Well I guess I can put this on here. I'm building a 318 out of an '87 RC for my '86 RC. The engine in my '86 is getting tired so I thought I'd look for and purchase a running 318 and do a mild inexpensive build.
So far I've been gathering parts. What I've purchased/done are:
- '87 318 - $125 Craigslist (started it up before I bought it, runs good, idles good)
- Holley 4160 570CFM Street Eliminator Carb - $30 Craigslist (Needs rebuild)
- Holley Street Dominator Aluminum Intake - $75 Craigslist (had it bead blasted to clean it up, looks like new)
- Flowtech Headers (New in box, never installed) - $100 Craigslist
Removed and had the 318 heads hot tanked, magnifluxed and had the valve stem seals replaced - $300 machine shop
My future plans are to:
- Replace the cam with a High Energy 260H cam.
- Replace the lifters & pushrods
- Replace the timing chain and gears
- Replace starter with a reman mini starter
- Replace distributor with vac advance to eliminate lean burn system
- Replace harmonic balancer
- Replace the valve covers and breather with Mopar Performance products
- Paint engine Mopar blue
I'll post more as I continue this project. Feel free to chime in with advice or suggestions.
you doing anything to the bottom end?
I know with the Magnum, you've got to go with a milder cam, unless you want to replace the PCM... which I DON'T... because it's a PITA. Not sure about YOUR model, and whether that's an issue or not.
I'm looking at finding a newer model 318 in a junkyard, pulling the heads, and sending THOSE out to be ported/polished/magnafluxed, so they'll be ready to install with NEXT year's tax refund. ;D Unless I just win the lottery by then. :tongue3:
Quote from: rjtx667 on June 30, 2013, 12:09:20 AM
you doing anything to the bottom end?
No not planning on anything withe the crank, etc. Things look good in there. The only thing I plan down there really is to replace oil pump & oil pan. The pan that came off is rusted and pitted pretty bad.
Quote from: The War Wagon on June 30, 2013, 06:54:09 AM
I know with the Magnum, you've got to go with a milder cam, unless you want to replace the PCM... which I DON'T... because it's a PITA. Not sure about YOUR model, and whether that's an issue or not.
I'm looking at finding a newer model 318 in a junkyard, pulling the heads, and sending THOSE out to be ported/polished/magnafluxed, so they'll be ready to install with NEXT year's tax refund. ;D Unless I just win the lottery by then. :tongue3:
Hmmm I don't think I have a PCM. I hear you about the lottery. This hobby ain't cheap! :disgust:
rebuilt magnum heads can be had for about 150 a head around here. They still tend to crack a lot.
if you want a decent set of good heads and plan to do any port/ polish work I suggest saving for some EQ Magnum heads.
Quote from: rjtx667 on July 01, 2013, 07:47:23 AMif you want a decent set of good heads and plan to do any port/ polish work I suggest saving for some EQ Magnum heads.
These? http://www.4secondsflat.com/FBO_EQ%20Cylinder%20heads.htm
:o Wow, can't afford those! It would be nice though.
yeah mine were a bit more than that, as those are bare, then you need springs and valves (i did stainless steal, 2.02) and I also did light cleanup and port work.
So if I every decide I don't have enough raw power I can rip them off and go to a better port and polish job, but for now they are moving the truck around pretty good. :steeringwheel:
I thought about going with these... http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-61775/overview/make/dodge
Especially since they're assembled, and designed for my nominally rare Magnum RC.
But this will be NEXT year's tax refund! :tongue3:
Quantity:Sold individually.
just make sure you double that price. They are not cheap, but yeah they are good and a lot of people like al heads. I went with the steal as I did not mind, and it worked better with my CR I was doing. Plus it would have added probably $500 more to the cost of the build which was already crazy $$
Hey, you guys seems to be knowledgeable in this stuff so I'll ask the question. If I'm using the stock 318 heads off of a '87 carburated engine what cams can I use? I posted what I thought would be good to use above but is there any other modifications I'll need to make to use that particular cam? Also, should I even put an aftermarket cam in there? Again I'm using the Holley intake & carb set up with headers. Will a cam even be that much more beneficial? Sorry for the questions but I don't want to spend the $$ if I don't need to. :017:
I don't know a lot about the non hydraulic roller cams, except they are cheaper :laughing7:
Should you put one in? Absolutely!!!!!! it will wake the motor up like you would not believe. Which one you want depends on a lot of things, including what your valve springs can handle and if you need to buy new ones.
I am running a 210/220 duration on my 408 (which is a bit small for a 408 but still works good) on my 5.2 I run a 204/208.
I like crane cams, but I also have a comp cam. Just have to look around and figure out what exactly you want and what it takes to get there.
i also agree that you should get a cam. summit sells a rv/towing cams and lifters kit for $115. if i ever get around to installing a cam that is probably the one i would go with. there is a video on youtube of a 318 with the cam and it sounds pretty good.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k6900/overview/make/dodge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk0USBvh8AU
Quote from: crazzywolfie on July 03, 2013, 09:10:31 AM
i also agree that you should get a cam. summit sells a rv/towing cams and lifters kit for $115. if i ever get around to installing a cam that is probably the one i would go with. there is a video on youtube of a 318 with the cam and it sounds pretty good.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k6900/overview/make/dodge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk0USBvh8AU
Wow, that's exactly what I needed. THANKS! :headbang: I think I'll go with this cam instead of the one above. Man I like the way it lopes at idle. That should do the trick. Will I need new push rods as well? This ones that I have that came out of the engine look fine.
