318

[chargerkid01]

Hey,
For those who still beleive in 318 lol
What are the best combinations to build mine??
I'm want to go to a 4 barrel, but keep it close to orginal as possible because it is the original motor for my charger??

[440charger68]

i would put a nice 550cfm to 650cfm carb on it, try aluminum airgap for a intake manifold and throw on some good header any will do really but i got hooker headers, that itself will free up about 40hp. if you want the lower 300's i would grab some 360 heads and have them shaved for more compression and get them port and polished for better air and fuel flow.

[chargerkid01]

I'd like it to be in the 300 hp range! I got a set of long tube headers, summit racing chrome valve covers, mr gasket valve cover gaskets, and a stainless engine bolt kit. So far thats what I could afford at the time. Is that a good start?? What brands do you recamend?

[440charger68]

anything would be a good start, i have had my 68 charger since i was 12 and this is my first year of college now, but i have been always trying to find ways to improve my 318 and so far its been the headers, carb, intake manifold which makes your 318 breath way more easily. Next for me is to pull my heads and get them shaved about .050 gives you more compression, the only thing that really sucked about 318 was the low compression ratio, but shaving your heads will completely change that. port and polish your heads is a must too also a semi aggressive cam helps asuming that your motor is sound. 

[Foreman72]

  brother...i hear u loud and clear...check out the following

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,47571.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,47571.0.html
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/engine/mopp_0901_318_small_block_budget_build_part3/index.html
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/mopp_0811_318_small_block_budget_build_part2/index.html
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/engine/mopp_0810_318ci_budget_engine_build/index.html

i 2 have a 318 in my 72 and i'm want 2 build it up 2 the 400HP range...its gonna b awesome...the 318 is where its @ man...i can't wait to get mine cookin...

good luck w urs man...i'm in a smilar boat as far as i'm starting college in aug so projects might get put on hold 4 a while...but yeah man...keep plugging away

[WingCharger]

What about switching the crank to forged?
318's are extremely reliable engines. "Bomb Proof" to quote some guys. In Mopar Action, a guy was building a 300hp 318, and Ehrenbergher said to go with a aftermarket forged crank. 318's all had cast cranks except a few engines in 1967.

Mopar Muscle Magazine built a 300hp 318 using just cam, carb, and headers. Stock everything else. The article is buried somewhere on their website.

[Foreman72]

What about switching the crank to forged?
318's are extremely reliable engines. "Bomb Proof" to quote some guys. In Mopar Action, a guy was building a 300hp 318, and Ehrenbergher said to go with a aftermarket forged crank. 318's all had cast cranks except a few engines in 1967.

Mopar Muscle Magazine built a 300hp 318 using just cam, carb, and headers. Stock everything else. The article is buried somewhere on their website.

aren't they on the $$ side?

[WingCharger]

What about switching the crank to forged?
318's are extremely reliable engines. "Bomb Proof" to quote some guys. In Mopar Action, a guy was building a 300hp 318, and Ehrenbergher said to go with a aftermarket forged crank. 318's all had cast cranks except a few engines in 1967.

Mopar Muscle Magazine built a 300hp 318 using just cam, carb, and headers. Stock everything else. The article is buried somewhere on their website.

aren't they on the $$ side?

I'm just putting what Ehrenbergh said. I have no idea on cost.
Here is Year One:
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?hid=127AJ80105

[chargerkid01]

Firts year of college huh, after this semester I have one more and I'm done thank god!!!! Thanks for all the info I still have to do a little more than what you have sugested the motor hasn't ran for about 20 years or so, it will be all tore down and gone through!!

[WingCharger]

A guy built a 318 to 402 stroker up in the Proven Engine Combos area.

[Foreman72]

What about switching the crank to forged?
318's are extremely reliable engines. "Bomb Proof" to quote some guys. In Mopar Action, a guy was building a 300hp 318, and Ehrenbergher said to go with a aftermarket forged crank. 318's all had cast cranks except a few engines in 1967.

