Sebambam
Well-Known Member
Hotroding = take what you have and make it work.
SBE 318 basic rebuild +CAM , INTAKE, HEADS, expectations?
- Thread starter Sebambam
- Start date
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FlamesAreWicked
Well-Known Member
That’s been the thought process so far with this car.. granted, it should make a certain level of power given the bottom end is working properly and in good shape but.. building to make at least *** power.. I don’t really care that much. If it feels and performs the same after all that work, clearly there’s a problem.. heads, cam, and intake and let it rip.. it’s easy to get lost in bench racing and HP numbers.. I wanna make it fun to drive and make a guy like me take notice when ya hear it roll up..
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
I have the same approach.. I just got tge speedmaster heads. Hughes is out of cams, there is no eta for tge whiplash I ordered. So I am.looking into howards grinds, however there eta is also nov.
So I'm basically still looking for a cam...
I am ready to assemble the engine fully.
FlamesAreWicked
Well-Known Member
I’m looking at the SM heads as well.. I was looking at that cam and the comp thumpr but.. Howard’s may be an option as well. I’d like to go to hydraulic roller. SM has a sale on the top end kit minus cam and lifters for 2200.. heads, rockers, and air gap style intake manifold. I have a 4 spd and an 8 3/4 to swap in first. That alone will pep it up over the 904 and 2.76 one legger that’s in it now..
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Its been said Im sure before if its stock bottom say early 70s smog 318 it will run put of steam quick at like 5000r pm. It will sound good...
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
I have a problem
All cam manufacturers have problems with FT cores and so I have no eta for my whiplash order.
The motor had a comp grind in it that's in good condition.
I'm not sure about the specs
All cam manufacturers have problems with FT cores and so I have no eta for my whiplash order.
The motor had a comp grind in it that's in good condition.
I'm not sure about the specs
FlamesAreWicked
Well-Known Member
It’s a 68 318. While still not ideal, it’s pre smog era
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Good luck. I've heard of the attributes of the early 318. I think I'd measure how far down the hole the piston is and cc the heads and do the math to figure out compression ratio especially with a 340/360 head casting and compute it. I'd want to know...if it comes out "just right" you may be onto making some power with it.
268H 268 intake and exhaust 218 218 @50 454 lift 110 106
Iam running the 268H
Its a good cam it puts the stock cam to shame has little chop
Every engine got what I call free power, basically the power the stock heads and cr is capable of supporting with basic hot rodding, cam 4bbl headers tune etc.. A stock 318 should be able to squeeze 275-300 hp without going too crazy with cam. Now above that heads and cr need to be addressed and think it's fair to say if going that far would a 360 or whatever engine be better?
Generally displacement mainly allows for less gear, less rpm, better idle etc.. which for especially the street are generally desirable traits. But power wise if that stuff don't matter to you a 318 is capable of more power then most would build it to it can basically run all the same parts and if running the same stroke displacement difference shrinks considerably is it worth doing that's up to the ones building them. To a lot of big block guys no small block is worth doing.
To me if you got a good running 318 in the car, adding basic performance parts is a no brainer, but not if your pulling the engine to build or do more than a basic hop up or whatever reason, your probably better off with at least a 360, if for no other reason but to be able to run less rear gear for similar performance.
RAMM
Well-Known Member
Here's the problem as I see it....You're gonna do all that and "let it rip" and when it doesn't "rip" you will suddenly see all of your time/$$$ and efforts in vain. At least that's what I went through. J.Rob
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
I originally ordered a whiplash cam from Hughes. To use with the SBE and 360 heads.
However I opted for Speedmaster heads, and cancelled the whiplash due to lead time.
( no FT cam cores available).
That's actually good since I decided to utilize the heads flow advantage and get a custom cam regri d reusing my comp 268H that was in it.
I am finalizing the cam specs with
OREGON CAMSHAFT, who will do the job for me.
In the meantime the heads are on and it will be decent enough for me.
However I opted for Speedmaster heads, and cancelled the whiplash due to lead time.
( no FT cam cores available).
That's actually good since I decided to utilize the heads flow advantage and get a custom cam regri d reusing my comp 268H that was in it.
I am finalizing the cam specs with
OREGON CAMSHAFT, who will do the job for me.
In the meantime the heads are on and it will be decent enough for me.
PRH
Well-Known Member
The question I have is…….
What is a “SBE”?
What is a “SBE”?
