can a 318 be made into a 360?

[flatheadgary]

now this is just a question to start a conversation so don't tell me to just buy a 360 ok? it seems a lot of parts interchange. if a person say, had a 318 and a 360 but the 360 block was cracked for instance. would the internals interchange. i know the 318 would probably need to be bored to the 360 size but can it take the size change? what else would cause a problem?

 

[Kern Dog]

There are several differences. The bore size is so different, it is not possible to bore a 318 (3.91 bore) to a 360 (4.0 bore) without resulting in either breaking through or leaving you with paper thin cylinders.
Secondly, the 360 had a different engine mount design at the left side.
THird, the crank shaft of the 360 had not only a longer stroke but used different main caps.

You could install a longer stroke crank in the 318, bore it .030 over and have a 390. It is becoming a popular choice.

 

[mopar 3 B]

So timing covers and oil pans interchange?

 

[flatheadgary]

well now that answers the question don't it. thanks

 

[Kern Dog]

So timing covers and oil pans interchange?

Timing covers do, oil pans do not.

 

[rumblefish360]

I forget what outfit sonic checks there 318 cores for there create stroker program taking the 318’s 3.91 bore out to a 4.00.

Sonic check your block! It may go there!

There are cast cranks with the 318 size journals and the 3.58 stroke of a 360. This is mostly done in the 340 @ .030 over bore (4.07) for 372/373 cubes. This makes for an excellent street strip engine.

So, a 318 can be made into a 360. It is possible.
Again, sonic check the block!
I suggest the 4.0 stroke crank into a .030 over 318 for 390 cubes and ported Edelbrock heads.

Oil pans do not interchange. Everything else does.

 

[MoparLeo]

Why???

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Why???

You have to ask why you make a stroker 390 vs. a 318? You're killing me smalls (haha, I made a funny....small cubic inch...erghhh)
It sounds like gary has a 318, so for a stock type cruiser, leave it 318. If he's thinking more cubic inches, it does make more sense to go 390 vs. 360 with all the items mentioned by kerndog. I do know that rumblefish knows A TON about small blocks, but either way you need heads & a crankshaft, so my vote (if I had one) would be 390

 

[WileE]

You can make a 318 run pretty good, with 340 x or aftermarket heads, some work, intake/cam/exhaust, etc. etc. Been there, done that, and made quite a few sbc go home cry in' back in the day.

 

[rumblefish360]

Thanks PurpleBeeper. I have never had dollars for big block. Barely had bucks for small blocks.
So I just learned on what I had.

Kerndog was correct for sure. I was stoned stupid when I heard of that place (name still escapes me) that took 318’s out to a 4.0 bore. But IF the cylinder walls remain thick enough.....

The engine mount issue is a small issue. The 340 & 360 share that mount.

@WileERobby I applaud that action for a route seldom taken that bucks nearly every mouth that hot rods a engine. Ever so discarded as just a people mover unworthy of any attention except basic maintenance service for moving a car around, the small size is not an end all or determining factor for going fast.

While it’s cubic inch displacement is a limit in ultimate speed and power, it isn’t always easier
to run out and get another engine to go fast. The challenge to use a smaller engine for fun/hot rodding or racing is do-able. The user just has to know the short comings and advantages of there engine and work around them and/or use it to there advantage.

Know your weapon and know it well. Fear none!

I would suggest a larger engine to the OP (if anything more than some basic/mild improvements are in mind) in a B body since the B body tends to be a good bit heavier than an A body which can get VERY light when you work at it.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Why???

Why the oil pan will not interchange but the timing cover will? My take was the covers were different at the pan requiring the pan change. Apparently that was wrong? Can someone shed some light on this?

 

[Ron H]

Not knowing the vintage of the 318 in question keep in mind there are a few interchange variances (can and can't do's) between the poly and LA as well...

 

[mopar 3 B]

Not knowing the vintage of the 318 in question keep in mind there are a few interchange variances (can and can't do's) between the poly and LA as well...

Thought we were talking LA.

 

[MoparLeo]

The why is why go through all the trouble and cost to use a 318 block to save the 360's internals. Just does not make a lot of sense to me. He knows that," don't tell me to just get a 360". Now that is the logical answer. This is just something to talk about, not really to pursue I hope.

 

[JB400]

A bored out and stroked 318 just screams sleeper, especially if you can get it to breath through the two barrel.

 

[MoparLeo]

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/a-bs.htm
http://www.mopar1.us/Aengine.html

 

[Lelo 500]

Isn't a 318 with a 3.58 stroke a 349?

 

[mopar 3 B]

Just trying to.figure out if parts I have will work to convert from V belt to serpentine.
93 3.9 and 89 5.9

 

[MoparLeo]

If you are talking about the factory 5.2/5.9 serpentine belt system, the timing cover has no place to mount a fuel pump. They were fuel injected with pump in tank. The water pump is also reverse rotation.

 

[mopar 3 B]

That all has been taken into consideration. The 89 5.9 was originally injected and will be again. The water pump, drives and all else will come from a doner. All that is needed to be known is will the 3.9 - 5.2 cover work with the 5.9 pan and crank.