Big horsepower 318 builds

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toolmanmike

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How about a discussion about a naturally aspirated, no nitrous, stock stroke, 318 on gas or alcohol. I have read quite a few posts lately about 500+ horse teens that I find hard to believe.
 
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I don't find it hard to believe, considering all of the great cylinder heads available today....OR even with W2s. But it would have to be one HOSS of a 318. I'd like to see one.
 
I have some plans for a 318 later down the road so I'm following this one.
 
Anymore, small cubes can equal big HP. I've seen enough 5.0's from the Ford guys really bunker down and get it done. 318 is bigger than the 302, but 98.9% of mopar folks skip it for the 5.6/5.9 or new hemi swap. But yes, 450-500 hp is doable.
 
Anymore, small cubes can equal big HP. I've seen enough 5.0's from the Ford guys really bunker down and get it done. 318 is bigger than the 302, but 98.9% of mopar folks skip it for the 5.6/5.9 or new hemi swap. But yes, 450-500 hp is doable.
We need recipes! LOL (like the 400 horse Hot Rod magazine build)
 
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Anymore, small cubes can equal big HP. I've seen enough 5.0's from the Ford guys really bunker down and get it done. 318 is bigger than the 302, but 98.9% of mopar folks skip it for the 5.6/5.9 or new hemi swap. But yes, 450-500 hp is doable.
Yep iv said that for years. I got into an argument with a ford guy at work not long ago. This was when I was still planning on building the 318 for my dart he was like why dont you just get a 340 or 360, 318s are weak I said my 318 has 16 more ci than your beloved 302 (5.0) it can be built to run they where low compression and built for transportation not performance from the factory with a little work I can make a performance engine out of it. Now if we can just get the piston manufactures on board to make a piston that isnt .100 under the deck haha
 
We need recipes! LOL
LOL.... I'm not building one because it will cost more than $2.00 :D :D Obviously I think you are talking stock stroke. I think a member here has a 318 w/4" crank (390) that turns 10.8's in a 3600 lbs Volare, that would be 500+.
 
LOL.... I'm not building one because it will cost more than $2.00 :D :D Obviously I think you are talking stock stroke. I think a member here has a 318 w/4" crank (390) that turns 10.8's in a 3600 lbs Volare, that would be 500+.
Stock stroke would be good. I'll edit my first post.
 
Yep iv said that for years. I got into an argument with a ford guy at work not long ago. This was when I was still planning on building the 318 for my dart he was like why dont you just get a 340 or 360, 318s are weak I said my 318 has 16 more ci than your beloved 302 (5.0) it can be built to run they where low compression and built for transportation not performance from the factory with a little work I can make a performance engine out of it. Now if we can just get the piston manufactures on board to make a piston that isnt .100 under the deck haha
In fair comparison, look at a factory 302 2bbl in a Granada..... ummmm.... snooze
 
LOL.... I'm not building one because it will cost more than $2.00 :D :D Obviously I think you are talking stock stroke. I think a member here has a 318 w/4" crank (390) that turns 10.8's in a 3600 lbs Volare, that would be 500+.
Speaking of which, I do have a roller cam 318 block in the garage and some Speedmasters in the basement. LOL
 
i would love to build a 450 hp 318 to shock the folks around me, but for my big car the 360 torque is better i think
 
0901phr_16_z-mopar_318_magnum_engine-adney_brown.jpg

Iron-Headed Mopar 318 Magnum Engine- Popular Hot Rodding Magazine
 
My take on it is....... unless it was built to fit within some specific set of rules....... or someone took it on as a personal quest....... I look at it as.....why would I do that?
(When a 500hp 408/416 will be easier and likely cheaper).

It’s going to require a fairly high level of effort to end up with a 500hp 318.
From a hp/ci standpoint, it’s like building a 446 at real close to 700hp.

I have built a few 440’s that got into the 700hp range(a bit over 1.5hp/ci).
Those were fairly well thought out builds with good cylinder heads and fairly stout cams.

I’d be happy to follow along though, if someone decided to “go for it” with the 318.
 
How about a discussion about a naturally aspirated, no nitrous, stock stroke.....
I have read quite a few posts lately about 500+ horse teens that I find hard to believe.
Don’t. It would have to be a Dedicated build for sure! I haven’t seen or read any of the post that you make a mention of.
 
