpm stall and 3.55 gears with 25" tall tires. car ran best of 13.72 at 102 mph. It was only car i had at the time and i beat the piss out of that engine for 2 yrs and sold it for $900.

 

[DaveBonds]

Super clean!

Yeah, I'm at a point with this car, where I really don't care too much about how blindingly fast it is. I just want something that runs nicer than the POS BBD on top of it now that will not meter fuel correctly, no matter what I do and carbon up everything. I'm cleaning the plugs every 500 miles in the car now and I'm sick of it.

I figure for the length of performance that I'm going with in this car, a 318 is plenty. I have 3 360 engines, one has a .040 over with new pistons that is ready to assemble whenever. I have a set of 318 open chambers with 360 valves for a boost setup that are new if I want to go that route, but I decided to just leave it be for now and go NA.

If I ever decide to do anything else to this car, I may supercharge it and go to the open chamber 360 valve 318 heads later on if I want to squeeze it more, but I may leave that setup for another car.

I'm sort of getting old, in a sense that I want to use the minimal C.I.D. that I can for what I use my cars for. I'm not terribly concerned with fuel economy, so much as just overall drivability these days. I enjoy driving my cars, so I've made it my goal to make them as reliable and practical as I can.

The next modification the car is going to undergo is a 5 speed stick, 8 3/4 and a fresh suspension rebuild. I put a shifter hump in when I did the interior and paint, with 4 speed carpetting and capped the hole with a piece of metal that was seam sealed to it. I have the pedal set and most of the other parts, but I'm debating on which trans.

It's on a 6 year old suspension rebuild with stock spec parts now and I have a second K member and disc brake stuff that I'm going to prep, to do the swap. The disc brakes and drums are a year old on the car now, it had big bolt and discs from the factory. I just want urethane up there and a sway bar, so I'm going to assemble another K member and do it the easy way.

The rear axle is a frankenstein. I'll be using the current brakes, a 59 Dodge housing with new mounts, cut housing, new flanges, cut and splined truck axles and I'm not sure what gears I want yet. It depends on the O.D. I end up with, but I'll likely go 3.73 or 3.91 open. I don't want a sure grip.

I don't think I'll have time to put the clutch fan in yet, but I'm going to swap it out when I put the homemade heat stove on, maybe next weekend after I finish it. I have the parts, but I ran out of time this week to blast the fan and clean stuff up, so I need to focus on getting the heads assembled.

The castings are cleaned and painted now. I'll post pics tomorrow.

All that is left is lapping and installing the springs. I'm also prepping another timing cover for a double roller timing chain, which I feel is cheap insurance on those stainless valves. Alegedly, this car has had a timing chain replaced in it. The timing doesn't jump around on a light, but I haven't seen what's inside it yet, so I'm not going to put blind faith on new valves, after tearing the engine down this far, on a used chain.

I'll be sure to take lots of pics.

 

[Abodybomber]

Smart move on the timing chain,cheap insurance.

 

[DaveBonds]

So, I underestimated the rise on the manifold and I'm going back to the drawing board on the kickdown/ throttle stuff.

I've got it figured out, but unfortunately, I've got to make some parts swaps with some stuff at work.

Lokar would be the obvious choice, but considering this transmission is getting pitched for a 5 speed sooner than later, I'm not going to get too spendy.

Just for the sake of taking one for the team, I'm going to try and develop a "bolt on" scenario to use a 2bbl kickdown linkage with stock geometry and adjustment, to keep it cheap and easy.

Anyway, question;

Yay or nay on this engine? -
http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...=heh1019al&searchmode=partnumber&partid=21840

I have one new with springs & lifters, collecting dust in a box. Set aside for a 360 build, but I'm wondering if I'd see any MPG help?

 

[sireland67]

That looks like a decent economy cam.

 

[DaveBonds]

I'm still mowing it over. I'm not sure if I want to, yet. Hopefully by next weekend, I'll have made up my mind. It would be a good one for your truck!

