Any help? I guess when the thread drops of the main page, no more help. @Dan the man, @RustyRatRod
318 gurus/historians
- Thread starter dostroupe
- Start date
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Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
yeah sure...why not Uncle Tony...?
I was about to edit 4forty's post.yeah sure...why not Uncle Tony...?
first thing I would do is put a dual plane 4bbl intake on it. With dual exhaust and 360 heads, that motor is just begging for it and the results will be significant.
596 castings are 77-83 360 heads also used on 318 HP engines from 1981-1983. Factory pistons had a 1.74 compression hight.
That carb and intake has been a great set up for my street driven Dart
Would suggest this factory kickdown set up
Would suggest this factory kickdown set up
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
My book says the block is a 318, race engine, around 77'-78'. The heads appear to be the same time frame. Should be painted orange, which surprises me, because most engines were blue or black back then.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Good thread on it here... 318 X block
It was orange at one point. I found traces of orange paint on the back of the heads. I wonder what it came out of?
I used orange on a lot of engines I rebuilt. A lot of years have gone by since 1983.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
it was a race block probably purchased at Mopar Performance or Direct Connection whoever built it painted it orange most likely never was in a production car...
A38Valiant
Collector Of Rust
I have to respectfully disagree. Some early 80s production blocks used this casting number. Pad below the head, the letter immediately before 318 looks like a poorly stamped M, for the Mound Road engine plant. Check just above the oil pan rail on the passenger side towards the front. I bet you'll find a partial VIN there, which would not be there on a warranty block or parts counter block. To be completely honest, this engine sounds identical to one I pulled from a 1982 Diplomat police car in the mid 90s. 360 heads, same block casting number, traces of orange paint probably from an inspection mark on the back of the heads, and it even had a 2bbl intake on it. I don't remember who I sold it to or where they were from, but this thing sounds WAY too familiar.
I also had one of the motors out of a cop car, 318; 360 heads and thermoquad, for the life of me can’t remember what color it was, it’s black now but that may be what I painted it.
A38Valiant
Collector Of Rust
Some time I get a little more free time, I'll have to look at numbers on a 1980 Volare cop 318 I have. I think I still have a 318 4bbl engine here too that came out of an 81 van. There's currently 20 318s on hand, just a matter of the memory not keeping up as well as it used to.
Agreed with A38 above, prolly not a Race engine. I think OP gave the VIN number in post #15? 81 engine, 78 truck. Date code given for front of block doesn't appear correct, at least to me. I would have been at Dodge Truck, working in 1981, so good chance this engine passed by me (depending on shift). I was reminded by earlier post that the color did change from Blue to Black. My memory is not what it was. The stamped number below head looks like 1M....., so yes Mound Road Engine, 3 miles down the street from Truck Plant. We only looked at the engine part number tag to ID engines, generally, which was hung on throttle return spring bracket, at Mound Rd. Engine, by thin wire. VIN number was pneumatically stamped on block when engine was placed on engine assembly loop (at Assembly Plant). I saw it stamped by hand also.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Wait what there isnt an X cast into the passenger side front of the block next to the timing cover...." Uh, nevermind...
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
We all KNEW very early on it wasn’t an X block. No guessing to it.
It’s not an X block.
/thread
It’s not an X block.
/thread
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Has this place all about yammering on about 318s incessantly now...? I'm taking up model railroading...LOL!
A38Valiant
Collector Of Rust
Nothing wrong with a good ol teen. A few tweaks, and good common sense, and you get a nice, efficient little mill that will just cry out to have more beatings unleashed upon it. Go ahead, spin it 6500. If it finally does decide to let go, a good core can be bought for 200 or less. Treat it to a minimalist backyard overhaul, just bearings, rings, and gaskets. If you shop around, you should be able to get by with 300 or less in the overhaul. Toss it in and go thrash some more. And that right there is the beauty of the 318. They can be beaten without mercy, and will often amaze everyone at just how long they will take those beatings. And the peace of mind that 500 or less will replace most of what you will ever break means that there is no stress or worry. Truly the ZFG unsung hero of Mopar engines.Has this place all about yammering on about 318s incessantly now...? I'm taking up model railroading...LOL!
Yes I would have to agree, sounds identical. At first when I saw all the little things it really didn't mean much. It was the timing marks on the balancer that finally made me go, what do I have here? So it's cool. I'm making the truck into my daily driver to save miles on my 2500 which will probably be my forever truck. So the little 318 fits the bill nicely.
I wouldn't worry about it, his job seems to be finding threads to trash on 318's and UTG if he can squeeze it in
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