As far as work to the head; I'm not planning on anything else. It looks like the fella in the video just put that cam in a completely stock engine. I had it cleaned and inspected and the valve stem seals replaced and that's about all I'm planning to do.
What about taking my dremel tool to the ports though and cleaning them up a bit (ie: removing the rough edges). Seems I've heard of this before.
as long as the push rods are straight you should be fine to reuse them. you can test them by rolling them on a piece of glass.
i would also guess the guy in the video just put the cam in a stock engine. i have been told a stock 318 just needs something like a rv cam to wake them up.
i would not go too crazy with the dremel. i think some of that rough cast is good for helping the fuel atomize.
Decided to add that cam & lifters package to my "wish list" there at Summit. Shoot, I think I'll talk to Dave next week (my babrershop is around the corner from his shop, and I need a haircut!), and see if he wants to ADD that to the "to-do" list for my truck while he's got it! :tongue3:
Quote from: The War Wagon on August 24, 2013, 07:52:07 AM
Decided to add that cam & lifters package to my "wish list" there at Summit. Shoot, I think I'll talk to Dave next week (my babrershop is around the corner from his shop, and I need a haircut!), and see if he wants to ADD that to the "to-do" list for my truck while he's got it! :tongue3:
if he does make sure he does the plenum intake gasket on the bottom of the intake, they leak a lot... could help your gas millage issues too.
Quote from: rjtx667 on August 24, 2013, 11:23:29 PM
if he does make sure he does the plenum intake gasket on the bottom of the intake, they leak a lot... could help your gas millage issues too.
Mine does seem to be "holding" for the moment, but yeah - that's the
FIRST fix that gets done, once we open up the engine for ANY reason!
I haven't done much at all to the engine due to the heat and humidity this summer. I'll get back into it when the wx cools a bit down here in the swamp. Wish I had a/c in my garage. I'm heading overseas at the end of Sep for a bit. Hopefully it'll be cooler when I get back.
A/C in the garage thats on my wish list too :laughing7:
Heck, garage is on my wish list. :017:
garage that I can park in is on my wish list... its got 3 cars in it, but all 3 are not drivable go fig.
i would just settle for having a garage and could not care about a/c.
We got a little rain today, heck more of a sprinkle. When I got off work at 10:30 pm it was steamy still and the temp is only 78*. Simply amazing.... :sunny:
I've got a 1.5 car garage with no car in it and still no room. :icon_scratch:
I honestly believe that "room in the garage" is just a myth perpetrated by the home builders. I have more junk in mine than I can even talk about. Problem is, every time I go to clean it out, I always find something I need and add it back to the pile...
And if I do decide to go ahead and get rid of whatever it is, I find I'll eventually need it somewhere down the road and kick myself in the shorts for throwing it out... I think it's some kind of sickness. :017:
:laughing4: I agree
sounds like you just need to organize things better.
Hey Guys, I'm looking to buy this Hooker Competition Header-Back Exhaust System from Summit but I need to know if the header flange will attach to my Flowtech headers. The flange looks the same. Has anyone had any experience doing this setup?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hok-16551hkr/overview/ (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hok-16551hkr/overview/)
Those were designed to be used with their headers which have a 2.5" collector. What does your Flowtech set of headers have for a collector size? Seems to me that back in the day most headers for V8's used 3" collectors. If so, you may have to get some reducers and adjust the pipes accordingly.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Hooker/520/5902/10002/-1
Was just looking at some headers in my new JEGS catalogue in the throne room this morning. :tongue3: DEFINITELY gotta go 2 1/2 reducers - I went true duals on my RC, and it's TOUGH snaking any bigger pipe in and around the suspension!!!
I know budget dictates everything.. but if you have a 86-87 318 it will be a roller lifter/cam block with a flat tappet cam/lifter in it for the trucks.
I used from the u-pull it JY the roller lifter/dogbones/spider/hollow pushrods/rockers and went to a lunati Vodoo roller cam in my 85 318 roller cam block.
I have pulled that cam and valve gear and slaped it into the 91 318 i am running now, and just a couple months ago i swaped the roller cam to a hughes whiplash roller cam for a lumpy idle and good street drivabilty.
no cam break in worrys,used roller valve gear is cheap wakes a 318 right up.
you can run a little more lift than the summit cam and get better HP/performance out of a better cam flat or roller.
the lunati cam specs
258/264 adv
208/213 @ .050
.485/.485 lift
108/110 ICL/LSA
whiplash
207/214 @ .050
.480/.487 lift
107/108 ICL/LSA
keep a tight LSA, keep short duration,go high lift works great on the 318 for performance
check youtube under old greenie for the whiplash sound clip of my green 85 stepside truck