71 4dr Dart 318 w 4bbl

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Dartemus

1971 4-door Dart Classic
Joined
Dec 3, 2014
Messages
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Location
Clovis, CA
Just got the car. First Mopar! Ran rough when I picked it up so gave a basic tune up. Replaced air file and oil filters. Oil. Distributor cap and rotor. Plugs. Wires. Valve gaskets. Some light decreasing to see what I was working with.
Its a solid fairly recently rebuilt motor. Nice clean light grey inside the valves.

To the questions. This is my daily driver now.
In the trunk were some parts. Included was a cam the guy removed from his 340. Its a Comp Cam 260H hydrolic flat tappet. (Good for street daily driver economy?)
What else will/should I replace when installing?

Have a line on a weiland action plus. (Will get gaskets and what not for install) okay to buy used?

The exhaust doesn't look stock. Sounds great. Inline glass pack looks. Home job. Will likely replace soon with a 2.25 or 2.5. No emmission controll in CA pre 74 so whoohoo!

Will add electronic ignition when putting these on. Prefered there?

What else should I do while doing this. Not strip. Some freeway. Don't want gutless wonder. Want a spirited responsive drive.
 
Welcome to FABO.


For daily drivers, I like electric choke. But I'm in the snow belt, you're in Cali. It's up to you.

The wiand action plus is for a spread bore carb. I don't like adapters, they loose power. I don't know of any spread bore carbs with electric choke, but that is what you should use with the action plus.

https://www.holley.com/products/intakes/dual_plane_manifolds/parts/8007


The wiand stealth is made for square bore carbs.

https://www.holley.com/products/intakes/dual_plane_manifolds/parts/8022


Holley makes a nice 600 vac secondary carb with an electric choke that I've run for years, the 80457:

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/homo41noflca.html



If you are going for a daily driver, I would consider the comp cam and a set of Rhoades lifters part # 2018. They will make more low end torque and power, more idle vacuum, and better mpg.

http://www.rhoadslifters.com/

Read the second article on how they work:

http://www.rhoadslifters.com/Pages/Articles.html


Maybe consider a set of 340/360 heads for better flow, but they will reduce compression a bit, but will still improve performance. Run either 1.88" or 2.02" intake valves and get hardened seats installed.
 
Thanks. Will look into the links there.

Has a 4bbl on now. Not standard equip. So safe to assume it has a modified intake already?
 
My son has a 71 Valiant 4 door original 318 car also. It came with dual exhaust, edelbrock performer, and holley carb.


We are converting it to a 91 360 and removing all the Air Conditioning. We are also fixing a bunch of other things with it also. Converting it to front disc, rebuilt the front suspension, 727 trans, 8 3/4" axle, new dash wiring harness, etc....

Good luck with it. Keep us posted and put up some pictures.
 
Guy had a 72 valiant 4 door as well. Wish the wife would have let me get both!
 
Haha. Got her the electric Fiat... Waiting on the $5500 in rebates for clean air to arrive... Then I might grab that Valiant or a satellite road runner clone w 318 I spotted an hour or so north.

Any who. Back to dart talk. The 4bbl under the hood has no markings except E9 9625SA... Mean anything to anyone? There is a spacer, then what I presume to be stoke intake.

Also Krazy- the weiland says it's square/spread in summit catalog. No TRUTH and I should look on for a square like the edelbrock performer?

Located the lifters and read up. Will be ordering a set ahead of the cam instal; million Thanks!
 
Dartemus said:
Haha. Got her the electric Fiat... Waiting on the $5500 in rebates for clean air to arrive... Then I might grab that Valiant or a satellite road runner clone w 318 I spotted an hour or so north.

Any who. Back to dart talk. The 4bbl under the hood has no markings except E9 9625SA... Mean anything to anyone? ...
Click to expand...

9625 SA is Carter 625 cfm Generic, Chevy linkage and jetting, AFB. What intake do you have now?
 
Dartemus said:
In the trunk were some parts. Included was a cam the guy removed from his 340. Its a Comp Cam 260H hydrolic flat tappet. (Good for street daily driver economy?)
What else will/should I replace when installing?
Click to expand...

IMHO, take that cam and cut it up into fishing weights and enjoy your time out on the water fishing. Do not instal the old cam of unknown condition. Purchase a new cam and again, IMO, pick up a split duration cam. That "260" has a duration @ .050 of 212. Pick up a new simar cam with the same intake duration but with more exhaust duration.

This helps in the engines breathing & power production.

Have a line on a weiland action plus. (Will get gaskets and what not for install) okay to buy used?
Click to expand...
That is a good intake. Is it OK to buy used? No one knows the condition of the mystery intake. Good luck.

The exhaust doesn't look stock. Sounds great. Inline glass pack looks. Home job. Will likely replace soon with a 2.25 or 2.5. No emmission controll in CA pre 74 so whoohoo!
Click to expand...
For a daily driver, a 2-1/4 system will be fine and quite. The muffler choice is your own and will have its sound out the back. Summit/Jegs have nice pre cut systems with or without mufflers at a good price. There true duals.


Will add electronic ignition when putting these on. Prefered there?
Click to expand...
I like the Crysler Chrome box. For a stock look. Adding a MSD type of ignition will net the best mileage. Have a stock type box ready to go as a back up just incase.

What else should I do while doing this. Not strip. Some freeway. Don't want gutless wonder. Want a spirited responsive drive.
Click to expand...

IMHO, skip the Rhodes lifters. There not needed. I have used them several times before. The cam is small enough not to need them.

Adding a 4bbl. Carb will require something to hook the carb up to the throttle and trans kickdown. I have used Lokar cables. Easy to instal and set up. They make the job easy. Sourcing old used parts is a pain and pricey.

