Best 318 heads

-

65Vart

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
3,118
Reaction score
82
Location
Waterdown, Ontario
Ok, I cant find any 302s so these are available, but which ones?

4343646 or 4027596, both cheap and checked for cracks.
 
If you cannot find 302s, do a Magnum conversion.
 
I will be selling a set of 302 heads.
new .500 lift paw valve springs installed.
I want to get them checked out even though they came off a running engine.
 
If you cannot find 302s, do a Magnum conversion.

This!

Other than the 273 heads, only the 302's are closed chamber. 646's are open chamber, small port 318 heads. The 646's might have the redesigned exhaust port as they're the same model years as the 302's, but its not worth a head swap to go open chamber 318 heads to open chamber 318 heads.

The 596's are also open chamber heads, and they're also 360 heads in most configurations, so big ports and even bigger chambers. Without milling they'll kill your compression.

A set of remanufactured Magnum heads would flow better than all of the previously mentioned heads (including the 302's), and the closed chambers will help with your compression. Only issue then is using the magnum intake and converting to the Magnum style rocker set up.
 
What's the build like? This would clue is in to what would be the best bet for you. Each head has its pro's and con's to it.
 
To me it's a win win because of the magnum's larger valves, closed chambers and 340/360 port size. Wait.....that's a win win win. lol
 
1967 318's also had the 920 casting closed chamber heads.

Same castings on the 273 in 67.

The 67 318 i have has 920's on it.

Unless someone took them off a 67 273 and used them on the 318 i traded.

I always wondered why 67 was the only year for closed chamber big and small block.
 
All 273 heads were closed until 68 right? Just the earlier ones had the funky intake bolts.

Anyway, I used the 920 273 heads from the original engine on my "new" 318. It's way better than with the stock 68+ 318 heads, but even with milling and thin gaskets I only get around 8.6-8.7 compression with stock flat tops. I used the guide at the top of the forum to do my own porting and installed an xe268 cam at the same time. Runs strong, for a baby engine.

Oh and the 920 are probably your best best on a milder engine. I think the 302 has a slightly larger chamber, and the heart shape won't do any good for quench on stock pistons anyway since you're not even close to zero on the deck. Plus most people (like me, when I first tore down the engine) will think the 273 heads are only good for the dump. EVERYBODY wants the 302 heads.
 
What is the purpose of the build?
I also ment to ask what rear end gear will you be running?
 
What is the purpose of the build?
I also ment to ask what rear end gear will you be running?
stock 318 with intake, carb , cam, 3:23. Just thought I would wake it up a bit for something to do , if I keep the car, probably going to spend some money and buy a real motor.
 
stock 318 with intake, carb , cam, 3:23. Just thought I would wake it up a bit for something to do , if I keep the car, probably going to spend some money and buy a real motor.

Well, first I'm sorry to see you short sell the 318 so quickly and then I wonder why you would want to invest in a set of heads for it. To this end, save some money on this build up with build what you got allready.

Mill and bowl port the heads you have with back cut valves.
With use of the stock torque converter, try this Crane cam out. It specs out at;

272/284-(216-228- IIRC), .454/.480-112 c-line

The next cam up on there line up is good as well but they suggest a bit of stall with it.
 
don't bother spending money on the engine if your just going to remove it, please don't tell me a "real engine" is a chebby.....


also best heads are magnum engine heads, 302 casting or x/J 340 heads
 
If you keep the 318 and you wanna put some balls into it, just give it a good comp ratio and a set of well prep'd 360 heads. She'll move! It'll compete with a 327 Chevy or a Ford 302 easy, no problem!
 
If you want to compare apples to apples, some of which are actually orange, think about the "old school" series of bored 283's to 302, and the late 60's 327, and 68/9 302 Z28

"Just how good" were those old heads? Most of the late 60's HP 327's were NOT 2.02 valves, they were mostly 1.94s

There's no reason you can't duplicate that with a good set of LA heads. Anyway you want to play it, magnum heads are an EXPENSIVE swap, and when you're done, none of your "old stuff" will fit your "new stuff" including cam and lifters, and intake, or rocker gear
 
don't bother spending money on the engine if your just going to remove it, please don't tell me a "real engine" is a chebby.....


also best heads are magnum engine heads, 302 casting or x/J 340 heads
I never said anything about chev motors in the first place, these heads are a bolt on for 50$ they have been cleaned and magnafluxed so I figured I would play with them. Eventually a built 360 will go in the car. I have my 65 to cruise while I play with the 71.
 
Personally I don't know if I'd bother swapping either of those. You won't gain compression, you're not changing converter, etc. Cam swap is easy and without upping compression, gear and stall....go with something like the comp xe262. Cheap swap, will sound and run better than stock and make you happier until you do your next engine. Engines are expensive, and IMO swapping a cam to make the car better while you wait months, possibly years until the next engine is a good idea. Stock is boring, especially when these 7.5:1 318s are probably lucky to put 150 to the wheels.
 
magnum heads are an EXPENSIVE swap, and when you're done, none of your "old stuff" will fit your "new stuff" including cam and lifters, and intake, or rocker gear

Incorrect my freind. The cam and lifters are fine. He'll need new pushrods to meet the new Magnum rockers. In which an interesting choice comes up with the increased rocker ratio of 1.6 or the upgraded rocker of 1.7. Ethier way a new spring for the new lift height cam should be considered as well as a good look for coil bind at full lift.

After a resell of the older "LA" parts are done, the money gets rolled into the new intake. RPM or M1.
 
The Magnum head swap is no more expensive than buying J heads having them worked and having to find stock rocker gear for those.
 
Magnum heads don't flow any better than LA heads and would cost more to buy intake,rocker gear, the heads themselves recondtioned, valve covers etc...

With all the heads out there and info on porting and better valve jobs readily available...its ***'o nine to fool with magnum stuff.

Also, 302 heads flow the same as cast as any other 318 head!!!
In fact...when ported, the closed chamber of the 302 actually shrouds and u get less cfm than an open chamber version.


I've read a few threads, including my own porting thread where people whom of which I know for a fact know what they r talking about are being disrespected by grumpy grey beards who parrot **** they hear from theyre lastest cylinder head god, and I'm getting a lil pissed off cause I know this grey beard and he shouldnt be acting like a asshole after being let back on here...
I say this as a friend, chill the fk out, cause unless u have a flow bench like Gordon does...u have nothing that holds water.
 
Hay, whatever you say bud!
 
I'm just telling all of yall now. None of you buy my 318 I am trying so hard to sell to help keep our house from getting foreclosed on. Since it has magnum heads on it, it's a total POS and I wouldn't want to rip anyone off.
 
There's a difference between having them already or/and on a running motor and then just considering the swap without having them, as even cores at least.

When I say not to mess with them...I saying in the starting from scratch stand point because they aren't really better in the flow department VS COST, though they have a better chamber and an exh that can be made to flow more by even a monkey with a grinder.

Sorry to hijack, and just thought I'd give a fair shake
 
-
Back
Top