1990 318

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Nitro Will

Nitro Will

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Please educate me on a 1990 318.

This is pre Magnum right?

Book says it's a roller cam?

Is this just a typical LA motor with roller cam?

Oiling to the heads LA or Magnum?

Same pistons as the early LA 318's?


Thanks
 
Years ago, I had a 90 d150..... It was a LA with a roller cam and had a TBI fuel injection. Sorry, I cant answer your other questions.
 
La 318 with flat top pistons .040 in the hole actual 9:2:1 Compession roller camshaft different pushrods same rocker arms hydo like the 1968 and up 318. Great motor to build 302 heads which are 64cc mill them down to 58CC can get almost to 10:1 Comp send the camshaft to get regrinded, and you got a hot 318
 
Great starting point for a 318. IMO The best of LA and Magnum blocks. Hmm, could be Magnum, have you checked the block casting #'s?
 
Nitro Will said:
Please educate me on a 1990 318.

This is pre Magnum right?

Book says it's a roller cam?

Is this just a typical LA motor with roller cam?

Oiling to the heads LA or Magnum?

Same pistons as the early LA 318's?


Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, pre-Magnum.
Yes, roller cam.
Yes, LA, only difference is it has the provisions in the cam valley for mountng the spider for retaining the roller lifters. It also has no mechanical fuel pump- although different runs of the engine either used a block off plate or didn't have the pump mount machined at all.
Oils to heads like all LAs.
Same basic piston setup as other LA 318s, although they all varied a bit through the years.
AND
Not a Magnum block, you can tell by the lack of the truck mounting bosses on the side of the block.
Same balancing as other LAs, i.e. 318s internally balanced, 360s external.
Yes, a GREAT starting point for a 318 build.
 
Thanks for the heads up fellas...

Guy has one for sale out of a 90 conversion van. May pick up the 46RH too if it's the non lockup variety.

Another question for the pros...

So are they using a special roller lifter/cam for these couple of years...from LA to Magnum? 90 to 92?...whenever the Magnum cam out?
Just wondering because no doubt the Magnum roller lifter in a LA block...the oil hole on the Mag lifter will come out of the LA lifter bore.
 
this block has got taller lifter bores, same lifter used as in Magnums. Plenty of aftermarket HR Camshaft available.

Michael
 
A cam for Magnums will work just fine in a roller LA, just remember a couple of things:
Magnum cams have a short nose, and can't drive a mechanical fuel pump unless you use an adapter, available from Hughes; or if you specify that you want the cam to be ground on an LA blank.
When choosing a Magnum cam, remember that Magnums have a 1.6 rocker ratio and LAs are 1.5, it will affect your valve lift a proportionate amount.
Lifters are the same part number, roller LA or Magnum.
 
Surprisingly good engine that responds well to minor performance mods, even in heavier vehicles. What are you looking to drop it into?
 
Garrett Ellison said:
Surprisingly good engine that responds well to minor performance mods, even in heavier vehicles. What are you looking to drop it into?
Click to expand...

I have an old beater 71 Duster. Plan is to take the 318 from the van and drop it straight in the duster so I can pull it out of the garage for some body work and work out any bugs....brakes, electrical, pulling...leaks..whatever. I'm warming over a tunnel rammed 360 with 3500 stall converter and when it's ready I only want to be focused on tuning the engine and not chasing different bugs at the same time.
 
Well: You won't be dropping it straight in the Duster, Because the rear sump oil pan won't fit in the Duster.
 
Thanks guys... I have center sump LA pans laying around. I'll also plop on on old eddy performer intake and one of the carbs that are laying around. The Duster is already setup with an electric fuel pump and fuel cell.

Thanks for the heads up.
 
You’ll want to change your distributor from the locked out one to an earlier type, too. That intake and a four barrel with a mechanical/vacuum advance distributor makes a nice daily cruiser combination, even with the undersized stock cam. But your 360 TR is going to be a whole different world of fun altogether, though.
 
Mockup....

20191005_153830.jpg
 
I have an 89 Ramcharger with 318 and TBI, is there any way externally to tell if it is a roller motor without pulling the intake ?
 
I have an 88, 318 and its roller. Pistons are .028" in the hole. Higher compression is noticed over the engine it replaced.
 
DUSTERB'D said:
I have an 89 Ramcharger with 318 and TBI, is there any way externally to tell if it is a roller motor without pulling the intake ?
Click to expand...
If it's the actual '89 motor, it's a roller cam. Confirm the build date. But if seeing is believing, you might get a glimpse if the valve cover was removed.
 
Professor Fate said:
Yes, pre-Magnum.
Yes, roller cam.
Yes, LA, only difference is it has the provisions in the cam valley for mountng the spider for retaining the roller lifters. It also has no mechanical fuel pump- although different runs of the engine either used a block off plate or didn't have the pump mount machined at all.
Oils to heads like all LAs.
Same basic piston setup as other LA 318s, although they all varied a bit through the years.
AND
Not a Magnum block, you can tell by the lack of the truck mounting bosses on the side of the block.
Same balancing as other LAs, i.e. 318s internally balanced, 360s external.
Yes, a GREAT starting point for a 318 build.
Click to expand...
Nice post, although I had a '89 roller cam motor with the fuel pump eccentric ON the cam from the factory, but had a fuel pump block off plate and of course was TBI. Not sure if his '90 would still have the fuel pump snout or not.
 
318willrun said:
Nice post, although I had a '89 roller cam motor with the fuel pump eccentric ON the cam from the factory, but had a fuel pump block off plate and of course was TBI. Not sure if his '90 would still have the fuel pump snout or not.
Click to expand...
I have a '92 roller 360 that had the fuel pump eccentric on it, and the fuel pump mount wasn't even machined, just blank. All kinds of leftover parts getting used up at that point, I guess! :)
 
DUSTERB'D said:
I have an 89 Ramcharger with 318 and TBI, is there any way externally to tell if it is a roller motor without pulling the intake ?
Click to expand...
I've never seen a factory TBI motor that wasn't a roller- it was all part of the package. I have, however, heard that roller long blocks were used in carbed applications in similar year cars like Fifth Avenues, and ST. Regises ... (on FFMJBO)
 
That's a score. I have a roller 318 stuffed in the garage. A friend has a roller 360 I would like to get my hands on.
 
toolmanmike said:
That's a score. I have a roller 318 stuffed in the garage. A friend has a roller 360 I would like to get my hands on.
Click to expand...
I was surprised that somebody swapped a roller 318 in the '80 Drag truck... lol. popped the intake off and roller cam :). It's going to be pulled though..... Maybe it can be the future motor of the early A that I "might" buy...????? LOL :D
 
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