Daily driver 318 roller cam expectations

-
3

340dartley

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
519
Reaction score
170
Right now I am just bench racing ideas for my 1967 Dodge Dart GT. Body is rough but solid. As in no rust but plenty of wavy panels. I have owned this car since college and is my 1st car I ever bought. Now this is the engine section so engine ideas are what I am discussing. Over the years I have had 2 different 318s. I rebuilt 273 and a rebuilt 340. Currently there is a large void where the engine should be. There hasn’t been an engine in it since 1997. It has dual exhaust with manifolds currently with some stock style turbo mufflers and 2 inch pipe. It has an 8 3/4 rear axle with 3.23 to 1 rear gears. It has manual front disk brakes.
My plans change almost daily with what I want to put in it but my current thought is a low mileage 1991 318 long block with roller cam. I still have the 340 short block but it needs to be rebuilt. I also have a 1969 440 short block under the bench in need of rebuild.

Right now I would like to build a fun car that is also stock enough to drive out of town for or even out of state. You know like a regular car! I still like performance so I don’t want it to be a pig. Good mileage is as important as good performance. I still have the intake I used on the 273 (Edelbrock LD4B). I have an extra set of headers if I want to use them. Any way. I look forward to hearing others thoughts and ideas.
 
Nothing wrong with a 318 for a daily driver, especially a roller. No special oil or additives and roller cams are usually more efficient than flat tappet cams. The LD4B is a great manifold as well. Putting a mild combination together could easily get you in the 300 horse range.
 
What would be a good roller cam for this application or is stock cam good?
 
Use the search feature here. There are quite a few threads about 318 rollers.
 
toolmanmike said:
Use the search feature here. There are quite a few threads about 318 rollers.
Click to expand...
I used the search feature. Not much on 318 non magnum roller cam. This thread is about more than cam selection as well. I just thought I would ask if someone has experience in a closer to stock cam selection with roller. I used 318 roller cam as Key words in search
 
Until recently I've driven around with a late '80s stock rollercammed 318.
With a HV oilpump I could run 0w20 oil without issues.

I would get a rollercam with some more lift and one that builds torque, because a 318 can use all the torque it can get.
 
No engine since 1997; slap that intake on and run it stock. Nothing wrong with a 318. If you want more performace, send that stock roller cam to someone who does regrinds, and have them spec out a good setup for the stock long block, then just get new pushrods.
 
340dartley said:
Right now I would like to build a fun car that is also stock enough to drive out of town for or even out of state. You know like a regular car! I still like performance so I don’t want it to be a pig. Good mileage is as important as good performance. I still have the intake I used on the 273 (Edelbrock LD4B). I have an extra set of headers if I want to use them. Any way. I look forward to hearing others thoughts and ideas.
Click to expand...
Hitting that balance between HP and economy is the trick. If you are just throwing a cam into it, I would head for something like the Lunati 20200217.... it has a pretty good lift/duration ratio. Put it right in and not worry about too much lift on stock heads, keep the economy up reasonably with a modest boost in performance. Depending on the heads you will have, you're starting in the low CR corner of the performance map so it is easy to over do it and get into the 'pig mode'.... The head type (like maybe 302's??) would be good to know. That one will put your DCR in the low 7 range with that cam if you are near sea level. (Make sure you don't get the truck pistons in the block with the pistons waaaay down in the hole.... not sure they were still using those in '91.)

The 'wavy' term as applied to your car's body panels is interesting LOL
 
1991 318 compression ratio spec is 9 to 1 if my information was correct. I know most production motors never get to their spec. The heads are the stock heads for that same 1991 engine. I think I have heard they are good heads with closed chamber. Have read they do very well with porting and bigger valves. I am trying to not get into chasing big horsepower because once I do that, I lose the economy and reliability of something I can just drive. I have a 340 powered bracket car and I have a 68 Plymouth Satellite with a 383 that is 11.5 to 1 and runs pretty well. I would like to have a car I can run cheep gas in, drive with reliability and fun. A hint of muscle would be nice too.
 
