What would you do next to this 318

[Airwolf222b]

So this is a basically stock 318 in my 1973 Roadrunner. Lots of replacement parts but not many upgrades outside of Intake, Carb and Headman Headers. I'm not looking for a lot more power but still wish I could get a little more out of her. adding 3.55 gears made a pretty big difference. But as far as engine upghrades what do you think would be my next best option? Cam? Would a Cam in an otherwise stock 318 make much of a difference? Different Heads? Just put a 360 crate motor in it and call it a day? What do you guys think?

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Depends on how much money you have to spend and what your goals are??? A 100hp shot of nitrous oxide will help

 

[toolmanmike]

73's have small valve open chamber heads and a mild cam to go with it. The right cam and some nice aluminum heads would be next.

 

[Airwolf222b]

Depends on how much money you have to spend and what your goals are??? A 100hp shot of nitrous oxide will help

HAHA. I'll bet it would. I'm thinking more along the lines of 20-30hp increase. A little more torque. $1000 budget range.

 

[70chall440]

Outside of replacing it with a 340 or 360, I'd definitely do a cam and a set of aluminum heads.

 

[Airwolf222b]

73's have small valve open chamber heads and a mild cam to go with it. The right cam and some nice aluminum heads would be next.

With swapping to aluminum heads is there anything else I would need to change?

 

[YY1]

Your stock 318 cam has a .399 lift on the exhaust side.

Perhaps something with a .420-.450 exhaust lift would get the gas out faster.

Staying close to or just under .220 duration @ .050 lift will keep it from eating more fuel.

 

[YY1]

Headers on a small block are expensive and can be frustrating.

Stock 318 manifolds have 2 1/4" outlets.

Same year 360 manifolds have 2 5/8" outlets.

...and can be had cheap if you find them.

 

[Sam69sat]

360 Magnum swap. If you can find a good running one in a wrecked durango or ram 1500 for the right price it might be your cheapest way to gain power cheaply compared to the old 318.

Magnum Swap -your source for Mopar engine swap information.

 

[Kern Dog]

73's have small valve open chamber heads and a mild cam to go with it. The right cam and some nice aluminum heads would be next.

I thought that I read that all LA series 318s had camshafts with a meager .373 lift. That is why they ran so long, they never ran hard enough to hurt themselves.

 

[toolmanmike]

Everybody wants to put a 340 spec cam in their Teens with nothing to go along with it. The op had a 4 barrel and intake, headers and a 3.55 gear. What's the hold up?

 

[Don Frelier]

Remove from vehicle fill with oil and place in a corner.

 

[YY1]

I think it's a split pattern.

 

[Kern Dog]

Everybody wants to put a 340 spec cam in their Teens with nothing to go along with it. The op had a 4 barrel and intake, headers and a 3.55 gear. What's the hold up?

I put a Mopar Performance 340 spec "resto" cam in an otherwise stock 1979 360 4 barrel from a van. That dude runs pretty dang good.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

With swapping to aluminum heads is there anything else I would need to change?

Expect to pay about $2000 for aluminum heads once they are prepared in a machine shop. A can would run you about $600-$800

 

[HawkRod]

To restate what others have said, but perhaps in different words:

An engine is basically an air pump. The more air you can get in, and in turn out of the engine, the more you will improve performance. (Obviously to a point - compression has a lot to do with it as well.)

To get air in: Carb, intake and heads.
To get air out: Heads and headers.
A decent cam is needed in both cases.

Now it comes down to cost. How much will upgrades cost? And even then, you don't fix low compression. Do you want to spend that for limited improvement? At some point, buying a Blueprint 408 stroker becomes fairly cost effective and will get you great improvement with little work but more dollars.

 

[Cranky]

Low compression engines beg for forced air induction!

 

[Don Frelier]

Low compression engines beg for forced air induction!

A supercharger would be about 1/2 the cost of a 408 Blueprint stroker motor.
And you'd still have the old iron, rings, heads etc... sitting underneath.

 

[CoronetDarter]

To restate what others have said, but perhaps in different words:

An engine is basically an air pump. The more air you can get in, and in turn out of the engine, the more you will improve performance. (Obviously to a point - compression has a lot to do with it as well.)

To get air in: Carb, intake and heads.
To get air out: Heads and headers.
A decent cam is needed in both cases.

Now it comes down to cost. How much will upgrades cost? And even then, you don't fix low compression. Do you want to spend that for limited improvement? At some point, buying a Blueprint 408 stroker becomes fairly cost effective and will get you great improvement with little work but more dollars.

A $1,000 budget doesn't get you very far these days. The pieces you already bolted on along with the 3.55's is a nice improvement. Spend the grand on some nice tires and wheels and enjoy.

Another option to fit your budget is to buy a fiberglass hood and front bumper with lightweight brackets. You can also install an aluminum water pump and housing, aluminum radiator. Reducing weight is (almost) equivalent to increasing horsepower.

 

[YY1]

Interesting twist.

On FABO, "I'd like a little more power" from a 318 threads usually devolve in to:

1- put in a .590 lift cam, 4.56 gears and a 4000 RPM stall converter otherwise it's not worth doing anything to.

or

2- "just" get a 360.

This is the first time I've seen "get fiberglass body panels".

FBBO for creativity!