318 advice

[moper]

Mild? Everquest Magnums, KB hyper pistons, a mild cam (like the XE262H Comp) and I wouldnt go RPM. A simple 318/360 Performer is what I'd go with. I cant see a build like that going more than $3500.

[72hemi]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

[Glennster]

I go back and forth like a ping pong ball on this.... Do I warm up the original 318, to where I'm close to 400 HP, or do I just go out and buy a 360 crate motor?
 Here's what I keep coming back to, darn few people will give you 1 extra $ for a hot 318. There are some folks that would give you a few bucks for a 360 crate motor (with some documentation).
  By the time you warm up the 318, you could probably have a crate 360. And, you now have two motors......
 For some goofy reason, I'd kind of like to keep my little 318, get it to 375-400 HP and quiet those who talk down the 318. You'll notice that I never said I was smart, but I have been accused of being hard headed and strange...............

[72hemi]

While your point is well taken I doubt the car that this engine is going into will ever be sold. Plus the budget that we are trying to work with is a fraction of the cost of a new crate engine, and I have the 318 laying around.

[Glennster]

This is one of those deals where there is no wrong answer. It's a little like picking a color, it's a personal preference thing. I really would like to have a hot 318.........
Good luck with you Hot Rod, sounds like it's going to be a very sweet build!

[smallblock]

I warmed my 318 up a little with a set of 302 casting closed chambered swirl port heads. These are great. They flow good and up the compression being closed chambered heads. I put in a mild cam, X-cellerator intake and holley 600, should have used a 650 but it makes for a nice little motor. No racer by any means but 318's are great motors, They make decent power and hold up great.

[Challenger6pak]

If your 273 is a 64-67, and it has the original crank, it is a forged crank. 64-71 273/318 use the same rods.  This means you can use the forged crank in the 71 318 w/o having to rebalance it. If you have the 72-73 318 rods you have to use a 340 forged crank to avoid rebalancing. Here are a couple of charts so you can be sure of what parts you have.

[dodge freak 2]

I have a hot little 318. Has 360 heads, 2.02 intake valves, etc etc.

But if it was a 360 built right-that could rev to 6500 everyday like my 318 does, the 360 motor would make even more power.

Your right, costs are about the same.

Why a crate motor, you trust those ? I hear some negative feedback on all factor crate motors.

Then again, not all engine shops do great work. If you can find a shop to do the job right, it be stronger than a crate motor. Be surprise how time flies...I had a shop rebuild my 318 back in 2001. All I have done is swap cylinder heads and camshaft..oh yeah, intake swaps.

Oil pan never been off and again it sees 6500 rpms everyday.

[PlumCrazyChris]

This thread will give you more information then you ever wanted to know about building a smallblock.   

Its intended to make max gas mileage, but efficiency is power.   check it out, Great tech info.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=best&Number=3944014&page=0&fpart=all

[cudazappa]

hope no one minds me jumping on board with a question... (it has been stickied, right?)

Ok, my 71 Challenger has a rebuilt 318 in it. Stock pistons and rods and crank...

so I'm looking to turn up the wick a li'l for next year.
I have a 670 holley avenger
LD340 intake
and 273 heads with larger valves installed (I have to check on this, crossing fingers that I just didn't jinx it)
I'm going to run headers and dual exhaust.
What Cam should I run?
I was thinking a 340 auto resto-grind cam. Any other suggestions?

btw: auto, 3.23 gears, stock challenger for rest of setup... Just looking for some good seat of pants action this next year while I prep up for a better 318 the year after (yes I'm crazy...)

[71chally416]

The 280/474 lift factory cam works well in a mild 318, even with below 8 to 1 compression with a stock convertor. I have some 12.70/109mph time cards that prove it. Has a nice lumpy idle too. I also used the LD340 Intake . 

[cudazappa]

what did you use for heads?

[71chally416]

The whole build is here>

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=46967.0

[PlumCrazyChris]

273 heads with larger valves installed (I have to check on this, crossing fingers that I just didn't jinx it)

I heard that 273 heads don't flow very well unless they are ported...?  Anyone know for sure?

It seems everyone these days, in all the smallblock building competitions, are using magnum heads.  They are quite good stock they say, and awesome (supporting 500+ HP) when ported.   Someone, I can't remember now, is making replacement magnum heads (aluminum?) pretty cheap.  They don't leak either, which is a big plus in my book. 

You obviously have the 273 heads already and are going to use them, but maybe for the next build... 

BTW, RHS is selling rebuilt LA and magnum heads with big valves for ~ $500 a set.

[Aussie Challenger]

 

If your 273 is a 64-67, and it has the original crank, it is a forged crank. 64-71 273/318 use the same rods.  This means you can use the forged crank in the 71 318 w/o having to rebalance it. If you have the 72-73 318 rods you have to use a 340 forged crank to avoid rebalancing. 

  You will however have to make sure that the 318 pistons are the same weight as the 273 or balancing is required.