He has lifters that will oil the pushrods?
Best 318 heads
- Thread starter 65Vart
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He has lifters that will oil the pushrods?
Dragonbat13
Well-Known Member
IF you have an intake with large, 360 ports AND you have a hot cam that is gonna open the valves enough to actually use the bigger heads to their full extent, go with the 596. Supposed to be exact same as a J head if I am not mistaken, but with smaller intake valves. Course your also gonna have to use the thinnest head gasket you can find to make up for about half the compression your gonna loose.
If you want something to do keep looking for the 302 heads, install a 1.88 valve with the proper throat cut to actually use the valve, do some blending and bolt them on. That is IF you have a small port 318 manifold.
Now IF you have a 360 port manifold you will see some improvments with the 596 heads. Only because the ports are all screwed up.
The Magnums are darn good for the 318 if you want to put the extra effort (not much) and you want to either swap manifolds or modify the bolt holes in the one you have. The mod isnt hard and works. And if done correctly, can be used on either type of head. But your also gonna have to make sure to get the rockers and the head bolts with them and get some custom pushrods. If you have an aftermarket camshaft just look and see ( pull a pushrod) if there is an oiling hole in the cup on the top. Almost all aftermarket cams use AMC lifters which will work with LA or Magnums. So basically, you can go the Magnum route if you find a good set of heads with all the parts to go with it or scrounge up all the parts peice by peice ( Which will take as long as waiting for the 302 heads).
Since the OP said he has a set of 360 heads he can score for 50 bucks. I say get the 596 and try them if he has a 360 ported manifold. Otherwise, leave the heads that are on the engine alone.
Next step in cost would be either the 302 or the Magnum. I believe that these heads are too close for me to give an opinion on. Personally, If I could get a good set of magnums and cost no object, thats what I would do.
If you want something to do keep looking for the 302 heads, install a 1.88 valve with the proper throat cut to actually use the valve, do some blending and bolt them on. That is IF you have a small port 318 manifold.
Now IF you have a 360 port manifold you will see some improvments with the 596 heads. Only because the ports are all screwed up.
The Magnums are darn good for the 318 if you want to put the extra effort (not much) and you want to either swap manifolds or modify the bolt holes in the one you have. The mod isnt hard and works. And if done correctly, can be used on either type of head. But your also gonna have to make sure to get the rockers and the head bolts with them and get some custom pushrods. If you have an aftermarket camshaft just look and see ( pull a pushrod) if there is an oiling hole in the cup on the top. Almost all aftermarket cams use AMC lifters which will work with LA or Magnums. So basically, you can go the Magnum route if you find a good set of heads with all the parts to go with it or scrounge up all the parts peice by peice ( Which will take as long as waiting for the 302 heads).
Since the OP said he has a set of 360 heads he can score for 50 bucks. I say get the 596 and try them if he has a 360 ported manifold. Otherwise, leave the heads that are on the engine alone.
Next step in cost would be either the 302 or the Magnum. I believe that these heads are too close for me to give an opinion on. Personally, If I could get a good set of magnums and cost no object, thats what I would do.
65Vart
Well-Known Member
Thanks , 318 talk always stirs up a hornets nest. I guess its a tricky subject. These 596 heads are off a 79 318 cop motor so I am not sure compression will be an issue or not. I have an eddy performer 318/360 manifold as well as a brand new eddy 600. Cam is still up in the air but I know from past experience that a 284* /.484 lift purple shaft was a good choice.
I just need to turn some wrenches and I still have my 65 to cruise while I play with the 71. we shall see. Ill get the 596 heads and get them cleaned up.
I just need to turn some wrenches and I still have my 65 to cruise while I play with the 71. we shall see. Ill get the 596 heads and get them cleaned up.
Dragonbat13
Well-Known Member
Ok, with the performer manifold, if it hasnt been ported out you have 318 runners. That will work on the 596 heads, but I dont really know what the results would be. Im not 100% sure, but I think the cam is a little small for the 596 heads. Your going to loose some compression with the 596 360 engines heads. If you just bolt them on, they will work, but I am afraid that your not going to get the performance you would expect from them.