I don't find it hard to believe, considering all of the great cylinder heads available today....OR even with W2s. But it would have to be one HOSS of a 318. I'd like to see one.
Damn, I sure like the looks of those W2's.
 
Damn, I sure like the looks of those W2's.

Some people would say W2s on a teen would be a waste, but I think they are spot on for a big power teen. The small cubes scream high RPM and that's what W2s were made for.
 
I have posted a few times about my 318, no one builds them so no one knows how well that run.
My 318 is nothing special 9.4-1 comp it is .60 over with Edelbrock heads, RPM performer intake and a 750 carb, cam is .550 lift, i drove the car on the street and to the track with 4.30 gears, in good air car would go 11.70s all day. In a 70 Duster, i stop working at it but i am sure i could have got more out of it, but i pulled the engine. I plan on building more of the them i just purchase 2 cores to build. They are easier and cheaper to obtain that a 340, so go have some fun and surprise your buddies with how fast your 318 can be.
 
My take on it is....... unless it was built to fit within some specific set of rules....... or someone took it on as a personal quest....... I look at it as.....why would I do that?
(When a 500hp 408/416 will be easier and likely cheaper).

It’s going to require a fairly high level of effort to end up with a 500hp 318.
From a hp/ci standpoint, it’s like building a 446 at real close to 700hp.

I have built a few 440’s that got into the 700hp range(a bit over 1.5hp/ci).
Those were fairly well thought out builds with good cylinder heads and fairly stout cams.

I’d be happy to follow along though, if someone decided to “go for it” with the 318.


There's a big difference of 1.5 hp/cid depending on what engines your talking about. small engines you can get there with factory ish parts.
170 /6 would be 255 hp
273 would 409 hp

either of those wouldn't need nothing too exotic

660+ hp 440 is a serious build, a 500 hp 318 wouldn't think you would need anything to crazy over a 340/360 408/418 all would need similar heads cam level etc..
But ya at that level 500+hp it makes little sense to build a 318 and even 340/360 at that, other than you want to.

There less than 20 cid between a 360 and 318 with the same crank and overbore and about 25 cid with a 340, but ya there better piston selection and the slightly bigger bore for similar or less money makes the 360 the better choice. But in the 425 hp and under I don't think it overly matters which one of the sbm 318/340/360 you build especially if your willing to gear and stall it properly. But since most only want to run 3.23 or 3.55 gears 360 is gonna be the better choice.
 
In a reasonably well set up bracket car, in the 3400lb range, 500hp will get you solidly into the 10’s at a track that’s not horrible(460hp shows 10.92@121@3400).
(In a really good car, and fairly good air....... a little less than 500hp will go well under 10.50 in a 3400lb car)

So, let’s hear about those 10 second stock stroke 318 combos!!

I agree with Rusty...... a w2 would be a good head choice if attempting the 500hp mark from a 318.
 
I don't get this notion that a 318 can't be build to a similar hp level as a 340/360. 3.91 vs 4 vs 4.04 were not talking huge difference here a 4 inch bore is considered plenty for building hp a .03"-.06" overbore 318 isn't that far off. I'm sure when going for 600+hp with larger than 2.02 valves it's gonna come into play but somewhat.

Yes when talking drive ability and the need for less gear every 20 cid makes a difference, but this 360 is ok a 340 is a maybe and 318 is no go I think is ridiculous, most people building a stock stroked sbm probably isn't looking to make much more than 400-425hp a lot would be happy with 300-400 hp all 3 could do it, a 273 would be a little trickier but it could also.
 
I don't get this notion that a 318 can't be build to a similar hp level as a 340/360. 3.91 vs 4 vs 4.04 were not talking huge difference here a 4 inch bore is considered plenty for building hp a .03"-.06" overbore 318 isn't that far off. I'm sure when going for 600+hp with larger than 2.02 valves it's gonna come into play but somewhat.

Yes when talking drive ability and the need for less gear every 20 cid makes a difference, but this 360 is ok a 340 is a maybe and 318 is no go I think is ridiculous, most people building a stock stroked sbm probably isn't looking to make much more than 400-425hp a lot would be happy with 300-400 hp all 3 could do it, a 273 would be a little trickier but it could also.

Yeah, it's a pretty stupid notion alright. They can be plenty badass......they'll just need to spin higher for similar power and that's easily achieved. But, I don't think they'd need to rev much harder at all compared to a similar 340. There have been 500 HP 340s all over the place. They basically need the same thing a 318 would need to get there.
 
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