Got a ‘74 Scamp for my son to tear apart/put back together. This weekend we torn down the 318 and found lots of connecting rod parts not in the correct places! Now we know why it would turn. Now I’m on the look out for a 318 to replace it. Stock car with a 904. What year 318’s are a bolt in option for this car?
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- Thread starter 74ScampTX
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Purdy much all of um.
James Camp
no mopar
Welcome to the JUNGLE 74ScampTX. ,H22A4 is right on,I have a 74 Duster with a 67 block, 71 heads,86 water pump and timing chain cover. At least you have plenty of options, just watch about oil pan from a truck versus a car.Oh ,better grow thick skin this site, no pity from the monkeys allowed.
Older the better, thicker cylinder walls, higher compression, maybe a forged crank? But if you can find a block with little wear in the cylinders the better. A Magnum 5.2 will usually have minimal wear in the cylinders, a roller cam, and have better heads. But you would need a different intake and carb and the heads tend to crack.
Don't all 318s have forged cranks?
Couple questions
1. Is a 360 an option? Virtually bolts right into place where the 318 sits.
2. Is the block damaged, that you can see? You may be able to salvage it. That would be a great learning experience for your son. Buy a reciprocating assembly and have the block bored out.
Only some early 318's and some HD trucks. Most 273's and 340's have forged cranks
Bobzilla
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum. Please post a picture of the car too.
Post #2 is accurate, but I would personally look for a running Magnum 318 or 360 first or a late 80s or early 90s LA 318 second all for the hydraulic roller camshaft from the factory. This makes it the most reliable or trouble free for a cruiser or daily driver. Since any other engine won't be original to the car, you can select anything you want, but reliability is the direction I would take.
Go to magnumswap.com before you consider la to magnum swap
cudamark
Well-Known Member
All poly 318's do, the '67 LA318 does, and some truck/van/industrial with manual transmissions do too. The rest are almost always cast crank. I've seen a few exceptions....maybe they ran out of cast cranks on the assembly line and just installed a forged one to keep the line going, or just grabbed the "wrong" one on a hung-over Monday morning!
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