NOW, if you port that manifold. I dont know if its possible or not, but it should be. Gasket match the intake runners at the head surface to a MAGNUM intake gasket. It may be the same as a 360 or it could be smaller. Someone else is going to have to chime in on that one. But if the Magnum is smaller, than you will still get almost all of the potential from the 360 head. And if you want to go Magnum heads your manifold will only need the gasket holes elongated for the upright bolts and some simple spacers built to make it work.
To me, its just not worth it to try and make those 360 heads work with what your trying to do. If you were building a engine from the ground up they could be made to work pretty good. And if you going to go through that much work, you may as well do the Magnum swap. Or at least wait and find some 302 heads, which would be the best with the performer intake unported, your cam, and carb. 302 heads are your easiest route, magnums will give a little more. I like the 302 heads personally, I am a believer in port velocity more than overall flow for street engines.
NOW, if you port that manifold. I dont know if its possible or not, but it should be. Gasket match the intake runners at the head surface to a MAGNUM intake gasket. It may be the same as a 360 or it could be smaller. Someone else is going to have to chime in on that one. But if the Magnum is smaller, than you will still get almost all of the potential from the 360 head. And if you want to go Magnum heads your manifold will only need the gasket holes elongated for the upright bolts and some simple spacers built to make it work.
To me, its just not worth it to try and make those 360 heads work with what your trying to do. If you were building a engine from the ground up they could be made to work pretty good. And if you going to go through that much work, you may as well do the Magnum swap. Or at least wait and find some 302 heads, which would be the best with the performer intake unported, your cam, and carb. 302 heads are your easiest route, magnums will give a little more. I like the 302 heads personally, I am a believer in port velocity more than overall flow for street engines.
sireland67
Well-Known Member
I know from past experiance, that on my first car (30 some years ago) I put a set of "J" heads on a stock 318, 284 /484 purple cam, performer intake, 600 holley 3.91 gears and a 4-speed, the car was a complete dog with that cam.
Put a smaller 268 cam in it and it was night and day differance on how the car ran.
Dragonbat13
Well-Known Member
Was the intake matched with the heads? If not the intake and carb might not have been able to get the air in at the higher RPMs. The smaller cam was probably better matched to the intake and carb, not so much the heads. Did you ever get to try the smaller cam with 318 heads?
EDIT: Thinking about it, the cam would have probably shined with a proper intake and carb on the 360 heads.
I am not very familiar with the purple shaft cams.
Dragonbat13
Well-Known Member
Here is some advice nobody can argue with,
If you can get a set of good 596 heads for fifty clams, get em. Even if you dont use them you can maybe use them later on with the 360 you want. Or trade someone for something else.
I mean, how can you NOT have enough 360 heads? And the 596 is a fairly good one.
If you can get a set of good 596 heads for fifty clams, get em. Even if you dont use them you can maybe use them later on with the 360 you want. Or trade someone for something else.
I mean, how can you NOT have enough 360 heads? And the 596 is a fairly good one.
sireland67
Well-Known Member
The performer intake really dont match any stock port, they are kinda in between 318 and 360. In fact I dont care much for them to this day.
The 484 purple cam is a good one, but does not play well with stock compression, or in my case lowered compression using the "J" heads.
I just dont want the OP to purchase a cam that most likely will not work in his application.
Dragonbat13
Well-Known Member
I thought he already had the cam,
Yea, that cam is a little hot for a 318.
Best thing about the performer intake is there is five zillion of them to go on the five zillion 318s that are out there. I must have had ten in the shop over the years.
Yea, that cam is a little hot for a 318.
Best thing about the performer intake is there is five zillion of them to go on the five zillion 318s that are out there. I must have had ten in the shop over the years.
1wild&crazyguy
Banned
just mill the j heads .040 , slap them on and stck a 60403 lunati in it and open the port windows on the performer to 360 size 'if that's what your using'....otherwise get a LD340 intake w/600-650 cfm carb....you can also buy some headmans if you really want to get.
Jmo
Jmo
moper
Well-Known Member
I think if it's just a fun place holder I have to agree with the "use what you got" deals. If you were doing pistons I'd jump on the 596s (one of my favorites) or a set of EQ Magnums w/the LA intake pattern. But IMO if you have a set of 318 heads, you have the same as what you are thinking of buying. So unless they're free don't spend for others. Some drop on springs, cam, intake, carb, and headers/duals and you'll be 3/4 of the way to a mild 340 for little cash.
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