alright rumblefish...

[bouncer]

dont mean to pick on you like this, but you seem like you know where im coming from.

I want a mild 318 build up, and I have about $2500 canadian (i think about $1800 american). This is a daily driver car, but i gotta have some fun, you know. I'm good friends with my buddies dad, who's a great mechanic, but more of a ford type, so he doesnt really have the answers im looking for. Ive read these forums quite a bit, and heard all about double roller timing chain, electronic ignition etc... but i gotta draw the line.

Im set on performer intake, and a holley 4bbl, and i already have dual exhaust.

I know im pretty clueless though on what I need to do about my heads, and my cam. ive read that website on the 318 rebuild, and it answered some of my questions, but not all.

I would like to rework my original heads (mill 0.04, exhaust 1.6", intake 1.88"), but ive heard so much about the 302's. Is it really worth finding a good set and reworking them? Is porting worth the money, and whats the difference between porting and a mild porting? As far as cams go, I NEED HELP. Is it worth spending a large portion of my funds on the heads, or should I just work on other aspects. Conclusion is, I need a fun, peppy engine with good throttle response, nothing crazy, just quick and reliable, maybe all the crap i said above is jibber and you should flush some new ideas into my head. C'mon people, let me have it.

[cuda66273]

$1800.....

"You can never exceed the speed of your wallet"

[dkn1997]

Is it worth spending a large portion of my funds on the heads, or should I just work on other aspects.

Not only is it worth it, but it is absolutely what you should be spending the bucks on

[bouncer]

yeah, i kinda figured so, since they're going to be off anyways

[rumblefish360]

bouncer

Sorry for the delay, I have been at work alot. Today, the pages are loading beyond slow and incomplete. Now, on to biz!

Is your short block complete? Where do we stand on the project? What car is this goin in? Is that $2500 Can. for the whole thing or whats left to do? How much does the machinest charge for boreing, balanceing, etc.....
You can spend alot there.
Heres a big hint.

"You can never exceed the speed of your wallet"

Not only is it worth it, but it is absolutely what you should be spending the bucks on

This is good advice if your short block is done.

Prices out of a 2000 PAW cat.

Pistons w/pins and Molly rings to size
w/ main and rod bearings. $240
Gasket set (MoPar) 50
MoPar Cam and tappets (761)
Replacement 340 cam
268/272, .450/.455, 110 c-line 154
MoPar (249) springs 80
Bolts for;
Head, main & engine hardeware 77
Edel. Performer 154
oil pump 51
Holley carb, 1850 206

This leaves you with $767 for machine work and extras like engine paint, gaskets not surpplied, and little parts, filters, vacumm hoses, heater hoses and other misc. things and surprises.
Speak with your machinest and tell him your a student looking for a little help and a break on prices and services in exchange for a good word to others looking to do some work and sporting his bumpper sticker or something.
Bartering in addtion can help.
Maybe even trade some work done in exchange for an apprentership with him. (Just thinking out loud.)

I'm not really up on exactly where you stand on your project and what you have left to spend.

[bouncer]

well, where istand now is, bout 3 years ago, my dad and i found a 52 dodge fargo, threw the body on a 77 aspen suspension, and fixed the body up and dropped in the 318. it hasnt been rebuild yet and thats what ive been saving up for. i have $2500 canadian for the whole deal, maybe a few bucks more.

it runs well, but i want more performance out of the thing. i know that i could not rebuild it entirely myself, but i have some good friends. since dropping the engine in my truck, ive added dual exhaust and some other very minor pieces. i looked at your list of parts, that is extremily helpful, thanks. By the list you've given me, I guess you are proposing buying higher comp pistons than milling the head. about how many horses will this run at the wheels? will i have to port for this to perform as well as it should? what is a good mopar rebuild book? i think 'how to rebuild small block mopars' rings a bell.

[rumblefish360]

That is a good book. How to hot rod S/B MoPars is another good book by Larry Shepard. It was out before the Edel. RPM or the Weiand Stealth intakes and there fore is not included in the book.
About the pistons. I was not sure if the engine needed to be bore/rebuilt or not. If it's running good, your $240 + dollors ahead of the game. A big plus.
Milling the heads is a good way to get the comp. up. The MoPar "Engines" book for S/B's is very very good and has milling specs.
Your dual exhaust should be a set of headers, 2 1/4 (Min. size) pipes with at least an "H" pipe to conect both sides for a good 30+ HP over the stock exhaust manifolds. Easy.
Port out your heads with the 360 valves. Intake and exhaust. (1.88-1.60) The porting, depending on how much is done, is worth about 25-30 HP over stock heads. The larger valves and a tad more.
Just port the bowl area and gasket match for good measure.
With the Performer intake and a Holley of 600 cfm, you should make 300 HP. Maybe a tad more.

