318 Making Power

[Dave81]

Interested to hear the engine chaps thoughts on this........

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/113 ... ock-build/

Though I don't consider mine to be a junkyard dog, its not far off being a 78 dated core.

350+ HP, 375+ ft lb is my lower goal with the magic 400/400 being my chosen numbers.

Obviously 360 or a 408 are probably the easiest ways to reach such numbers........just interested to see other thoughts?

Being that I'm not US based the costs are kinda subjective in that link, so need to be taken into account!!!

[John]

Interesting read on the low comp motors Dave

I like it when people show what can be done without dismissle all the time

[Dave-R]

You have to consider the money to power ratio.

It is not good for the 318. I have nothing against the 318. But you get the same HP levels for a lot less money on a bigger engine. Bet that 318 is making no power at all below 3000rpm.

So you have built a 400 horse 318. What you going to fit it to. A stock 906 trans and torque converter?

These articles always make engine building sound cheap. But I bet it would cost you at least twice as much to build the same engine here in the UK.

A 340 or 360 with 727 trans is still the best place to start from.

[Dave999]

didn't realise the 318 had valves smaller than a standard hemi 6

I based my Hemi 6 build on that article

my thinking was if they can can 400 bhp from 8 cylinders i can get 300+ from 6.

then stick the webers on and see if i got more

slowly getting there

mines on a manual transmission

and i'll agree with dave

the smaller and less popular the engine is the more expensive it gets...

[Les Szabo]

Thats a good build but takes a lot of work and is expensive to do here, there are other alternatives like Magnum Heads which just require different lifters and pushrods and require virtually no work apart from milling from 59cc. But the most important thing for you is to see where YOUR slugs are down the whole, .050 and you got a chance, much more and its Pistons. 350hp won't come too cheap and you gotta think about a converter and possibly some different gears like 3.55's as the cam will dictate it. Its possible with J heads as well if you can find a pair thats 65cc to start with, they can be anything up to 72cc stock which then they are no good to you or anyone with a 318.

Les

[Les Szabo]

Here's another 400hp 318

Block: 1968 Plymouth Barracuda 318 block - zero decked (pistons flush with the block at TDC), line honed
Crank: Forged 273 crank
Rods: 73-and-up LA connecting rods with ARP rod-bolts.
Pistons: Keith Black KB 167 hypereutectic
Rings: Federal Mogul pre-gapped moly rings
Windage tray: Factory 318 police car windage tray
Heads: Magnum heads (59 cc closed chambers, 1.92" intake/1.625" exhaust, 1.6:1 rocker ratio)
Head gaskets: .040" head gaskets
Compression: 10:1 compression with Magnum heads, zero-deck short-block and .040" head gaskets.
Cam: Comp Cams 280H Magnum camshaft, single-pattern, 280* adv. duration, 230* duration @ .050", .512" lift with the 1.6:1 Magnum heads (normally .480" lift with 1.5:1 LA heads).
Pushrods: Comp Cams #7960 pushrods (7.650"
Intake: Mopar Performance M1 single-plane for Magnum heads
Exhaust: TTI 1 5/8" to 1 3/4" step headers
Ignition: MSD distributor, box and wires
Carburetor: Mighty Demon 750 CFM
Carburetor Spacer: Wilson 1-inch tapered spacer
Engine oil: Royal Purple 10w-30

[MilesnMiles]

Have you spoken with Carl about his stroker small block if he's going BB?

[MilesnMiles]

You seen this one.

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/stuff- ... box-320146

Not cheap, but my heads were £1500 alone and this has ally heads, KB pistons, etc

[Les Szabo]

All these builds and engines are fine if you got the money Dave, if you haven't then tell us what you have now in the engine/trans/verter/gears and where you wanna be, I take it its a minimum 350hp?


Les

[Pete]

I bet nearer 240 BHP....which is still pretty good.......

[Mossy68]

Best bang for ya buck ...........N2O !

[Dave81]

Some great stuff here........

Miles:
Not spoken to Carl and I had seen the 360 on R&S.
Unfortunately a bad year at work last year (Company performance not me) and once in a lifetime holiday this year mean that big money spending is a no go........so I'd not want to waste anybody's time chasing!

360 on the face of it though looks spot on for what I want though.......typical!

Dave:
Yes, as the saying goes about displacement...........just found it interesting that a 318 can be made to perform.
Under no illusion that it would possibly be an expensive route, but as I already have one and it being in the car it 'may' be a start! Like most things you'd probably not know until all is said and paid for and that it would of been cheaper etc etc etc.......

Les/Pete:
End Goal is circa 400 horse with a proper 400 ft lbs. I want it to light up the tyres at will, so would trade a few horses to get the torque to the magic number!

As for the current anchor........its a 78 318 which apparently had been rebuilt to stock specs. I would honestly be amazed if the number starts with 2. Butt dyno would more likely suggest 170-190hp. I'm probably gonna get it on a dyno and take it down the 1/4 as is this year to get a stock(ish) benchmark......... Always up for a laugh:D

As it sits at the mo:
Rebuilt 78 318 with stock Pistons, heads, cam with cast manifolds. Bolt ons are holley 600 and edelbrock intake. Running stock 904 with id expect a stock verter through to a 7 1/4 with 2.76 open pig........yep proper monster!

I have already got an 8.75 axle and 489 3:55 SG setup waiting for a rainy day.
I have a set of TTIs but believe they are for aftermarket heads, so may end up with dougs as an alternative.

Think I know the answer already.............and tbh it was my starting goal 4 years ago.
Scrap the entire drivetrain and drop in a 360 with the right parts mix! This should put me in the mid 300s add decent heads and voila, I think I should be in the ballpark?

All good fun.........

[Les Szabo]

You could improve that quite a bit with something like an XE256>262H hyd. cam, but no bigger!!....you got the intake and carb, Small tube headers will make 10+hp alone as stock cast manifolds are real restrictive, and add a 2.5" dual exhaust if you haven't already, add those with your 3.55's and it'll be respectable at around 250hp+ and feel quite nippy. Intake and carb you have now won't do anything but hurt without a cam to go with better breathing, stock lift is .399!!!!....shouldn't break the bank!! Also if you wanted to delve inside the motor a bit you could mill the heads some and clean them up, open intake ports to current manifold size, do a valve job, and you'll be suprised the difference that will make, knocking on 280>290hp perhaps.

My stock 2bbl 318 in the charger with 3.23's used to light the stock right tyre up all the time if I floored it until I fitted som N50x15's, then it just chirped and went!


Les

[Jon Connolly]

Dave

The 904 is a very capable gearbox, I wouldn`t necessarily bin it off. I had one in my pick up truck behind a 575 hp 408 and it was as good as gold.

[Jon Connolly]

Buy this Dave ... that way your existing headers can be used

http://www.racingjunk.com/Drag-Racing/1 ... oker-.html