Cylinder head decision for 318

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C2ndLTpigeon

Mopar or no Car!
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As I have posted before, I plan on using a huges whiplash camshaft in my 318, the engine is a 1974 production and I am thinking about changing the heads. The only concern is the whiplash cam works well with stock compression and Im not sure how much more compression will rise with a set of performance heads. Also the engine uses flat top pistons and I also want to make sure there is no valve interference with the bigger valves. The heads im looking at are from indyheads, and are their Indy X series.
http://indyheads.com/images/maxlaxnewproductlinK.pdf

Looking to get better flow and bigger ports. If compression rises a tad would I still be able to run on pump gas?

Thanks
 
Where would you buy them?

Nah , speed blasters heads, 365 each bare.
98.00 set of 2.02/1.60
20.00 seals
49.00 retainers
55-90 springs
Have them checked out for guide clearance n such
 
Have you bought the cam already ?
These heads probably bump up your CR about half a point.
 
Have you bought the cam already ?
These heads probably bump up your CR about half a point.

Yes I bought the cam when I planned on using a stock engine but the heads I have with it now have threads for the intake manifold that are jacked up and I tried to port match them to the RPM manifold, more like a taper not that it will do much with stock small sized valves.

So it looks like it will not boost it much? Is there anything I have to worry about as far as valve to piston clearance with the bigger valves?
 
not with the pistons way down the hole
measure when you get it apart
all 4 corners is better
what heads now?
those suggesting 11/32 are on the right track
are heads cut for 2.02 valves
more than you need and you do noyt really need any more than a 1.5 ex but you have what you have
watch backcutting the intake, margins and valve job, top cutd and cut widths
 
If you want to know exactly you need to measure CR and valve clearance, I would assume since 318 piston sit pretty far down in the hole should be fine.
There's different head gasket thicknesses you can fine tune to what you want.
 
not with the pistons way down the hole
measure when you get it apart
all 4 corners is better
what heads now?
those suggesting 11/32 are on the right track
are heads cut for 2.02 valves
more than you need and you do noyt really need any more than a 1.5 ex but you have what you have
watch backcutting the intake, margins and valve job, top cutd and cut widths


Current heads part number is: 2843675
Is 11/32 bigger than stock stem?
Looks like the set for $995 comes with 1.92 Intake but you can upgrade to 2.02 for $95. Is it worth it on a 318 given my Cam choice?
Yea looks like stock Ex is 1.625 on these heads.
 
If you want to know exactly you need to measure CR and valve clearance, I would assume since 318 piston sit pretty far down in the hole should be fine.
There's different head gasket thicknesses you can fine tune to what you want.

Engine still has Stock and standard bore pistons from the factory. The head gasket that was used and the one I was going to use again with stock heads was the FEL-PRO 8553PT perma torque blue gaskets.
 
Engine still has Stock and standard bore pistons from the factory. The head gasket that was used and the one I was going to use again with stock heads was the FEL-PRO 8553PT perma torque blue gaskets.

Factory tolerances are very a lot not many are even close to there stated CR, sounds like you got the heads off measure what your CR will be ask Huges if that's fine.
 
you do not need 2.02 intakes
besides they are shrouded and take a lot of port work to make them work
now with a high rpm build maybe, but even with a stroked 319
i say no unless you put in the exter awork

stock valves are 3/8
there are conversion guides or k lines
check out the .028 mr gsasket
 
you do not need 2.02 intakes
besides they are shrouded and take a lot of port work to make them work
now with a high rpm build maybe, but even with a stroked 319
i say no unless you put in the exter awork

stock valves are 3/8
there are conversion guides or k lines
check out the .028 mr gsasket

I was thinking on leaving it with the 1.92 Intake valves that they offer on the heads. My goal is to have little more than stock nothing high RPM and sound good at idle running an 904 trans. The heads I have seem to have issues and I would like a good replacement and these are not bad for the price for complete heads. I also like the fact that the Exhaust manifold bolts do not share a hold with the coolant jackets which is nice once I brake in the hooker headers and want to pull them off to coat I wont have to drain some coolant.
 
Whiplash cams are great. they DO what they are advertised to do. That said, they STILL benefit from raised compression, regardless of what the description says. Added duration ads up to needing more static compression. Although the tighter lobe separation and the BIG dual pattern split helps, it's just a band aid for higher compression. That doesn't mean they are bad cams. They WORK! But putting one in an engine with less then 8:1 compression and expecting miracles is a stretch.
 
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"ALL THAT" said, I like the 302 castings best for the 318. That is to say IF you can find a pair not cracked.
 
If you map it out, the smallest whiplash cam is like a 2bbl 360 cam with the LSA closed up to increase the overlap from 32* to 48* to punch up the idle sound. This also raises the operating rpm a few hundred, just what the 318 needs. The compression duration is about the same, and the power duration is only perhaps 4* less.
I have had two Hughes cams, and on both of them the difference from .050 to advertised was ~47*. If that holds true for the small whiplash, then it will come in around
260/272/109+5,with 126*compression/110*power/48*overlap
And the 2bbl 360 cam is
252/260/112+4, with126*compression/114*power/32* overlap
So no problem, as they say, to run up to 8.6Scr.
The problem is getting the 318 up to 8.6............
If you don't at least try, then the bottom will get soft, and you will need a higher stall to get past the softness.
I have run the 360-2bbl cam in an otherwise stock short-block low-compression 318, with just headers and a 4bbl; with a 2800stall, and I liked it, even with just 3.55s. Jus saying.
IMO the 2800 was a game-changer for that combo.
 
