Got me a new truck with a slant Six, what should I do?

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Mild Mannered Dart

Mild Mannered Dart

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I'm posting here first because you guys have the most knowledge about these motors over the truck forums I have seen. So on to it.... I recently purchased an 81 Dodge D150 short bed utiline with a 225 4-speed. The motor is bone stock with a single barrel carb. So my question is what should I do as far as engine performance mods? I was thinking a dual single carb set up with headers and possibly a cam. I plan on driving the truck every day so nothing too crazy:toothy8:
 

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for performance id get a small block. ive never researched much into modding slants unless for boost apps. but awesome looking truck though
 
nothing ...just drive it ....LOL i would

there is a 2 bbl set-up you can upgrade ....headers bigger exhaust

or even a 4 bbl set-up ....but i think thats too much

i have a 68 dart i drive everyday with same engine and manual trans and it does great even totally stock

if you get into the engine ....you can shave the head quite a bit to raise the compression

sweet truck
 
As a old /6 owner,leave it alone.That little truck,is so sweet!
 
Thanks, well this is my first slant six and I thought I would have some fun with it. I love the oddity factor this truck presents and I want to add to do a little more to the engine without swapping for a v8. Performance is a plus in this case without sacrificing fuel milage. My dads 64 valiant had a 4 barrel and headers with a 4 speed, and man that motor would scream haha. I like the 4 barrel setup but would it cost me fuel milage?
 
These run hard,done right. Bill Dedman,Memike,common sense start off.Read their threads.I would start there.
 
just because you will be floorin it all the time,lol seriously it should get better milage from better fuel metering....
 
It is most certainly NOT "bone stock." Looks like it's already had some "upgrades". Pre-smogHolley 1920 carb and early style air filter jump right out. Evap system seems absent. Catalyst has probably fallen off too. Maybe the previous owner even removed the electronic ignition and converted to points (since they blanked off the vacuum advance)...

There were 2bbl factory intakes, although the smog era BBD carbs that came on them were hardly a performance piece.

An Offenhauser 4bbl intake and a Holley 390 CFM carb is a good starting place. Shouldn't cost too much more than a V8.

First I would work on figuring out what sort of rednecked together setup you have now and get it working right, then start throwing cash at making it a little less slow.
 
I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but that might not be the original engine. 1981 should have hyraulic lifters. Earlier should be solids. If a solid lifter engine, and you wanted a little more power, I would mill the head to get an "honest" 8.5 to 9.0 to 1 compression, and add a two bbl manifold and carb. Make sure the exhaust is 2 1/4 inch from the manifold back. No down side to any of this. It will help power and economy, both.
If it is a hydraulic lifter engine, you can do the same things, but it gets a little more involved with the valve train.
Edit: As cheif noted, no vacuum to the distributer. It might have a distributer with no advance mechanism. Swap that out for a distributer with centrifical, and vacuum advance.

Or you can bring it up and donate it to me :) :)
 
This is my winter beater with a /6, works great
 

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It looks like someone has but a larger exhaust o n it alread (looks larger).
JMO... the cost of going V8 cost more then a couple modes ..
I believe a V8 trans, mounts,drive shaft,318 eng,exhoust all the trimming will
cost more then what C130 Chief said Quote = An Offenhauser 4bbl intake and a Holley 390 CFM carb is a good starting place. Shouldn't cost too much more than a V8.

Upgrade = change plugs, intake, carb ........... tune and drive... It will get better MPG and have a few more ponies.

If this was my truck there is no way I would put a V8 in it.. Very nice truck.
 
Putting a v8 in that truck would make me sad.

I wish cars didn't rust away here in the rustbelt, I never see a truck that old and that clean around here. I would drive that as is in a heartbeat.
 
That thing is slick !
I would make sure it was in proper tune,and call it a day !

But if you just have to....:poke:
 

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Drive it as is. Looks nice! Maybe a header if you like wrenching...and that air cleaner has about 1/4 inch of inlet around the bottom plate to the top plate so maybe a larger full flow air cleaner. That truck and its motor is CLEAN!
 
what makes it REALLY cool is the fact it is a shortbed stepside


sticker,375x360.png
 
That is a good looking truck.
I would make sure everything is in a good state of tune and drive it.
I have an extra electronic distributor if you need it.
 
The slant is great for low-end torque and the long runners give a little torque surge ~2500 rpm. Perfect for a truck. The 1 bbl is fine unless you plan to scream the engine (and look like a fool). Ditto for the factory exhaust, just insure the heat riser (round weight) rotates freely. I had trouble with many Holley 1920's until I finally got a good one. If yours works fine, keep it. You have the e-beam welded aluminum intake manifold, which is very light. Some say they can be porous and leak, but a good epoxy paint or powder coat fixes that. If you have a points distributor, upgrade to HEI (many threads). If the factory Mopar ECU, keep it but keep a spare module in the glovebox. Next time at a junkyard, take the mini-starter and cable off an 80's RAM V-8. That will save 10 lb and real easy to swap on a slant. Not sure why yours has a heat shield, never seen that. I thought truck slants had the alternator mounted on the driver's side.
 
Thanks for the likes guys. It does have the electronic ignition in it, just the module is in an odd place on the drivers side. Johnny Dart, I love how clean your engine bay is, its what I'm shooting for with this truck. Yea, sometimes, you can find some nice older vehicles in Florida but the rest of the time..... I like the idea of the dual single carb setup, would that be good for a daily driver? If you guys know of anyone who is selling headers I might be interested. What really sucks right now is that I will not be able to drive the truck until July as I am currently deployed to Afghanistan.:banghead:
 
leave it be just drive it! they are great motors had one in my dart and another in a newyorker
 
I'd leave the engine alone. The truck looks awesome as is.
Depending on what you already have, more performance might be a simple as changing the rear end gear ratio. :burnout:
 
If you want a little more performance out of that little 6 just put a stock 2bbl manifold on it , skip the header and 4bbl carb, there's not enough gain for dollars spent on that stuff. It looks like it already has a larger exhaust on it already, a 2 1/4" - 2 1/2" pipe gives the best performance over stock. Give it a good tune up or just make sure everything is in good working order and cruise on down the road with it. You should be able to get about 20 MPG out of that truck if it's got the overdrive 4 speed.
 
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