318-4

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dodgeluver

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Hi, folks, I have questions for the group. I have a 68 Dart GTS (340 less) and I just pulled the 318-3 LA out of it because it is a bear to start when it reaches normal operating temp, very unlike any other small block I have owned (in the range of 50-60). I know nothing about this engine. Looks good, runs good, hard to start hot. Any thoughts? Next item: I just had a 318-4 built for the GTS everything new except block, crank and heads, which were completely re done, (cost as much as the car did) Is there any distinguishing difference between a 318 - 1 or -2 -3- 4 like the crank, cam or heads from the factory. The casting on the 318-4 is 2536030 318-4 which only tells me it was produced between 1967 and 1974 I believe. The date stamp is 6-12-67 @ 8 A.M. the engine came out of a 1968 one ton stake bed D300. Thanks
 

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No, those 1 -2-3-4 numbers are mold numbers so that they can track any problems to what mold cavity they come out of if needed when quality issues arise...

Pretty much all engine castings for the same casting number are the same...
 
Describe hard to start. As in acts like too much timing or flooded? Thick insulator gasket under carb? Doesn't want to fire till you let off key?
 
Hard starting probably is not linked to the engine itself, but rather something like vapor lock, or an electronic piece getting hot, or the sort.
 
Hard to get started when hot or cranks too slow to start when hot? first one: pickup/ecu/coil are frequent culprits. second one: confirm the batt is good & its hard to find a shop with an old fashioned load tester with the big knob on the front so I would just borrow another known good battery. clean ALL large cables/terminals including the ground path (starter case to block/block to firewall/block to neg cable. have the starter checked but I ain't sure how to check it when hot (at a parts house) but you might with jumper cables and a known good batt jump to the large batt stud/starter case under the car when hot (clamp the red cable clamp on both starter terminals and make your last connection at the batt on the ground by the dr front tire so the spark dont mess up the starter terminals). lastly would be internal friction but that'd be my last bet. you might pull the plugs when hot & with a 1&1/4" socket/breaker bar/torque wrench see how much torque it takes to turn it over.
 
Replaced starter with high torque model. Replaced battery with new one. Will replace ecu, but I already pulled this engine and am putting a 1968 318 that has been professionally built.
 
Thanks, that makes sense. I've been reading posts that suggest that those - numbers reference the application of the engine, but I've never seen any physical differences in them over the years except for distributors, plugs, carbs and items like that. I've got a 65 Dart GT that is currently a slant 6 but I've got 2 318s, a 75 model 360 and a 65 383 that need homes. When I get the GTS back I'll start saving for that project. I also have a 92 Ramcharger 4X4 and a 2014 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman 4x4 MOPAR keeps me broke but I'm addicted to them.
 
Hard to start is usually in the timing or choke settings.

Install the engine, get it tuned in, and then see how it starts...

You should be fine...
 
A whole lot of wear in a timing set can make a hard to start and harder to start hot.
Kind of goes back to what others said about timing only in these cases the timing issue cant be corrected at the distributer.
 
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