Freshening up my 318

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weldedrail

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Im in the paint and body stage with my Dart right now. I have the motor out and the engine bay paint is done. I would like to get the engine back in asap. My plan is to freshen up the 318 and get it back to driveable for the smmer so I can at least enjoy the new paint and interior, then pull it back out over the winter when I will either build the 318 into a stroker or maybe even rebuild a 383 that I have on hand.

I am thinking a new timing chain and gear and all new gaskets. It has a leaking freze plug so replacing those as well. I have an Eldebrock 650 cfm carb that a friend gave me so I am thinking about putting that on the 318 with an Edelbrock Performer Intake. It also smokes bad on start up so valve guide seals would be a good idea too.

Or would I be just wasting my money on this tired 180,000 mile motor. By the way the bottom end (re-ground crank + new bearings) was replaced 70,000 miles ago.
 
Anybody have any thoughts on this? Thinking about tearing it down for inspection this week, what I find will probablly determine what route I go...
 
well you said it was rebuilt, so 70k is nothing to sway you into starting over.

Do the chain, oil pump, brass freeze plugs, gaskets.

The 650 is a lil on the big side for what I assume is a stock 318, but it's not a 'need to change' item so don't worry about it.
 
AFB = 600
AVS = 650

Since the heads will probably come off, A gasket set, complete in a box would be the best bet.
 
Yeah, forgot to add oil pump. This is usually the treatment I give my destruction derby motors, sometimes Jegs house brand main and rod bearings too. You can usually get bearings, timing chain and pully, pump, and gasket set for about $100, of course were talking for chebby her, Mopar stuff will be more of course and I wouldn't put the Jegs off brand bearings in anything I would drive on the street, for a chevy derby motor yes, my Mopar, never.
 
weldedrail said:
Yeah, forgot to add oil pump. This is usually the treatment I give my destruction derby motors, sometimes Jegs house brand main and rod bearings too. You can usually get bearings, timing chain and pully, pump, and gasket set for about $100, of course were talking for chebby her, Mopar stuff will be more of course and I wouldn't put the Jegs off brand bearings in anything I would drive on the street, for a chevy derby motor yes, my Mopar, never.
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Where do you guys run, madera speed way?
I used to watch modified's there...made yer eyes water real good!
 
1wild&crazyguy said:
So you were the 2nd out?

l always wanted to do that, looks like a lot of fun
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Im #78 in all those videos. Some serious Imperial sacralige going on there, who else can say they took on 8 Chrysler Imperials in a Mote Carlo! Sitting out on the first derby of the year that is in May and putting the money and build time toward the Dart. Once June comes I will start building 2 derby cars for the Derby in July so I need to get the Dart driveable soon.
 
About half of the Imperials were running Chevy Motors, the rest probablly 318's. You don't need horsepower, its all high revving spinning in the mud and rear end gearing on a short muddy track. I have 3 SBC's becouse they are so cheap to build and there are lots of guys who make shifters, headers, engine mounted gas pedals, etc. for them. I swap my drive train from car to car, a sliding driveshaft is helpful but lots can be done with a welder. This may be my last year running the old iron, SBC's are just about a drop in fit for the Ford Crown Vic/Mercury/Town Car platform.
 
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