318 Year range best for machining

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2nd Dart 67

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Hello,

I'm new here to this forum, I picked up a 67 Dart, with a slant 6 motor in it and I am looking to put a 318 in it. A friend of mine has a 318 wedge (polyspIhere) i believe and is willing to let it go for a decent price. My only concern is that I can't find any rebuild kits (oversized pistons, intake carb etc) for that motor. Is there any? If not I will just find a LA 318, but my question is what is the best year range for boring no more .040 over? I don't want my cylinder walls to be thin.
I've seen alot on craigslist out of trucks in the early 80's not sure how these blocks will hold up to machining. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
You want a 318 LA,the Polys are hard to find parts for.If you not building anything crazy I would think any year block would be good to go.

Jim
 
68383GTS said:
You want a 318 LA,the Polys are hard to find parts for.If you not building anything crazy I would think any year block would be good to go.

Jim
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Yea its gonna be just a cruiser, I was thinking .020 over new pistons, clean up the heads, intake, carb, and a mild cam.
 
Yeah, what Jim said. hmmmm yall got some mustard to go with these here french fried taters?
 
You can get rebuild parts for the poly 318, Egge has pistons and kits for them.

But, I wouldn't build the poly for a '67. It'll end up costing more to build than a LA 318, plus its harder to find speed equipment for them (headers, intakes, etc). Again, that stuff is out there, but it costs more.

For a mild LA 318 build you shouldn't have any problems as long as you're going less than .060" over. Some of the LA 318 blocks have been known to go .080" and .090" over without issues, although you might have to sonic check a few blocks to do that.

If you really want to get tricky, look for an '86-'91 318. Those are the years you'll find 302 heads and factory roller cams. Not all of them were set up like that so you do have to check, but they make a great start for a build.
 
OwdKasd said:
Please some pics of the 67. Maybe a Turbo for the 6 CYL???
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My 67 is a little rough... lol. I'll get some pics up soon. Its def a project. Will the V8 bolt up to the factory k member with appropriate motor mounts?
 
2nd Dart 67 said:
My 67 is a little rough... lol. I'll get some pics up soon. Its def a project. Will the V8 bolt up to the factory k member with appropriate motor mounts?
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The K-member will work with new Mounts. Bell housing will need to be changed and probably need a V8 Radiator.
 
Prine said it best here.....http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=194446&page=2


Prine said:
Find a 87,88, Chrysler Fifth Avenue in the junkyard....or classifieds....or someones yard on flat tires.....

Offer em no more than $400 for the car/engine....and you would have your hands on a Roller Cam LA 318, with 302 casting cylinder heads.

Or you can get one out of a truck line 87,88,89,90,91,92 D150, B150, Ramcharger....but at that point you realize there is an even better Roller Cam LA block out there available these days.

88 was 25 years ago folks.
The dodge and chrysler Roller Cam LA SB equipped family is finally starting to show up in the yards after long dependable service.

And the engine to really look for is the 88-91 Roller Cam 360.
Only produced in the Truck Line, and ONLY in the Ramcharger 4x4, D250 2/4wd, and the B250.
But they are out there....and I am finding more and more everyday....so I recommend you do the same.

4" Bore x 3.58 stroke....opposed to the 318/340 stroke of 3.31
Steel Timing Gear Set...instead of the 100% only 318 nylon gear set
HD Oil Pump
Roller Camshaft
308 casting cylinder heads with OE 1.88/1.60 valves and Unleaded valve seats...plug the smog ports and their good to go.

Those 360's are the cats meow.....:prayer: in stock form....In MY Opinion.

A 408 stroker based on one of those could get pretty radical NATURALLY ASPIRATED.

I am building one myself....and have some serious plans for the whole car....if it will ever get PAINT on it....,
MY Roller Cam 360 is shooting for WICKED :twisted: on 20 psi Forced Induction.
and I hope to see 600+ at the wheels in Race Tune.

The sky and your pocket book are the limit.
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Well I found a 318 out of a 1976 minnie winnie rv. The guy says it runs and can hear it before he pulls it out. He is selling trans with it also, not sure if its a 727 or 904, my guess is a 727 because its an rv. Will this motor/trans be good for the dart?
 
A truck or RV engine will have differences like accesory brackets, oil pan, oil filter position, exhaust manifolds. So even if you hear it run you can't just drop it in a car and go. Research is the key.
 
It could be. Check blowby and if it's much more than a puff every second, that's too much. Pull the dipstick and make sure the oil isn't milky. If it is, pass. PUll the crankcase breather and see how clean it is. It's normal to see a little milkiness there. Look in the radiator for signs of motor oil. If it has some in the coolant, pass. Could be a simple blown head gasket, but why chance it when there are bunches of 318s out there to choose from? You can live with excessive blowby because you're probably gonna build it anyway....but the seller doesn't have to know that. Tell him you're lookin for a good engine and use the blowby as leverage for a better price. You might even take a vacuum gauge and check manifold vacuum. This will tell you how healthy the engine is. If it's over 18 Hg at idle, it's in pretty good shape. Pull the trans dipstick. If the fluid looks brownish red and smells burned, there's more leverage. It should be bright red if it's healthy and not smell burned. Good luck.
 
StrokerScamp said:
It could be. Check blowby and if it's much more than a puff every second, that's too much. Pull the dipstick and make sure the oil isn't milky. If it is, pass. PUll the crankcase breather and see how clean it is. It's normal to see a little milkiness there. Look in the radiator for signs of motor oil. If it has some in the coolant, pass. Could be a simple blown head gasket, but why chance it when there are bunches of 318s out there to choose from? You can live with excessive blowby because you're probably gonna build it anyway....but the seller doesn't have to know that. Tell him you're lookin for a good engine and use the blowby as leverage for a better price. You might even take a vacuum gauge and check manifold vacuum. This will tell you how healthy the engine is. If it's over 18 Hg at idle, it's in pretty good shape. Pull the trans dipstick. If the fluid looks brownish red and smells burned, there's more leverage. It should be bright red if it's healthy and not smell burned. Good luck.
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Thanks for the advice. I think he is only asking 200 for the motor and trans, not sure why he is selling. I think if it checks out, I'm gonna get regardless if a few things have to be changed, accessory brackets oil pan, etc...
 
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