318 or 340?

-
'73red-duster said:
Rusty, I'm on your side. You are the one who usually comes up with the most for the least ideas. Most of us are on a budget, and you get that.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Although mine was a Ford 5.0, here is what I did.

1999 Ford Explorer 5.0 from LKQ for 350 dollars with 6 month warranty. I went and picked it up 45 miles away, so no shipping charges.

I received much more than I thought. I figured just basic long block. What I received was totally different. Had I had an ECU and put fire and gas to it, I could have busted it of fin the back of the truck.

It still had very heavy cross hatch in the cylinders and the pistons had minimal wear. Engine had 179K miles.

Valve guides were great. I got moly rings, bearings, valve springs and a full gasket set from Summit. Sent the stock roller cam to Oregon for a regrind. All that was about 250 dollars. I did my own valve job and installed the springs myself, so no money spent there.

I got a little fancy with the valve train. I got the Crane kit that allows rocker studs for adjustment and 1.6 ductile iron roller rockers with custom length pushrods. All that was about another 250.

I did all of the cleaning myself at home. I also prepped and painted it. All in all I may have 1100 dollars in it. The Mopar will be slightly higher with the original purchase and parts price difference.
 
I can go above $2k but that was the member I was shooting for. Once I get my block, heads, etc we'll see where I'm at.
 
I will tell you, the newer engine you get, the less machine work will be necessary. That's why I recommended the Magnum.
 
2 Grand? I dont think I ever spent 2K on building a motor! I am the king of frugality when it comes to building motors. The trick is: I got TIME. Like so much time, I can wait for Rockauto to sell me .std Hastings piston rings for $14 a set (manufactures close out) and std mains for $16 (again, house branded closeout). I bought a complete Edelbrock pro-flo MPEFI system minus the pump for $500, then found a NOS Mercedes pump with the same specs for $30. I found a set of new cast MP 360 stroker pistons for $100, so I had to buy an Eagle cast 360 crank for $230...shipped! Of course I need a 360 to stuff these into so I bought a 86 truck 360 out of a low mile camper for $200, carb to pan. Took the heads to my machine shop and had them cut for 2.02 valves and did my own porting, $60! Add that up and I can still spend $880 on other BS, like a $100 Meziere electric water pump (NOS open box from a Chevy speed shop) 1.6 MP roller rockers $150, 2 complete gasket sets for $25 at a Mopar show...then I ran into a guy that balances industrial machines and was quoted a $75 price on a crank balance minus any tungsten needed (none as I already balanced my pistons to a repeatable .1g with a $12 HF digital scale, as well as rod caps and little ends, math worked out to remove weight off the 2250 Eagle estimated bob weight) 904 trans checked out good so I bought a shift kit, got my hands dirty and installed it, then found a Hughes 2800 convertor for it for another $75. Add in the $100 rusty headers..and Im still under 2K. Sure it took me over 5 years to collect this but that was part of the fun building a Mopar.
 
pishta said:
2 Grand? I dont think I ever spent 2K on building a motor! I am the king of frugality when it comes to building motors. The trick is: I got TIME. Like so much time, I can wait for Rockauto to sell me .010 over Hastings piston rings for $14 a set (manufactures close out) and std mains for $16 (again, house branded closeout). I bought a complete Edelbrock pro-flo MPEFI system minus the pump for $500, then found a NOS Mercedes pump with the same specs for $30. I found a set of new cast MP 360 stroker pistons for $100, so I had to buy an Eagle cast 360 crank for $230...shipped! Of course I need a 360 to stuff these into so I bought a 86 truck 360 out of a low mile camper for $200, carb to pan. Add that up and I can still spend $940 on other BS, like a $100 Meziere electric water pump (NOS open box from a Chevy speed shop) 1.6 MP roller rockers $150, 2 complete gasket sets for $25 at a Mopar show...then I ran into a guy that balances industrial machines and was quoted a $75 price on a crank balance minus any tungsten needed (none as I already balanced my pistons to a repeatable .1g with a $12 HF digital scale, as well as rod caps and little ends, math worked out to remove weight off the 2250 Eagle estimated bob weight) 904 trans checked out good so I bought a shift kit, got my hands dirty and installed it, then found a Hughes 2800 convertor for it for another $75. Sure it took me over 5 years to collect this but that was part of the fun building a Mopar.
Click to expand...

Lol....the patients of Jobe!
 
I dont know where all these DIME A DOZEN engines are but tell me and I will send you 20 cents an get a couple dozen. To me it is a dumb thing to say. Machine shop work is not any less when working on these 'Dime a dozen" engines.
 
Mopar Tim said:
I dont know where all these DIME A DOZEN engines are but tell me and I will send you 20 cents an get a couple dozen. To me it is a dumb thing to say. Machine shop work is not any less when working on these 'Dime a dozen" engines.
Click to expand...

It is if they don't need machine work to begin with.
 
Mopar Tim said:
Hence the Magnum choice. Ops I see that post failed. I suggested the magnum. :cheers:
Click to expand...

I don't know what it is about newer engines. The fuel injection, the newer oil formulas or a combination, but they hardly wear at all.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I don't know what it is about newer engines. The fuel injection, the newer oil formulas or a combination, but they hardly wear at all.
Click to expand...
I agree with ^^^. I think it has a lot to do with the oil not getting washed off by a rich mixture.
 
I am sure there are several factors. I have seen many newer engines with at or around 200K that still looked new inside.
 
can a 5.9 magnum be made to look like a La engine? Valve covers? Intake?
 
Yes. You can use LA valve covers with the Mopar Performance thick rubber valve cover gaskets. The intake is not a whole lot different, but you can redrill the Magnum heads for the LA intake if you really want to go that far.
 
My 01 Ram is 260,000 miles old and still feels like a torque monster when needed.

That's why I picked up a van, with a 5.9 and a 518 trans for my barracuda, 130k miles, good runner and was only $300.

I'm with the camp of just drop it in and run it. If you only want a cruiser no need for a performance rebuild.
 
Can typically get a good running LA 318 for 150 bucks complete. 5.2/5.9 magnums usually run 350 bucks. Many of these you can pop in without rebuilding.

A little more work involved with the magnum (mechanical fuel pump and intake mainly). If going on the cheap skate side of things, more bang for the low buck with a magnum.
Enough good advice already been offered, I think the op can make a good decision according to what they want.
 
To many people watching the threads...Thousands..HELP THEM
 
Mopar Tim said:
can a 5.9 magnum be made to look like a La engine? Valve covers? Intake?
Click to expand...
Yeah. Mine's pretty much entirely dressed like an LA, even the LA A/C compressor. Downside is can't clear the hood with a stock air cleaner- can't have everything, now can you? I had to get a V8 Grand Cherokee air hat to clear the hood. I think the stock intake is lower than the M1 4bbl w/the stock TB spacer.
 
5.2 Magnum,all the way.. My 5.9 Magnum has 190k on it, beautiful cross hatch on bores & bearings looked great.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top