 

[sireland67]

Yeah, I was looking at the same one the other day.
At the very least I think a new timing chain will be going in when I change the manifold and carb, 80K on a stock fiber tooth chain, I have not checked it slop but it has to be wore out.
I also need to change the valve stem seals, so this would be the time to change the cam, lifters and valves springs.

 

[MopaR&D]

I think that cam would work great, a lot more torque than a stock 318 2-bbl cam that's for sure

 

[DaveBonds]

After a little consideration, I think I'm going to use the cam. It will work well with the rest of the upper half of the engine. The lift rate on this cam is quick, because it's a Hughes, which I feel like will cooperate well with the high velocity heads, intake and small primaries.

Basically, I want something that doesn't need much throttle for getting around town.

I've come up with a way to use factory 2bbl kickdown linkage on this carb and intake! I was measuring things at work with a 2nd set of linkage and throttle cable and came up with something that works, without interfering with stock linkage operation, factory adjustment and did it with less than $5 worth of hardware. That includes a replacement for their $25 linkage pin.

I'll get pics tomorrow with hardware and a measurement list, when it's finished. I had to measure some stuff on the gas pedal when I got home, to finish it at work tomorrow.

 

[Johnny Dart]

I'm not so sure about this cam. Seems that you were building a pretty mild motor,and that cam is over .500 lift. I would stay under .500 lift.
Did you call Hughes and give them all your cars specs ?
Or just pick that cam ?
You dont want to over cam the thing.

 

[MopaR&D]

I'm not so sure about this cam. Seems that you were building a pretty mild motor,and that cam is over .500 lift. I would stay under .500 lift.
Did you call Hughes and give them all your cars specs ?
Or just pick that cam ?
You dont want to over cam the thing.

In the link it shows .461/.489" lift with 1.5 rockers and only 210/219* duration at .050", idle-4600 power range... that cam will be a stump-puller for sure!

EDIT: If I were you I would get a set of those lifters with the EDM holes for extra insurance against wiping a cam lobe, Hughes cams have the steepest profiles out of all the aftermarket Mopar cams. And be sure to run good oil with enough zinc in it.

 

[Abodybomber]

That's a sweet cam choice,x2.

 

[DaveBonds]

I'm not so sure about this cam. Seems that you were building a pretty mild motor,and that cam is over .500 lift. I would stay under .500 lift.
Did you call Hughes and give them all your cars specs ?
Or just pick that cam ?
You dont want to over cam the thing.

It's around .500 (491/522), but that's on a 1.6 rocker. On a 1.5 it's down at .461"/.489"

It's also a quick open/ close cut, so no duration, swamping overlap, etc. It won't even act as harsh as a .430"/ .444" cam, because the duration on those 340 cams is up at 268/276. That's a stick that will allow for high RPM/stall, tall gears, etc. The combination of slightly higher lift, still coming in shy of .500" and quick ramp on this cam is going to get the valves open and shut sooner. That caps the RPM up high, but delivers torque in the low RPM range.

Basically, the short duration trims the air that it draws into a narrower time window and opens the window all the way, all at once to increase the speed of the air, which is exactly what I'm already trying to do with the rest of this combo.

I have the lifters and springs that go with this cam, from Hughes, new in the box. I spoke with Hughes a while ago about this camshaft and purchased it, set it aside for a 360, but after thinking about how the upper half of this engine is going to want to run, and after some careful thought about how I may need to replace the cam in the car if I have a sticking lifter and after looking at the possabilities, I looked at this model again, online, and I think this stick will just make the goal of a high velocity flow system happen.

 

[DaveBonds]

So, I HAD the springs for this cam.

I sent them with the retainers to the machinist who did one of my 360's. I was returned a set of 318 heads with 360 valves and no springs. I thought he gave my springs back with the box and retainers...

Turns out, I donated a $440 set of J heads that had hardened seats, a 3 angle valve job with stainless valves and new guides... AND a $95 set of Hughes springs to a sledge hammered scrap iron roll off dumpster, after he went out of business.