nm9stheham said:
Hitting that balance between HP and economy is the trick. If you are just throwing a cam into it, I would head for something like the Lunati 20200217.... it has a pretty good lift/duration ratio. Put it right in and not worry about too much lift on stock heads, keep the economy up reasonably with a modest boost in performance. Depending on the heads you will have, you're starting in the low CR corner of the performance map so it is easy to over do it and get into the 'pig mode'.... The head type (like maybe 302's??) would be good to know. That one will put your DCR in the low 7 range with that cam if you are near sea level. (Make sure you don't get the truck pistons in the block with the pistons waaaay down in the hole.... not sure they were still using those in '91.)

The 'wavy' term as applied to your car's body panels is interesting LOL
Click to expand...
I was trying to find a pic of the car. The quarter panels, and trunk are ok. Doors re mismatched but I have the original door. The original door is in my parents back yard and is a little more wavey than the rest. Fenders could probably be salvaged with work but it will take a lot of work. Hood is junk. I don’t have hood hinges currently and I had the hood pinned on. Someone one time in about 94 thought it would be funny to steel my hood pins. Hood flew over the top of the car and I stood on the gas to try to not have it land back on me. I could tell you several funny stories of me in that car and perhaps that is a reason for another thread some time. Lol.
 
340dartley said:
Right now I am just bench racing ideas for my 1967 Dodge Dart GT. Body is rough but solid. As in no rust but plenty of wavy panels. I have owned this car since college and is my 1st car I ever bought. Now this is the engine section so engine ideas are what I am discussing. Over the years I have had 2 different 318s. I rebuilt 273 and a rebuilt 340. Currently there is a large void where the engine should be. There hasn’t been an engine in it since 1997. It has dual exhaust with manifolds currently with some stock style turbo mufflers and 2 inch pipe. It has an 8 3/4 rear axle with 3.23 to 1 rear gears. It has manual front disk brakes.
My plans change almost daily with what I want to put in it but my current thought is a low mileage 1991 318 long block with roller cam. I still have the 340 short block but it needs to be rebuilt. I also have a 1969 440 short block under the bench in need of rebuild.

Right now I would like to build a fun car that is also stock enough to drive out of town for or even out of state. You know like a regular car! I still like performance so I don’t want it to be a pig. Good mileage is as important as good performance. I still have the intake I used on the 273 (Edelbrock LD4B). I have an extra set of headers if I want to use them. Any way. I look forward to hearing others thoughts and ideas.
Click to expand...

My absolute fun combo for a car that goes anywhere at anytime with reasonable mileage in the smaller mills is;

600 cfm carb or TQ
OE iron intake, LD4B or Performer
Stock heads
Headers optional but favored into a min. 2-1/4 though I favor 2-1/2 Summit/Jegs exhaust with an added H pipe installed.
Open air cleaner, Chrome box (or better) recurved distributor

I have used twice a Crane cam on a 112 which may not be the greatest by it provide a smoother idle.
216/228-.454/.480-112
Works with a stock converter and tire very well. Power to 5500. W/3.23 gears, it made for a good driver. I myself would not go numerically higher than 3.55’s.

I would suggest more compression than stock (milled heads or piston replacement?) and bowl ported heads with larger valves.
 
Here is a picture of my car at inyokern drag strip back in about 93. Not a good picture but you can see the camero red light on.

D830AC34-6149-4F26-8397-E35C055E42C4.jpeg
 
340dartley said:
Someone one time in about 94 thought it would be funny to steel my hood pins. Hood flew over the top of the car and I stood on the gas to try to not have it land back on me. I could tell you several funny stories of me in that car and perhaps that is a reason for another thread some time. Lol.
Click to expand...
That is funny LOL. Hood stories are usually pretty 'interesting'. Now try having your hood pins let go on a rear hinged hood... in a rally on a 1 lane wide gravel forest road in PA.... just when shifting from 4th to 5th at full turbo boost going through 95 mph..... I just steered by the ditches on the side 'til I stopped to avoid going into the trees.... thank goodness the road was straightening out. Now back to your regularly scheduled program....
 