For a stock 74 engine isn't it rated at 8.6 CR from the factory? I know some say that those calculations may not be accurate. If so shouldn't I be fine?
 
PCE281.C-SBCHRY-PROMO.jpg

Heads & free intake, $1172.71 Speedmaster. I think this is a smoking deal & will probably work just fine on you street engine.
 
For a stock 74 engine isn't it rated at 8.6 CR from the factory? I know some say that those calculations may not be accurate. If so shouldn't I be fine?

You should be fine on both, I'd still measure the CR mainly just to know. Don't you got the heads off ?
 
As I have posted before, I plan on using a huges whiplash camshaft in my 318, the engine is a 1974 production and I am thinking about changing the heads. The only concern is the whiplash cam works well with stock compression and Im not sure how much more compression will rise with a set of performance heads. Also the engine uses flat top pistons and I also want to make sure there is no valve interference with the bigger valves. The heads im looking at are from indyheads, and are their Indy X series.
http://indyheads.com/images/maxlaxnewproductlinK.pdf

Looking to get better flow and bigger ports. If compression rises a tad would I still be able to run on pump gas?

Thanks
better flow and bigger ports are fine but you need the problem is stock pistons and 8.6 compression don't sound like a good combo to me . good luck . you have to build a complete package you just can't slap onsuper heads without the rest of the gear toback it up use the flow and bigger ports . wtf do iknow not much /good luck with whatever you do
 
a 318 with 360 heads and headers or 340 exhaust manifolds would be a simple bolt on upgrade that will produce more power than the stock 318 heads and would be a blast to drive and should not change your compression at all. Throw in an edelbrock air gap manifold and have at it
 
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Looking to get better flow and bigger ports. If compression rises a tad would I still be able to run on pump gas?
Here is my 2cents
Following is a comparison of the cylinder pressure at 800ft elevation, first with a stock 318 at a generous 8/1 Scr,with the stock 240/248/112 cam, then with the Hughes Whiplash.
Stock 318LA
Static compression ratio of 8:1.
Effective stroke is 2.86 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 7.04:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 134.04 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 110
Next; 318LA with Whiplash318
Static compression ratio of 8:1.
Effective stroke is 2.78 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 6.87:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 129.64 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 104
Notice the pressure has dropped~4.4 psi, and the VP also dropped to 94.5%
To get the pressure back requires .2 more compression;
As in;

Static compression ratio of 8.2:1.
Effective stroke is 2.78 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 7.04:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 134.04 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 107
But notice the VP only climbed to 97% of stock
But hang on with cylinder pressure of just 134, this is a pretty doggy engine. To be fun, the pressure needs to be up over 150psi.
Like this;

Static compression ratio of 9.2:1.
Effective stroke is 2.78 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 7.88:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 156.09 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 125
There see; the Scr needs to be up around 9.2 to get that. Also notice that the VP has risen from a really crappy 104, to a magnum 5.2 level of 125.
But hang on, I estimated the .050 to advertised ramps as being 47*.. I think that's a fair number, but the valves are still ~.012 open (.008tappet rise x1.5rocker-ratio) by the math! And your engine cannot start to build pressure until the intakes are closed and not leaking. Depending on the cam, that could be 5,10,15 or more degrees on down the road.....

What if the Hughes isn't closed until 60* Ica?
At 60*, I get

Static compression ratio of 9.2:1.
Effective stroke is 2.66 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 7.58:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 148.16 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 114
Crap, lookit that, we lost 8psi right there, we're gonna need more compression.
So;

Static compression ratio of 9.6:1.
Effective stroke is 2.66 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 7.90:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 156.62 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 120
Ok the pressure is back with 9.6 Scr, but the VP took a dump again. Well this is as safe as it gets.
Here it is pushing the cylinder-pressure envelope for pumpgas
Static compression ratio of 9.8:1.

Effective stroke is 2.66 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 8.06:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 160.88 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 123
And the VP is back to 5.2M level. Now you can use that 2000stall TC and 3.23s again.

Read about VP here;
V/P Index Calculation

The points are;
1) YES!,that Hughes Whiplash will run in your 318 at 8.1 Scr,
but under ~3000rpm it will be super super lazy, you will not like how it performs with the stock TC.. With 3.23s, 3000 rpm in first gear is ~22mph at WOT. That's a long time to wait for the onset of power.And
2) accidentally having too much compression is not likely gonna be your problem; because;
To get to 9.6 for instance will require a total chamber volume of 76.6cc no more. With the pistons down at .057, that's already 11.2cc. If they are dished, that's gonna cost you more. You gotta use the .028 gasket so that's ~6.2cc which leaves ~59.2 for the heads plus the dish if any.

Plus
all calculations are for 800ft elevation. If you are at higher,my numbers are wrong, and you will loose performance.
 
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i had a 73 318 that i cut the heads 20 thou ported the heads a bit added headers a holley street dominator with an 850 thermoquad and the car was a blast to drive also had the 340 cam would spin the tires through 2nd gear . small investment a lot of labour
 
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