So, I'm going to try this again, once I have all of the parts, next weekend! 3rd time's a charm!

 

[DaveBonds]

Got all of the parts in, finally. Everything on the cylinder heads checks out to spec, install height is good on stems and springs, seal clearance is good top/bottom and sides.

Tore the upper half of the engine apart, plus timing cover, etc. Pulled the cam and was greeted with an ugly stick. I thought I had varnished lifters that developed ticking over the course of getting parts ready for this swap.

Nope. #2 Exhaust, #6 Intake, #6 Exhaust, all flat. #6 spinning lifters, bowled lifter faces, #2 scored with some side play in the wipe pattern.

Lifter bores do not look damaged, feel ok with original lifters and drop. The bores will likely spin new ones, but I was going to just do a dry run with the new cam and lifters, by hand using WD-40 on the sides of the lifters and oil on the bearing journals.

Until I inspected the bearings, soft parts of lands missing bits, #2 bearing from the front shifted rearward, shrouding oil hole, likely the cause of the cam's death among other things, but none of them are spun.

Cylinders look typical. Minimal ridge, if any, did not smoke up until about 3 weeks ago, likely from #6 cyl not getting much flow and flooding everything else. Never any blue smoke.

So, now for my question...

Do I even screw with this engine? I can replace bearings, burnish the lifter holes if they don't check out with new lifters spinning on a dry test and go, or do I get something else going?

I have access to several 318's (and 3 360's, but I'm going to leave those alone)... One 318 is bored and honed .030", bare block, I have a .010/ .020" crank that is unused on the new cut, can't remember if it's cast or forged, have to check and see... I have an '80's pre-roller engine that I haven't pulled the cylinder head from, but I have pulled the intake. Lifters look good, it's complete.

Options:

-Fix what's in the car.

-Put the parts on the fresh 318 with fresh crank, buy pistons, bearings and rings after mic., pay to put rods on pistons. I have a new pump, freeze plugs, gaskets, etc. Baffle the pan.

-Check the 80's engine for cylinder wear and put the parts in that engine, hone, re-ring, save some money on pistons and rings. Baffle the pan.

It's just a carb swap, guys. I promise.

 

[MopaR&D]

I think your second option is the best, you won't have to pay for cylinder honing (at the least) going that route.

One mod I would highly recommend... Go over the edges of the combustion chambers with a grinder and smooth them down as round as possible. Even maybe as far as cutting off the "tip" that sticks out in between the valves, you want to help the flame travel out to the edges of the cylinder rather than just staying under the chamber area.

 

[DaveBonds]

I was thinking about the pinch on the heart shape. Apparently, it's not a hot spot on the heads. I'll have to look at some blending pics online of a 302 head to see what people have done.

After looking at what I have to do, I think I'm going to pull this engine inspect it to see if I can get it honed. The 318's that I have access to are quite possibly as used, only not as fresh as this one and all of them need some kind of disassembly. I'm just going to ridge ream the cylinders and prep this block as per it's need.

If it needs bored, I'll look for a better block. The .020".010" crank that I have was turned and polished at Colorado Crankshaft. The chamfering looks good on the oil holes and the polish is nice. Inspected with a caliper and it specs out as per their numbers that they stamped on the front counterbalance weight.

Once I get it mic'd, I'll see if I end up honing it myself and burnishing the lifter bores.

 

[MopaR&D]

I was thinking about the pinch on the heart shape. Apparently, it's not a hot spot on the heads. I'll have to look at some blending pics online of a 302 head to see what people have done.

After looking at what I have to do, I think I'm going to pull this engine inspect it to see if I can get it honed. The 318's that I have access to are quite possibly as used, only not as fresh as this one and all of them need some kind of disassembly. I'm just going to ridge ream the cylinders and prep this block as per it's need.

If it needs bored, I'll look for a better block. The .020".010" crank that I have was turned and polished at Colorado Crankshaft. The chamfering looks good on the oil holes and the polish is nice. Inspected with a caliper and it specs out as per their numbers that they stamped on the front counterbalance weight.

