I think there are some here that need to go back to the first post and see what the op was asking. What his use for his 318 is.
318 cam
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I agree. That's why I didn't recommend anything else, like everybody else did. He can make that camshaft work if he'll advance it a good bit.
Heck yes. And why stop at roller cam 360's? I'm surprised no one mentioned a supercharged Gen 3 Hemi swap. Geez, the guy just wanted to put a cam in his teen!
...and he can. I could make that cam run like stink in a low compression 318. A lot better than some on here think it's capable of. He just needs to participate in his own conversation.
Too much cam for a low compression 318 .
without gear it would be a pig. You can't fool me. lol
Or keep it simple, Something like the "6901" cam. Want a little more lift if it's in your budget? 1.6 rockers will get you to .470. THat's plenty for a stock Teen. DODGE Summit Racing SUM-K6901 Summit Racing™ Classic Cam and Lifter Kits | Summit Racing THere's quite a few videos of those 2 cams. The 6901 has a nice lope if that's what you are after.
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dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
My 2 cents! If your using stock components use a stockish cam. There are alot cams out there for cheap like the RV cams and such that are very close to stock. One of the biggest performance killers is over cammed. Best case is to find an original 360 cam they are just a touch bigger but you can still use factory springs and such. I would start by measuring your factory valve to guide clearnce and spring bind and limit your cam based off that if you want to do it on the cheap. When talking "budget" keep it stock and your wallet will be happy. I did a "budget" build and went with a bigger cam and ended up having to cut the guides change springs, seals etc it costed alot!
Yep as DartFreak75 and others have said the stock 360 cam, same thing as the 340 cam SPD-22 Melling, factory mopar specs.
Bolt in and go, no re-engineering everything.
Just bolt in and go. Has a nice rumble to it, and will idle nice without coughing and choking.
No additional machine work needed.
Melling SPD-22
Get Ready > I see they have doubled in price by popular demand, Summit and ebay alike.
☆☆☆☆☆
Bolt in and go, no re-engineering everything.
Just bolt in and go. Has a nice rumble to it, and will idle nice without coughing and choking.
No additional machine work needed.
Melling SPD-22
Get Ready > I see they have doubled in price by popular demand, Summit and ebay alike.
☆☆☆☆☆
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junkyardhero
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i poked around on summit's site and evidently they have it as a cam and lifter set at $285 (which is up considerably from just a few months ago) and an okay deal.
however, if you're not in a rush and don't mind piecing it together: the vatozone carries the cam for $130 and lifters at 5/ea or you can special order the lifters in 4 pack from summit for 9/set.
but, special order and summit. so pays your money and takes your chances on that. which, if you're going that way, you could order up one of their house brand 340 or 360 repop cams in the 140~160 range, but cross your fingers and it might get to you before the snow flies or the heat death of the universe. either or really.
I know there are scads of "318 cam" threads here. The op needs to read up on the volumes of information already written and compiled here.
BTW, there are Melling and Sealed Power cams available for mild small block applications.
www.forabodiesonly.com
BTW, there are Melling and Sealed Power cams available for mild small block applications.
Search results for query: 318 cam
www.forabodiesonly.com
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Prices have tripled just since I built mine in 2020! I was looking at starters the other day I was gonna go ahead and grab one for my challenger project. The exact same ebay mini starter I bought in January 2021 for 38 bucks is now 97! I couldn't believe it!
I paid 69 bucks for a Carter HP electric fuel pump in 2020, now it's 180 at summit.
They are reaching in our pockets for sure.
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Yea its nuts. It makes me mad! Lol luckily I bought alot of stuff for future projects here some new some used but I have alot of stuff saved so hopefully I won't have to buy to much.
The melling "stock 360-2bbl replacement" is the SPD 25 not SPD 22. I've used a couple of them. Bought my last one a year ago on eBay, someone was sleeping as I got it for a fantastic deal.
Identical to a COMP 252 except the lift in the melling is 0.015" less... 0.015" isn't enough to worry about.
In my first one I used many years ago I also used a magnum head conversion which gave me 1.6 rockers which made that 0.410 with regular LA rocker gear into 0 437". That 318 was in an 83, 3/4 ton D250. That cam, a set of eq heads and a performer intake and carb, really woke that 318 up ALOT. And even then that melling cam was 1/3 the cost of the comp with the 0.015 more lift. As I remember it was $80-some, this was back around 2008. The comp then was $250. I believe these prices were cam and lifters but I have slept since then.
The most recent spd25 I got off of eBay a year or so ago (cam only) was $60-some. I got the lifters that are going to be used with that cam from one of Rhinodart's swap meets, a set of NOS DC (yeah, before it was called MP)
Going into a 318 that's in my b body fury this coming winter, along with the '302 heads I have in the shelf.
Identical to a COMP 252 except the lift in the melling is 0.015" less... 0.015" isn't enough to worry about.
