318 to 360 swap with a 904

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qwk dust

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Hello, I have been preparing to build my little 318 to try to get around 400hp and about half of the folks on this site keep telling me to just go for a 360 for about the same money and get more displacement. Here is my question. my car has a 904 transmission and an 8 1/4. I am having the transmission rebuilt anyway and having a shift kit installed. I am also adding posi and 3.91s to the rear end. What all do I have to do if I wanted to swap to a 360? I know that one of the motor mounts needs to be changed. How about attaching to the 904? Please give me realistic cost estimates for the additional costs for the entire swap. 360s seem readily available.. OH yea, any particular year 360 better for a build than others? Thanks!!!

Edit..by the way I do have power steering and a/c but the a/c could go if I have to.
 
Seeing as you know about the mount change, then the only other thing I can think of is to make sure you have the proper harmonic balancer, flexplate and torque convertor. I am not sure about what type of exhaust you plan on running. Headers will be whatever you choose but if you are going to run stock manifolds then you will need some for an A-body.

Jack
 
drivers mount. either modify your 318 one or buy one from schmacher.
balancer (gonna assume that its coming with your 360 though)

you'll either need a B&M 360 flexplate or get the weight kit for the 318 converter.


thats pretty much it. all the other 318 stuff will bolt to a 360. i assume your gonna run headders.

a 360 will bolt right up to a 318 904.
 
Don't forget If you find a truck engine you will need to get a car pan and pickup. The truck pan will not work. Add that to the stuff above, and it is pretty straight forward. You don't even really need the motor mount if you dont mind shimming it with a large nut or a stack of washers.
 
Oil pan issue is easily solved. A 400 h.p 360 wont need more than stock oil supply so you can get mopars oil pan kit. Has a passenger car oil pan,dip stick tube,dip stick and pick up. Less than $125. If you do opt for a used pan,just be aware that the rear main seal on the 318 is bigger than the 360. I had several people try to sell me a "360" pan which was really a 318. I finally gave up and bought new. Problem solved!
 
If I do go 360 I would shoot for a good bit more than 400 hp or it really wouldn't be worth it. Thanks for the great info!!!
 
Hello qwk dust. We have done A 318 build for less than $1,500.00. Used stock flat top pistons. We raced this motor every weekend for two seasons. Driving the car every day to work was A blast. When this motor was built, A friend built his 360 at the same time!!! Cost for him was the same. The 360 12mpg the 318 18mpg. After 1 season he was done with me woopin up on him and went big block. The 318 not 400HP though.8) I was looking for the other thread you started, stock 318 build.
 
Dont forget the 318 and the 360 converters are different. They are not ballanced the same, although they might fit. If you put a 318 converter on it will shake you.
 
I am really torn. I would like to build a car that is really fun and still streetable, even if marginally, for around town. I have a C5 Z06 Vette that is a fair weather car that runs 11.60s at 128 with a 2.02 60' with a/c and full stereo etc. so a 14 or high 13 sec car is not really what I want to build. On the other hand a 318 with close to 400hp plus a 100 shot of spray with the better traction of the Duster sounds really fun. My nephew who I am building the car with wants to stay with the 318 to surprise people. I am still debating since we are still working on the body, suspension etc.
 
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