forged crank 318

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racingsnake440

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I seem to remember reading somewhere that early 318s had a forged crank like the 273s. Is this true and does anyone know what year they were used up to?
 
I pulled apart a 318 poly from a 66 polara and it had a steel crank. It had some funny wings on it, but other than that looked like a 340 crank.
 
I'm not entirely sure what years had the steel crank but it was 67 / 68 I think. We got some here in OZ but everything was a year behind the US and they finished here by 69 / 70.
 
In 1967 the 273 and 318 had a forged crank service part number 2268119
or so the mopar small block engines book says.
273, 318, 340's all have the same stroke, main journal, and rod jurnal diameter
and can use the same crank
 
The last forged crank 318 was made in 1972. 1973 was the first year for cast crank 'teens. The first cast crank that Ma Mopar ever produced was in 1971. The 360 was the lucky winner. The 400 was next in '72, the 340 and 318 in '73, with the 440 following in '74. The slant didn't catch up until '80 or '81 when they also got hydraulic lifters.
 
some of the later trucks to mid 70s had forged units too.
 
The first year for the cast slant crank was 1977, hydro lifters came in 1981.

TopHat
 
The crank out of the 72 318 I am building was most definitely cast. However, it did have the bigger rods.
 
IIRC 62 thru 66 Poly 318s also had steel cranks and they happen to be the same as early 273, LA318 and 340 cranks
 
C130 Chief said:
The crank out of the 72 318 I am building was most definitely cast. However, it did have the bigger rods.
Click to expand...

If you are going by the date cast in the block, anything after May 1972 would be the '73 model year. If not, please accept my apologies. It's not out of the question for cast cranks to show up in late '72s. They tended to use what they had toward the end of the model year. Had a '74 Charger Rallye that had a bench seat, column shift, and a flat hood because of that. Supposed to have had buckets, slap stick with console, and a Power Bulge hood. At least that's how I ordered it.
 
thanks for the replies. so it seems pretty likely a 70 318 should have a forged crank - unless of course it's already been replaced!
 
the steel crank was last used on the 73 model 340 4 speed cars according to mp manual
 
Heres a scan of the crank chart out of the MP small block book.
I believe that later 318's that have forged cranks not on the chart are the truck engines.

crank chart1.jpg
 
grumpuscreature said:
The last forged crank 318 was made in 1972. 1973 was the first year for cast crank 'teens. The first cast crank that Ma Mopar ever produced was in 1971. The 360 was the lucky winner. The 400 was next in '72, the 340 and 318 in '73, with the 440 following in '74. The slant didn't catch up until '80 or '81 when they also got hydraulic lifters.
Click to expand...
I have a 70 date block with a cast crank on the stand, my cuda's 70 motor has a cast crank too. It came from a Dodge Charger of a friend. Both motors are factory cranks and blocks. I was told only 67-68 273's and 318's have forged steel cranks. My 70 340 had a steel crank.
 
My 73 340 HAD a cast crank until the previous owner put a high-stall neutral balance converter in it which shook the crank so bad it broke at the number 1 main bearing.
It now has a 318 forged and nitrated truck crank in it.
 
273s also had mech rockers in 67 and also the 67 barracudas had 4 piston discs
 
if ya ground crank before machine work its of no extra value
 
theres a 318 truck crank caled the 318-3 forged and some special driling of the oiling holes,,,was in an old mopar race manual yellow coverd book
 
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