84 diplomat 318 cop car engine

[stroker mike]

I got ahold of a running 318 to swap into my duster today, it's from an 84 dippy and was a security guard car at Great America. The car was wrecked and the engine saved, I called about it and the guy said it has a four barrel, so it has to be a service vehicle. I researched and learned about the 360 heads on them and the poor compression, but also found an article by Hot Rod in 2003 called junkyard jewel where they made 400 hp with a 318 cop engine! I don't know what's gonna happen but I have some good parts to switch into and onto it, so we're gonna find out! I never did find the source of the oil pressure issue in my 1970 block so I am yanking it out... I'm really glad I found the problem before I put all my good parts in it. I don't know if it is a bearing spun or something simple like a cracked or clogged pickup, but I don't want to chance putting it under big stress and failing, especially with a grand in new parts in and on it! The chances are high that there is real damage inside that one, cause the former owner had 8 quarts of oil in it, was driving it from San Jose to Dublin daily for months, he said. If the bearings are spun that would cause the issue. It has 25 psi when i start it, but fades to zero within a few minutes. So, out with it! I'll pick up the other 318 tomorrow and open it up.. hopefully will have been well maintained, and good to go for a few fun things!

[Rich Kinsley]

That sounds interesting. I hope it works out good for you. It can be a fun project.

[JVMopar]

When you pop that oil pan off that cop car engine, let me know if it has a windage tray. Just curious.

[dodger1]

Interesting. I bought an 84 Plymouth Caravelle (Gran Fury in the U.S., same car as a Dippy) R.C.M.P. copcar a few years ago for a parts car - mostly for the suspension bits and 318 cop engine stuff. I already had the built 360 plugged into my 82 Mirada. Imagine my surprise when I pulled the top end off the copcar and found garden variety 318 heads (1.78 intakes) a mismatched parts store TQ. Further inspection revealed no windage tray. Moral of my story - a 25+ year old copcar has been overhauled at least once and who knows what it ended up with under the hood. The good news is no one messed with the suspension bits and I wound up with the fat driveshaft, a decent 8 1/4" rear, and 1 1/8"front and 7/8" rear anti-roll bars (Miradas had no rear bars in 82) Not a total loss, but don't be surprised if the motor isn't original.

[John Kunkel]

Thank the Blues Brothers for making the "cop engine" something special. The cop 360 engine is no different than the E58 in any other Mopar. Ditto for the E45 318.

[pcrmike]

JV, I built a '85 cop 318 and it had a factory tray in it.

[Ray Bell]

And don't forget to replace the lighter...

[toad490]

Originally Posted by John Kunkel

Thank the Blues Brothers for making the "cop engine" something special. The cop 360 engine is no different than the E58 in any other Mopar. Ditto for the E45 318.

I wondered about that too, a whole bunch of searches and the only difference I could find is that maybe police 318s had a windage tray and had a 4 barrel a couple of years earlier ( in the 80's) than was available to the public, even all suspension upgrades were available to the public, just as seperate options. The police could just order them in one package. Surprising what a movie will do.

[cageman]

If it is a 4 barrel, it will have a windage tray, at leats everyone of mine has, I must have 15 windage trays laying around, lol

[toad490]

There ya go. Makes sense.

[stroker mike]

I feel like I hit the lotto... got 915 heads witht 2.02 valves, uncut! excellent! they have some big chambers, but these pistons are not as far in the hole as my 1972 318. weird! I'm gettin em milled .030 by Gromm racing heads, and I already have some ductile iron adjustable rockers and killer stainless pushrods, all thanks to my good friend Alvin, who's dart makes me drool....so, big valve heads, chambers should be small enough after machining, this is gonna be a fun 318!

[Skwerly]

Well, that's a whole lot of right on then, isn't it! You should easily be able to get it into the 400 hp range when that beauty gets built. Is it going to be a cruiser or a straight-line racer?

[stroker mike]

It's going to be a weekend type thing, I just want to builda really cool car. I am really happy with things so far, in spite of getting burned on the original engine that came in the car, I was going to rebuild it anyway, so it's ok.