[Doug Wilson]

For that kind of money, you could swap in a running 440. Better milage, better performance, and a LOT better platform to build on in the future.

Justathot.

[rumblefish360]

where do we stand bouncer ? How are we making out with the engine/?

[bouncer]

Alright, I'm gonna wait until I get my heads off (jan.) and then decide whether to ge with higher comp. pistons, or mill the heads. I'll see how things look and such. I wouldnt mind a recommendation for headers that are affordable and good fit. Any suggestions? Also, parts seem to be much more cheaper in America, and I thought I'd order online, but do you guys know of a tax thats implied for atomotive parts being sent over the border? And what's a reputable source for ordering parts, JEG's? PAW? Finally, a 360 is basically the exact 'outside' size as the 318 correct, with exceptions like the oil pan? I'm guessing for $2500 canadian, I could find a rebuilt 360 and drop it in, plus get greater hp than I would if I went nuts rebuilding the 318. Any suggestions on that rumblefish?

[rumblefish360]

I would do a 360 over a 318 every time. More TORQUE! They are the exact same outside size. Oil pan and balancer differ. However, you stated a money limit and the added cost of getting a 360 engine, complete or not, would be a set back. You do not have a lot of money to start with, so stay with the 318 for now.
Right now, you should perform a compresion test. Find out where you stand on the 318. If the test shows pretty even numbers, your in good shape. From driving with the engine, you should know pretty well where you stand.
Milling the heads would be cheaper than new pistons. Do pistons IF and only IF you need them.
Headers for a 52 dodge fargo? Your kidding right? I would have no idea. I'll take a shout out on anything that fits from anybody here. Seems to me at this point, a custom fab is it. Not hard, but a chalange to do. Break out the mig!
Theres a duty to pay I believe. Lets here someone in the know about that shout out.

[rumblefish360]

http://www.manciniracing.com/
http://www.summitracing.com/
http://www.jegs.com/index.html
I have had no problem with any of these places in buying parts.

[Fury Boy]

I just had a 360 done up to replace my 318. I was going to spruce up the 318 since it had 150 PSI of cylinder pressure in ALL 8 cylinders.

Then I put a good oil pressure gauge in and discovered I only made 5 psi of oil pressure at idle, about 0 in drive...

I would build a 360 with cheap performance parts so you have more potential in the long run, but initial cost will be more as well.

get a set of 360 heads if you put new pistons in, go for 9:1 CR with a 70cc head and you'll have plenty compression and good headflow for all 318 ci... but, go ahead and port them out some for about 20-30 HP, just like Rumbly says, heads is where its at on these little motors.

Or, do like steve dulcich. Eddy heads and performer rpm intake with a Comp XE 268 can and headers. A bit over your budget, but 360 HP at flywheel makes for some exhilerating feelings on the seat of your pants...

[bouncer]

yeah, i did a comp test last week at work, everything's fine. custom exhaust isnt out of the question, im good with the old mig and torch. i think i finally have a pretty good idea what im going to do, i ordered the how to rebuild and how to hot rod a sb mopar couple days ago to, so that will be nice. now i just got to wait for the winter

[rumblefish360]

Hey Fury Boy. He's a little short on the funds, so a cheaper method of HP is at hand. Your buddy Steve did a good thing that issue. They/he should do more 318 stuff. There a dime a dozen out there. No reason not to use'em.

bouncer; You should also get the MoPar engines book for small blocks. A good and wise investment.
Since your compresion test did well, your up to milling your heads.
To reduce the head chamber 1 cc, remove .0053 from the head surface.
For each .010 removed from the head, remove .0095 from the intake face of the head.
Here is where you have to do some homework. CC your heads and figure out how far down the hole the pistons are. Know what gasket your going to use. With these measurements, you can come up with your compresion ratio.
Once you know that, not what the factory says it is, you can target how much to mill of the head.
Mill first, valves next w/ 3 angle valve job, finish with gasket matching and porting.
Put it all toghter with the proper valve gear with the cam being used and pop it on the engine.

[bouncer]

this is going to be too cool
i gotta print off this thread for some reference, has good stuff in it, thanks a ton rumblefish, very helpful.

[rumblefish360]

Click this guys place. Mr. West did some homework.
http://www.geocities.com/alwest_83/318