Once I get it mic'd, I'll see if I end up honing it myself and burnishing the lifter bores.

It wasn't as much for reducing hotspots, more for improving the flow into the chamber and across the valves between exhaust/intake strokes. The valves in those chambers are shrouded pretty bad and if you can round off/pull back those edges so they aren't right up against the valves you will get a lot more low-lift flow and also improve combustion dynamics. Certainly not needed but will make a difference if you feel like going through the trouble lol...

 

[DaveBonds]

Yeah. I can see how the shrouding changes propagation at the beginning and end of the lift cycle. If I did that, I'd like to cc the chambers to make certain that they are all alike. I have the tools to do it. I'll have to look into it a little closer and see what it does to the pressure on the engine.

I just want the snow to go away so I can get the work done. As soon as I pull the engine, I'll know what I'm looking at.

 

[sireland67]

Just when you think you are almost finished.....
I would knock the ridge off the top of the cylinder, hone the cylinders, install iron rings on the original pistons, dip the block, new cam beraing, check lifter bores, throw the fresh crank in and run it for another 20 years.
That is what 500 bucks?

 

[DaveBonds]

I'm just going to get an adapter and run it backwards to mate the new carb to the 2bbl intake. Should fix anything new I find.

Maybe, yeah. It depends on how screwball the taper is.

I'm just wondering if I shouldn't slap new pistons in on a new bore. Leakdown was moderate to fair about a month ago. Couldn't get PSI check because of the cam.

I found a really reputable guy, who runs under American Automotive Machine, here in Denver, CO. who does it on his own and has a one day turn around. I was referred to him by Tony Richards at MoPower Masters, who I have known for a long time.

He is going to do the bore and hone for $150. I found a source for true flat top pistons without a valve relief for a 318 in standard and overbore sizes for $100...

I can make up for the slight increase in ring and piston weight on the rods at the small end without having to do any balancing.

I got the main journal bearings and cam bearings in yesterday. I got the rod journal bearings in today from UPS, box was beat to death and partially open, no surprises there from UPS. Everything is ok inside, thanks to bubble wrap. Original bearings will have camshaft in them.

So, do I spend the $250 and have a rebuilt engine? I think I should. There is no deck warping. Gaskets were perfectly fine. The car never ran even close to warm.

The thing is, I've been accumulating parts over the years for a cleanup on something and I don't think it would be a bad idea. I know I had a simple upper end swap, but that's out of the question, so I think I should factor in how much trouble it will be to get the block cleaned up again, when it does start smoking. It has over 170K on it and hasn't been exactly treated with the best oil during all of it's life.

 

[sireland67]

$250 is a no-brainer, do it that is cheap.
It costs $40.00 a hole to bore and hone here.

I remember by grandpa saying when he rebuilt his old 1950's international farm tractor, 10 years later it was using oil and getting low on power, that the price of new pistons and a fresh bore would be really cheap instead of having to pull and rebuild the motor again.

 

[DaveBonds]

I think those are wise words, coming from your grand pappy. I started to tear this down in my head, 5 years from now. So if I managed to gain another 50k on these cylinders, even with new rings and a hone, I'd be out an entire engine gasket set again, the car would be down again and I'd have to do all of the work... again.

I think if I just keep this engine nice once I build it, keep some Brad Penn oil in it and put everything in a fresh bore, I can manage to get another 170K out of it.

I got another quote today for $140 for a bore and hone, but I think I'm looking at longer turn around time. I think the other place is a one man shop, one day turn around kind of deal and I still think my money is best spent there.

The silver lining to this cloud is that while I have the iron out of the car, I can check runout on my newly acquired bellhousing, scribe the high spot on the bell, check the replacement crank index diameter and depth and buy the offset dowels and pilot bushing or bearing that I need for the O/D swap, to keep from having to wait for parts during that project, soon after the engine is all done.