I've seen A LOT of posts about making HP with a 318-So why is it so ???

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QuickDart360 said:
By any chance do you remember the cam used? Hydraulic or solid?
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It’s right in the original post:
Reworked 675 heads, 340 cam, Performer
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It was a “Perfect Circle” brand, stock replacement cam for a 340, that came out of a used re-ringed low CR 340 I had laying around.
The exact same thing as a Sealed Power CS644.
 
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I am building a 318 for my Australian 1980 CM Valiant Regal Special Edition Sedan.Why 318? Because car is getting restored to original and has Brazilian 318 with 727 torqueflite. I am using my edelbrock alloy heads that are on my charger as the charger is getting an upgrade and I will use all the old parts that I already have. So hear goes, 40thou over 318, mill the block to get comp up to near 10 to 1, heads have home port job with 2.05 inlet valves, cam will be hydraulic 204/214 @ 50 thou with 421/441 lift. Exctractors and dual 2.5 inch system, Wieand action plus manifold with 650 edelbrock carb. Should make decent power for a mild 318 in this cruiser. Just using up all my old parts off of my charger.These cars originally had ELB and cold air intake, so will be trying to make it look as close as possible to standard looking.
 
Good choice on the cam.There is too much emphasis on hp.
Small blocks are usually lo on torque and squeezing 300 plus hp out of a 318 requires a cam that will hurt the small engines' bottom end even more.
 
do you own that white box cam yet
if not it has a lot of duration for the amount of lift- it gives up low end compared to other cams with that lift
or gives up a lot of hp compared to other cams with that duration
 
So now we're back to "what's a good one or two step up from the stock 318 cam without a lot of other work".

It's been in numerous other threads with no clear recommendations.

(other than .500 lift, aluminum heads, and a loose converter, or just stick with the stock cam)
 
RustyRatRod said:
Asking why build a 318 is like asking why mess with a slant six. Some folks like what they like.
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I agree Rob. You know I like to be different, and a good running 318 that can match a 340 is underdog glory! Personally, I feel that the 318 tuned properly makes more HP and gives similar mileage than a slant with no real weight penalty. Compared to a 360, it's just by nature going to deliver better gas mileage, albeit with less low end torque. In a light chassis or a truck with decent gearing, it's a viable option on an actual driver over the go-to 360. What's cool to me is the 318 and 383 are short stroke motors compared to their long-arm 360 and 440 brethren, and respond in similar fashion. They sound better by nature with the same camshaft, and always pull better mileage when in good tune. Everybody is not gunning for their rivals on the street or going for track cred, some guys just want to enjoy!
 
rusty
how bout a late hemi in that 64 valiant
I put an 'Elephant in on and that's a LOT of work
wedge might be slightly easier but whole front suspension has to be wider and heavier duty
I'd guess B might be easier than RB but getting exhaust out would still be a *****
and the weight would negate any handeling
 
In a nutshell, not all of us care about maximum horsepower. I talked to a guy last night that bought a 69 Road Runner that had been raced. 440, dual quads, big cam, 11.5/1, 4 speed, 4.10 gear, etc. He is in his mid 60's and had fun driving the car but he doesn't enjoy driving it. He doesn't take it far from town and it sits in the garage a lot more than it should. We talked about de-tuning or doing a 383 and rear gear swap to get him back to a cruisable combination that he can enjoy. I am going to help him get there.
 
I have a number of cars, the 2 I drive MOST are the 71 sweptline, it has a bone stock 5.9 magnum with a carburetor, and the 71 dart which has a 5.2 magnum with a carburetor, both with 3:23 gears, jump in and drive across country in either one. Big HP is fun, but seldom used!
 
Wyrmrider said:
rusty
how bout a late hemi in that 64 valiant
I put an 'Elephant in on and that's a LOT of work
wedge might be slightly easier but whole front suspension has to be wider and heavier duty
I'd guess B might be easier than RB but getting exhaust out would still be a *****
and the weight would negate any handeling
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LOL...screw THAT. My small block was tight for room in my 64. It was a royal PITA to fit most everything. A hemi would have been just miserable to fit.
 
