318/360 production info

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dan brooks

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I'm tossing around the idea of replacing the 273 in my car with either a 318 or 360. This will be a bone stock motor as I'm looking for dependability.
My question is what year casting should I be looking for? Some sites tell me the L.A. motor was made from 67-76 others tell me something different.
I want a drop in motor/trans but need to know what years I should be looking for. I would like to retain my 65 trans and know about the bushing for the converter
Thanks for all your help, Dan.
 
Keeping your converter with the OEM trans? Then for a 318, it is a bolt in. For a 360, a B&M adapter flex plate is needed. I use them without issue.

I think any engine you find in the Lanseries is going to need a rebuild unless it is a known good engine.

FWIW, a Magnum engine would be a better bet. Just swap on a carb intake.
 
Most all "LA" 318 and 360 are pretty much the same. Except for few applications their mainly non performance oriented engines in stock form. The 360 heads have bigger valves and bigger ports and it will have different motor mounts then your 273. The newer Magnum engines would be a nice upgrade but it's not a direct swap. Go here find out more about the differences: LA - Chrysler small block V8 engines
And here for more information on using the Magnum :
Required Modifications

By the way why do want change out your 273? Is there something wrong with it?
 
LA motors were made from 64 to 92. 318 will drop right in. What year is your car? As mentioned you will either have to have weights welded to your converter or a weighted flex plate installed for a 360.

One thing that is generally a non issue but something to be aware of is the hub on your torque converter is smaller than a 360 or 318. It won't self center. Also Motor mount brackets are different on left side I believe for 340 360 engines. Can be worked around easily though
 
340dartley said:
LA motors were made from 64 to 92.
Click to expand...
LA 318's were made up to 91. LA 360's were made up to '92. Best motor for the Op would be a '87 to '91 318. Roller cam would be friendly with todays oils. It would be a direct bolt in in place of the 273 with just a couple of minor details. Op would pick up torque, hp, and should pick up fuel mileage. Win, win... and win.
 
My vote is 318, any year prior to Magnum.....my reasons are:

Motor mounts direct swap
In keeping with bone stock/dependability, exhaust manifolds......a 360 might get chocked up a bit
No external balance factors to worry about
Swap the 273 damper, front cover, water pump over, no radiator change, no "where's my timing mark"
You are looking for a driver, not a hot rod

One other thing, if you use a 318 that has smog holes in the heads under the exhaust ports (you'd have to do this on a 360 also), plug them and carefully fit up the drivers side exhaust manifold to the head and grind away the bump till the manifold fits flat.

Good luck!
 
My 11/1 LA360 with a Hughes 230* cam and stock crank and rods is every bit as reliable as any stocker ever was. And it goes 93..... in the 1/8th...at 3650#. With a little less cam you wouldn't know it was hopped up. It has over 100,000 miles on it now, and has been pumping air since 1999.
The first point is; if you have to rebuild something, it might as well be a 360 with at least 350 to 400 hp. With high compression and tight squish, she can make great SBM torque,power and make some terrific hiway fuel-mileage too. And when you lean on it, stuff happens.......
And the second point is;don't let let yourself be lulled into thinking that a stock engine is somehow more reliable than a performance combo. At typical street power levels, this is seldom an issue. Our SBMs can easily handle one to one point two hp/cid for 100,000 miles, or more.

If you go 360, you "might as well"upgrade the auto to a 71 up unit which has most all the important upgrades Then the modern TC selection is wide open. But I suppose your 65 has the push-buttons.Then I can understand your wanting to keep it.In which case, a 360HO is probably gonna kill it.
And of course, at 350/400 hp, you will need to be kind to the 7.25er.

But I gottasay, if you really want to keep that tranny and the 7.25er, perhaps a low-comp teener is a safe bet.On the other hand a 250hp 360 is easy,peasy, and then your car has a future.
 
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AJ/FormS said:
My 11/1 LA360 with a Hughes 230* cam and stock crank and rods is every bit as reliable as any stocker ever was. And it goes 93..... in the 1/8th...at 3650#. With a little less cam you wouldn't know it was hopped up. It has over 100,000 miles on it now, and has been pumping air since 1999.
The first point is; if you have to rebuild something, it might as well be a 360 with at least 350 to 400 hp. With high compression and tight squish, she can make great SBM torque,power and make some terrific hiway fuel-mileage too. And when you lean on it, stuff happens.......
And the second point is;don't let let yourself be lulled into thinking that a stock engine is somehow more reliable than a performance combo. At typical street power levels, this is seldom an issue. Our SBMs can easily handle one to one point two hp/cid for 100,000 miles, or more.

If you go 360, you "might as well"upgrade the auto to a 71 up unit which has most all the important upgrades Then the modern TC selection is wide open. But I suppose your 65 has the push-buttons.Then I can understand your wanting to keep it.In which case, a 360HO is probably gonna kill it.
And of course, at 350/400 hp, you will need to be kind to the 7.25er.

But I gottasay, if you really want to keep that tranny and the 7.25er, perhaps a low-comp teener is a safe bet.On the other hand a 250hp 360 is easy,peasy, and then your car has a future.
Click to expand...
'65 is the first year for column shift or floor shift per government rule. Push buttons were deemed unsafe and '64 the last year. However, '65 was still a cable shifted tranny.
Also, a 400 hp 360 would stress other components like rear end, tranny, and would probably need headers. Building 400 hp cost money also. My Dad has a slant six in his pickup and never uses more than half of its power, nor desires more. Not all of us are impressed with the same things.
Yes, you can build a performance engine to last for miles of street use.... I agree.
 
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