In my first one I used many years ago I also used a magnum head conversion which gave me 1.6 rockers which made that 0.410 with regular LA rocker gear into 0 437". That 318 was in an 83, 3/4 ton D250. That cam, a set of eq heads and a performer intake and carb, really woke that 318 up ALOT. And even then that melling cam was 1/3 the cost of the comp with the 0.015 more lift. As I remember it was $80-some, this was back around 2008. The comp then was $250. I believe these prices were cam and lifters but I have slept since then.
The most recent spd25 I got off of eBay a year or so ago (cam only) was $60-some. I got the lifters that are going to be used with that cam from one of Rhinodart's swap meets, a set of NOS DC (yeah, before it was called MP)
Going into a 318 that's in my b body fury this coming winter, along with the '302 heads I have in the shelf.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I've ran the 6901 in a 318 and it does work with stock 318 LA heads and valve springs. Its ok for the street , not saying its a high revver like a 340...I dont think youd get the top end RPMS with 318 heads anyway but I am verifying the K 6901 works in a 318 . It is what it is. My set up was stock 318 with the K 6901 and headers, edelbrock intake and 600 Holley.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I have heard in my travels that, with a LA 318 the stock cam is best in terms of economy reliability and power. Stock lift on an LA 318 cam is below .400" I know most wont want to accept that but , I'd bet there is something to it. Without heads, ( and I don't mean ported stock 318 heads, I mean upgrading to a 340 style head with the large ports. ) there really is no need to cam a 318 but that's just my $.02.
This thread actually has the most "one step up" type recommendations, on only 2 pages!
Those other threads usually degenerate into two camps-
One camp says "leave the stock cam in, you can't do any better".
The other camp says "you MUST put in a .600 lift cam, and a high stall converter, and 4.10 gears, and ..... or it will be a dog".
Those other threads usually degenerate into two camps-
One camp says "leave the stock cam in, you can't do any better".
The other camp says "you MUST put in a .600 lift cam, and a high stall converter, and 4.10 gears, and ..... or it will be a dog".
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Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Dare I say it but, Uncle Tony started alot of the "318 can do what a 340 can do" BS...as someone who has done it with a 318 ( stock LA 318 , SUM K 6901 Cam, Headers, 4 barrel and 2.5 " exhaust system) , you only get so much out of them then it's just drinking gas. Which negates what a 318 was designed to do... be a reliable economic utility engine. I am speaking in terms of the LA version from the early 70s, that's what I had. If I had a stock LA 318 in say a pickup truck or any type Mopar really, right now, I'd tune it up good ,rebuild the 2 barrel and maybe put an exhaust system on it and call it done...I think exhaust really helps honestly. Maybe headers ...the "young " guys coming on here contesting that and saying different never drove/ rode in a fast car for real.
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In post #17, I posted where 4bbl and cam add about 100hp and 50tq, that seems to me a worthwhile upgrade, not saying to use that cam but does shows there is some potential in a stock low cr 318.
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My experience with 318s is very limited , but here is my 318 story : Stock engine, 78000 miles, good oil pressure , no smoke. I put in a Summit 1789 272 454 cam and lifters. Did a quick bowl blend and put on new valve guide seals and Comp 901 springs . Fel pro 1008 head gaskets, so actually a little compression than stock. Ld4B intake, 650 dp. Headers wth 2.5 exhaust. Recurved distributor. Timing is about 20 initial , 35 total. At 700 rpm idle it has no discernable lope. In a Duster with 3.23s, stock convertor and 275/60 Cooper Cobra's, made four passes with a best of 14.39 at 96 . Then I installed a PTC 9.5 convertor with about 3500 flash and some 275/60 ET Steet SS. Best so far is 13.89 at 97. Was shifting at 5500 but seems to like it when I stretch it out more , so the plan is to try 5800 the next time at the track. Planning on going back this Fall and hopefully tune/drive a couple of tenths off. Who knows ? Long story short... I really like my 272 454 cam but , when I bought mine , the price was 99$ for cam and lifters on sale. At the current pricing, I might consider something else. It worked fine with a stock convertor , a little soft on the bottom maybe, but enough to spin regular ol' street tires . Really liked the 9.5 convertor. I think the 1798 cam mentioned by the OP would feel pretty sluggish with a stock convertor . And there is a question of how high do you want to rev your stock bottom end. I'm at the point of nervousness now thinking about my stock cast pistons, original bearings, etc . I'm afraid that if I had the cam the OP is considering in my car, I might be tempted to extend my shift points out to KABLAM!!!
Look at that, do basic hot rodding to a 318 and get decent performance in return, but yet the Usual Suspects will tell us year after year that with a 318 it just can't be done.
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junkyardhero
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serious question: are you capable of having a conversation or regurgitating information without mentioning uncle tony? because, frankly it's becoming tiresome and it undermines what helpful information you may have to contribute.
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