Well put ! Lots of good arguments for and against both 318 and 340/360.
But if the original poster (Ramm) does indeed build a 318, i'm sure he will dyno
it and we will have the numbers for rpm and lo end torque in a warm 318.
 
ir3333 said:
Good choice on the cam.There is too much emphasis on hp.
Small blocks are usually lo on torque and squeezing 300 plus hp out of a 318 requires a cam that will hurt the small engines' bottom end even more.
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A lack of lower end power might not be the worse thing, traction is hard on the street anyways, you can usually go around 215-220 @ .050" before bottom end starts dropping off in any dramatic way.
To me most stock low power engines work from idle-4500 rpm the trick is to stretch it up to 5000 - 5500 rpm without effecting bottom end to much. 5000-5500 is good for about 1 to 1.1 hp per cid after that your more in street strip territory.
 
Bighead440 said:
I agree Rob. You know I like to be different, and a good running 318 that can match a 340 is underdog glory! Personally, I feel that the 318 tuned properly makes more HP and gives similar mileage than a slant with no real weight penalty. Compared to a 360, it's just by nature going to deliver better gas mileage, albeit with less low end torque. In a light chassis or a truck with decent gearing, it's a viable option on an actual driver over the go-to 360. What's cool to me is the 318 and 383 are short stroke motors compared to their long-arm 360 and 440 brethren, and respond in similar fashion. They sound better by nature with the same camshaft, and always pull better mileage when in good tune. Everybody is not gunning for their rivals on the street or going for track cred, some guys just want to enjoy!
Click to expand...

That's how I feel when I drive the Valiant. It always puts a smile on my face. It's just a 170, but man is it ever snappy! We'll have to come by in it soon. I am still at the stage where we're making short trips such as to Gray or to Matt's place, but I'll get it whipped to Milly probably sometime this week.
 
If I were looking to do something pretty basic...... as in retain the stock 318 LA heads......

Shoot for an honest 9:1+ cr
1.88 intake valves
Minor porting
Pretty small cam/stock rocker gear
Headers
Std Performer (or other suitable used intake)
 
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toolmanmike said:
In a nutshell, not all of us care about maximum horsepower. I talked to a guy last night that bought a 69 Road Runner that had been raced. 440, dual quads, big cam, 11.5/1, 4 speed, 4.10 gear, etc. He is in his mid 60's and had fun driving the car but he doesn't enjoy driving it. He doesn't take it far from town and it sits in the garage a lot more than it should. We talked about de-tuning or doing a 383 and rear gear swap to get him back to a cruisable combination that he can enjoy. I am going to help him get there.
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That'll be a fun project!
 
PRH said:
If I were looking to do something pretty basic...... as in retain the stock 318 LA heads......

Shoot for an honest 9:1cr
1.88 intake valves
Minor porting
Pretty small cam/stock rocker gear
Headers
Std Performer (or other suitable used intake)
Click to expand...
Good for 300 horse and 450+ lb/ft
 
Wyrmrider said:
rusty
how bout a late hemi in that 64 valiant
I put an 'Elephant in on and that's a LOT of work
wedge might be slightly easier but whole front suspension has to be wider and heavier duty
I'd guess B might be easier than RB but getting exhaust out would still be a *****
and the weight would negate any handeling
Click to expand...

There's a warmed up 56 331 Hemi five feet away from it. I've thought about it. Here's the plan. The 170 and three speed comes out. 170 on the stand to get a Weber 32/36 and bored out exhaust manifold and a basic valve job and a new timing set and the whole thing gets resealed.

While it's out, the 400 gets mocked up with heads and exhaust manifolds and lowered in place "to see" how bad "it won't fit". Lots of pictures taken. Then when I figure out if the three on the tree can stay, the slant goes back in with 2 1/2" upgraded exhaust all resealed up with new timing set and a snappy little Weber. Even if I leave the 170 in at that point (and it's very likely I will) I will have new information for those want to big block swap an early A body. And if for some reason I decide to big block the car, I'll go ahead and hang the Ford 9" under the car and do it. I might. You never know. I also still have my long rod 225 build going on too, so "there's THAT". lol
 
toolmanmike said:
Good for 300 horse and 450+ lb/ft
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Mmmmmm, 450 tq? Noooo.
350...... maybe.

Where it ended up would most likely come down to just how good the heads were, and what you did with a cam.

My “upgrade” from that combo would be a small solid cam.

Actually, I’m really not much of a hyd cam lover anyway...... so maybe I’d just go for the solid right off the bat.
 
PRH said:
Mmmmmm, 450 tq? Noooo.
350...... maybe.

Where it ended up would most likely come down to just how good the heads were, and what you did with a cam.

My “upgrade” from that combo would be a small solid cam.
Click to expand...
Stock 318's have around 340 stock.
 
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