Swapping out gear ratios will add to the "Spirt" of the car. I would go with 3.23's.
By the way. No torque converter needed with the small cam ether. But when you get the cam, get the whole kit. Timing chain included.
 
exhaust is dual. just a home job hack together by apearence. will replace with a better set up. ill look into the Summitt/Jeggs. Thnx.

On the cam; i can certainly save my pennies and buy a new. Before that, is there a way to tell if a used cam is bad? things to look for? no sense buying a new if this comp cam was only run for a short time... right?
As for the duration numbers. what should i look for?
My Comp Cam is 1200-5200rpm has 212/212 with 110 seperation

The Lunati Voodoo 1000-55000rpm has: 213/220? with 112 of seperation. This sounds like what your suggesting. Summitt has a kit, comes with lifeters not timing chain.


the lifters from what i read create a wear pattern with cam lobes. So they should be replaced with a new cam. is your recomendation another set over the Rhodes or not to replace at all?
use the set with a cam kit if i dont use the cam i have?

Anything else to consider (other needed parts) in a gear swap... or buy 3.23s? What is the stock 1971 Dart classic 4door rear end: 8.75 or 8.25??
I do not see any in summit catalog for reference do you have a suggestion here?

Electronic Ignition recomendations?

Again thanks all for the starter help!
 
I have the Weiand action plus on my 318 and love it! It works well with square or spread bores. I've had a Holley street avenger and a 600 eddy on it. Great intake! But the one on the car may be just fine! Not a whole lot to gain by pulling a dual plane intake for another dual plane intake.
 
UPDATE!!

66fs**
so 4bbl carb:
9625 SA Carter 625 cfm Generic, Chevy linkage and jetting, AFB on the spacer is attached to:
intake part #3830945... from reading this is the 360 cast iron manifold...

Knowing a bit more now:
intake; ignition; cam; carb; header; gear; exhaust suggestions for an economical machine with pep for daily drives... freeway passing... and back road smiles?

have the comp cam 260H not installed and can sell, so not married to it.
 
Link I found as well!

So swap to Carter thermoquad carb on this and run as is? no porting needed? add the comp cam?

the HotRod mag 318 small block build that netted 400+ hp started with the HP 360 with thermoquad and swapped for Eddy Air gap RPM intake with a holly 4bbl;

out back had: hooker 4-1 headers w 51/8-inch tubes

I dont need 400hp... but would i get a better running, more fuel effeciant, and more powerfull ride from:

Holly street avenger + Weiland Action plus + comp cam 260H + Rhodes lifters + headers/exhaust (tbd)
 
In my opinion, not much is better than a TQ for power and efficiency, the trick is to find a good one. The factory 360 TQ manifold is very good, no porting required. I doubt you would see much difference or a loss. But I'm a street guy, and have little use for a Holley. Nice looking Dart!
 
Thanks. This will be a street only car as well. But there are some long lonely roads by my home that take well to stretching a cars legs...

To clarify: since the carb is wrong... replace with a TQ. leave the HP 360 intake thats there. use the comp cam 260H with some new lifters.
improve the exhale with set of headers and exhaust.

cheap. solid. little improvement in torqu and hp over current set up.

(my highschool car was a 73 Firebird Esprit with a 400... so this is a bit of a dog by comparison) I regret selling it everyday. needed better mpg as a poor college kid. and young working adult.
Now that i am newly married and 30 i found this little gem for a smoking deal. Wife wont allow sinking 5k into it but i can get away with a little build up...
 
The carb is not wrong, it's just that you have the good intake, that was made for a TQ. The cam is small, have to agree with all Rumblefish360 said, but for a 318, the cam would be a nice upgrade from a stock 318. Do you know what you have? Make sure you have valve springs to match your cam and use a double roller timing setup.
 
My 2 cents - cheap summit headers ( about $ 125 - $ 150 ). NEW cam & lifters ( under $ 200 ). The more lift and duration you can stand the better it will sound and perform. Careful! To much lift and duration and you will risk " Mopar fever"! If you over shoot the lift and duration a little bit you may have to have both feet on the break at a stop, but I thought it a small price to pay for that sound and performance:) I installed a B&M shift kit for like $40? Nice crisp shift with the occasional tire cherp under hard acceleration:) your question about the rear end? It's most likely a 7 1/4. With a four barrel and said upgrades and a led foot you'll be hearing a lot of noise coming from that 7 1/4 soon! LOL when that happens you may want to look into an 8 1/4. Way-way cheaper than the 8 3/4 that would be overkill for your 318. (So far I've cyber spent under $400 of your money on what imho was the best bang for my buck on my 72 - 318 duster years ago) By the way, nice looking dart!
 
Thanks J par and Fish and 66.

I think I'm ready to hit the drawing board and fill a Christmas cart.

Thanks for the Dartemus love too!
 
Off hand have the part number for the thermoquad carb I should look for? See a variety for sale...
 
I would say anything 1972 to 1974. I look for the ported vacuum tap so I can run vacuum advance. 72 340 auto carb was 6139 and 73 340 auto carb was 6319 if I remember right. I have misplaced my numbers book... really any small block TQ will work. Big blocks were richer in mixture out of the box. The inlet should face at an angle and have 2 pressed in rear vent tubes. The later "lean burn" carbs had too much emissions junk and no ported vacuum. I think RRR did a TQ rebuild that has some great tips.
 
Oh yeah, the headers are no fun to put in! Like anything in life" nothing good comes easy". All of the busted knuckles and bad words will be forgotten when you hear the sweet crackling of those headers with that cam ! Also the cam, it was fairly straight forward. Self ajustable rockers made it easy to put back together. I did remember having to take the grill out to slip the cam out with the motor still in the car. Have fun!
 
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