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
PRH
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure if I would have eventually put that together or not.
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
TTT
The engine build will go on:
What's your opinion about this cam grind
215/230 @ .050”, 268/280 adv, .468”/.486” lift
Non changeable Facts:
Stock bottom end
- pistons swapped left to right & flipped
SPEEDMASTER heads .
1.6 rocker shafts.
The engine build will go on:
What's your opinion about this cam grind
215/230 @ .050”, 268/280 adv, .468”/.486” lift
Non changeable Facts:
Stock bottom end
- pistons swapped left to right & flipped
SPEEDMASTER heads .
1.6 rocker shafts.
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
Just a old school trick since the oem pistons are slightly offset you get a higher peak out of them they say due to angularity.
Idk if it's true or works
I put new bearings and rings in anyways so I just put them in accordingly.
See here
PRH
Well-Known Member
Engine masters did the piston flip in a magnum 5.9
It was about 1hp
It was about 1hp
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
the 318 is built and back in the car.
ended up
with a stock bottom end with new rings, and bearings a excessive cleanup and a dingle ball hone.
Speedmaster Heads ( 170cc/65cc) and SM 1.6 Rocker shafts , both where on sale and i think this are 1300$ well spend.
Since there is NO FT Cam cores i went to a local cam guru and got a WHIPLASH grind incl. core for 50$ + i got the Lifter that where in it regrind as well.
bunch of Budget measurements, but also guarantee fit since this parts came in the engine already .
I also refurbished the long tubes that cam in the car. they came out great , however fitting this F'ers in the car is no fun, i can just imagine how a BB is a real PITA to put into this A body lol..
i went with a Simple GM Style HEI Dizzy Ignition , just for reliability and ease of use.
Stock Fuelpump and Ebay intake and with a 750 DP ( i had on the shelf)
ended up
with a stock bottom end with new rings, and bearings a excessive cleanup and a dingle ball hone.
Speedmaster Heads ( 170cc/65cc) and SM 1.6 Rocker shafts , both where on sale and i think this are 1300$ well spend.
Since there is NO FT Cam cores i went to a local cam guru and got a WHIPLASH grind incl. core for 50$ + i got the Lifter that where in it regrind as well.
bunch of Budget measurements, but also guarantee fit since this parts came in the engine already .
I also refurbished the long tubes that cam in the car. they came out great , however fitting this F'ers in the car is no fun, i can just imagine how a BB is a real PITA to put into this A body lol..
i went with a Simple GM Style HEI Dizzy Ignition , just for reliability and ease of use.
Stock Fuelpump and Ebay intake and with a 750 DP ( i had on the shelf)
For those who are in the "junk the 318 in favor of a replacement stock 360" mindset you aren't gonna gain enough to make it worth the effort unless you have stock in an oil company, it will drink more gas with not enough more "go" for the effort. Unless the 318 is blown up or otherwise "hurt" and the 360 isn't. Most who put a 360 in do add upgrades etc along the way, which is an apple to oranges comparison. Stock tired 318 to fresh warmed up 360. If you warm up the 318 to the same extent it too would be better than what you started with.
I've swapped 318-360 and I've done 360-318 largely based on "which one came up available first" when I've needed an engine and my experience has been "6 of one half a dozen of the other" power/performance wise. Not enough of a difference between them to go thru the effort just so I could say "hey I have a 360".
Now I know a few things you could do to that 360 that would make a difference... But then it ain't stock no more. The first damn thing a 360 needs is those stock dished pistons they all came with need to make a quick trip into the scrap bin.
I've swapped 318-360 and I've done 360-318 largely based on "which one came up available first" when I've needed an engine and my experience has been "6 of one half a dozen of the other" power/performance wise. Not enough of a difference between them to go thru the effort just so I could say "hey I have a 360".
Now I know a few things you could do to that 360 that would make a difference... But then it ain't stock no more. The first damn thing a 360 needs is those stock dished pistons they all came with need to make a quick trip into the scrap bin.
Sebambam
Well-Known Member
I didn't even have to think about a 360. My oem 318 was in good shape , just tired... so nothing a freshup can't fix.
As you said IF the 318 would have been trash I would have gotten a MAGNUM 5.9 just because of the heads and roller cam setup.
But i didn't have to do that so this 318 is fine for my needs.
I'm not trying to have a race engine.. I want a reliable hotrod engine ...and I believe I have that with this setup.
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