A Crane roller Magnum engine cam offering on a 114, it may require a bronze gear, But IDK.
HR-214/325-2S-14 - http://www.cranecams.com/164-165.pdf

Or a “IG” iron gear that can use the normal intermediate shaft, this one a 112.
HR-214/325-2S-12 IG
http://www.cranecams.com/158-159.pdf

Oh any similar duration cam from someone else.
These low duration cams will offer good torque down low to get that 318 moving the car.
 
Would I need a new distributor gear if the engine came with a roller cam ?
 
On the cams listed, the. “IG” cam doesn’t need a new gear because the IG stands for iron gear. That’s what is stock. The other cam, I do not know.

Crane is the only cam manufacturer that I know of that does this IG cam. But do so ask whom ever you use if you need a new bronze gear, even Crane.
 
I don't know who grinds them, but Hughes Engines claims all of their hydraulic rollers are compatible with the regular Mopar heavy duty and stock replacement intermediate shaft gears. It's on their website somewhere.
 
All the engines you listed could give decent mpg and performance. All can be reliable as well.
  • I've had great luck with mpg with Thermoquads on cast intake. I got 17 mpg in a '70 Dodge Truck with a 340, cam, headers with a TQ going a 1000 mile trip one way.
  • I've also have good mileage with Holley street Avengers for gas mileage. The two I have right now do really well, though I haven't actually checked the exact mileage. I can tell that both are in the upper teens for mpg - - if I stay out of them :D
 
318willrun said:
All the engines you listed could give decent mpg and performance. All can be reliable as well.
  • I've had great luck with mpg with Thermoquads on cast intake. I got 17 mpg in a '70 Dodge Truck with a 340, cam, headers with a TQ going a 1000 mile trip one way.
  • I've also have good mileage with Holley street Avengers for gas mileage. The two I have right now do really well, though I haven't actually checked the exact mileage. I can tell that both are in the upper teens for mpg - - if I stay out of them :D
Click to expand...
I agree they can all be reliable and get decent mileage. I guess I am kind of tired of not having an old car I can jump in and drive a few hundred miles in a day in. I guess really the thing is I have 318 pretty much ready to run. I would have to rebuild the 340 or the 440 plus the expense of changing it over to big block and that isn’t in the budget at the moment. The car has an ok albeit stockish dual exhaust that is quiet but sounds ok. I have to plug the smog ports on the heads but that is no big deal. Someday i will put my 340 back together and it may wind up in this Dart but I will redo the exhaust to bigger and headers at that time. Right now a good running stock style 318 Dart that has a low stall converter and cruises down the freeway at 75 at a reasonable rpm will be nice. Overdrive tranny would be great but that opens up a whole new set of modifications. I will be happy if I can find a lock up torque converter version of a 904. Simple is good too.
 
340dartley said:
I agree they can all be reliable and get decent mileage. I guess I am kind of tired of not having an old car I can jump in and drive a few hundred miles in a day in. I guess really the thing is I have 318 pretty much ready to run. I would have to rebuild the 340 or the 440 plus the expense of changing it over to big block and that isn’t in the budget at the moment. The car has an ok albeit stockish dual exhaust that is quiet but sounds ok. I have to plug the smog ports on the heads but that is no big deal. Someday i will put my 340 back together and it may wind up in this Dart but I will redo the exhaust to bigger and headers at that time. Right now a good running stock style 318 Dart that has a low stall converter and cruises down the freeway at 75 at a reasonable rpm will be nice. Overdrive tranny would be great but that opens up a whole new set of modifications. I will be happy if I can find a lock up torque converter version of a 904. Simple is good too.
Click to expand...
then I'd go with the 318. here is my 2 cents:
  • Add a Weiand Action Plus and a 570 or 670 street avenger. Awesome combo on top of a 318.
  • Make sure the heads are up-to-snuff, meaning a good valve job, upgraded springs.
  • I'd leave the cam alone. If you are not looking for a fast car, but something that can get out of it's own way, you'll appreciate the low end of the factory roller cam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top