Mopar Muscle Magazine built a 300hp 318 using just cam, carb, and headers. Stock everything else. The article is buried somewhere on their website.

aren't they on the $$ side?

I'm just putting what Ehrenbergh said. I have no idea on cost.
Here is Year One:
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?hid=127AJ80105

i'd say a grand in on the expensive side 4 a crank bro
no worries tho...the stock pieces will work great tho...

[440charger68]

i believe 1bad68 had his 318 stroked, he has a few videos on youtube here is one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eme4o53k_rU&feature=channel_page He still has the stock 318 heads on there but he just port and polished them and it was stroked to a 390

[mopar0166]

i would put a nice 550cfm to 650cfm carb on it, try aluminum airgap for a intake manifold and throw on some good header any will do really but i got hooker headers, that itself will free up about 40hp. if you want the lower 300's i would grab some 360 heads and have them shaved for more compression and get them port and polished for better air and fuel flow.

What kinda of power is this setup making?   sounds very simualr to the engine i just built with a 650 double pumper

[Nacho-RT74]

318!!! GREAT ENGINE, ONE OF THE BEST EVER... Some 318 down here were in fact 4bbls, I guess using 340 stuff.

down here, the most used/sold engine, at a side of 350 Chebby

[elanmars]

stupid question alert-so by upgrading to a 4bbl and other things, adding hp...does that take away from gas mileage or increase it? just want to understand what "making it breathe" and all that means.

As I'm very into the idea at the moment to get a 2nd gen small block car as a daily driver.

[Ghoste]

Well, there is a bit of semantics to it.  Performance increases can most certainly be found in making the engine more efficient and mileage increases can be found the same way.  If you utilize the more of the fuel energy available, then a mileage increase could result BUT will you drive the same with the power increase?  There is much much more to it than this of course and some increaes in high end performance will result in poorer mileage (a high stall torque converter or a cam that doesn't find it's best powerband until high rpm for example).  At the same time, it only takes a certain amount of power to move a certain weight at a certain speed, if you can make that power more efficiently, anything left over is excess  .  There is a reason the high mileage four cylinders and Top Fuel drag engines both love the hemispherical combustion chamber and volumetric efficiency is a big part of it.
At the end of the day, most of the power adding changes we make to a car will result in poorer mileage through either the nature of the way the power was increased and/or the way it is then utilized.  Some changes may result in a mileage increase.

[flyinlow]

I like 318's . I was going to use one as a starter for my 440 but used a 350 chevy instead.   

OK just kidding. They are good engines. One advantage of the small block is the 518 overdrive transmission will bolt up . You can change the axle to a lower gear and see the performance improvements and still get decent milage.

[Ghoste]

Wow, you were able to make enough power with a Chev 350 to use it as a starter for a 440?  Whats your secret?

[magnumminded]

I don't have a Charger but, I have a 68 Coronet. 318/904 2.76 gears from the factory. Here is my setup. I am running this cam http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-K6900/ a Weiand Street Fighter Intake, Edelbrock 600 electric choke with a calibration kit and Summit Headers with 2 1/2 exhaust and Summit Mufflers. Also, a Mancini Racing Electronic Ignition Setup & Accel Coil and the car runs 15.2  in the 1/4 mile with the 2.76 gears and 14" Slot Wheels.

[skip68]

One thing to keep in mind is what year your 318 is.        Compression ratio is lower in 72 (I think) and up engines.  And yes, the 318's are one of the best motors made I feel.      Just a damn good engine.       

[Cooter]

There's an article in This months Mopar Muscle mag. where they "Built" a 318 LA motor with a super charger that put out 667 HP and well over 600 Ft. LBS of torque...

[Foreman72]

can you grab the link to that?! i'm always checking those sites and i never saw that one! i can't believe i missed it

[LeadfootBob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjsscD7nNdo&feature=related