Getting a 318 running?

[Andre68]

My goal is to get my 318 running. I was gonna rebuild it but after talking to a mechanic today, he told me that I probably didn't even need a rebuild that he's gotten a lot of motors to run, he had one filled with mud and got that sucker working. He told me to get this motor running, use it for as long as possible and save up and put something sweet in the car, that mopar was known for there big blocks, so build yourself a nice big block.

Right now the motor is out of car and on a stand. It isn't seized because when it was in the car I could turn it by hand. He told me to pull the pan look for metal shavings and the condition of the oil. Pull the valve covers, and maybe the heads, that I can maybe put a gasket set on it and get it running pretty good.

Anybody done this before? Don't know if I have to go as far as to buy a gasket set but that's why I'm asking!

Motor info: 1970 318 from a dart. The car sat for 10 years, when I got It most of it was there except the intake manifold was on poorly so there was like spider webs and stuff in there when I removed the manifold and no carb.

 

[67Dart273]

"Depending" (on what you have) it doesn't take much to fire an engine

1---Is this a stick or automatic? If it's automatic, the easiest thing is to bolt up the transmission. That is, unless it's dry or has a major problem. This gives you a starter gear (on the torque converter) and a way to mount the starter

If it's a stick, easy--bolt on the flywheel and bell and starter

2---What do you have for a carb? Now you CAN (and I have) fire an engine for a few seconds just by squirting gas or even propane down the open manifold, but to run it for a minute or so, you need a carb.......You can "rig" a safe container up above with a siphon hose to feed the carb

3--I assume this is a breaker points ignition, or has this been converted to electronic. You need a good distributor, with good clean points and a good condenser, and of course coil, cap, rotor, wires If you need help setting the distributor in and setting timing, we can help you here

4--Obviously a battery, and good jumper cables. Misc clip leads to hook up ignition.

5---With a breaker points dist, just hook the dist. primary wire up to coil neg, lay the coil on the engine or with a bolt, does not need to be tight. When ready, hook a clip lead from coil + to the battery cable on the starter. Hook the jumper to that terminal and to engine ground.

When ready, just jumper with a screwdriver between the two solenoid terminals and the engine should crank

6---Before firing, of course you'll have to install the manifold. I'd go ahead and inspect the cam, lifters and rocker gear for damage and wear, and use the starter to perform a compression test. Remove the plugs and squirt a bit of oil into the cylinders to lube them, but be careful---make sure to crank the engine with the plugs out to blow out excess oil, and BE AWARE than even a small amount of oil will increase compression ratio and give you incorrect readings on the compression tester.

So probably the best sequence is to............

oil the cylinders, crank to remove excess oil, fire and run the engine, then run a compression test

DO NOT reach conclusions about oil usage in this short running time because whether or not you oil the cylinders, it will likely burn oil from sitting.

Make sure to check oil pressure. You can prime the pump with filter removed, and with distributor installed, using the starter. This should take about one second of cranking. Then install the filter, and remove the oil sender and crank until you get pressure there at the sender fitting. You can install a cheap gauge if you like.

This is an engine I test fired, did not even bother to put manifolds on it. The carb on it was all screwed up (water, rust, etc) so I actually fired it just by dumping a small amount of fuel down the throats and later, changed the carb. I have an "emergency" ignition system (breakerless) which uses a GM HEI module in this box.

 

[Abodybomber]

Subscribed,with info as needed. 67 ,gave a great list,upfront.

 

[67Dart273]

Thanks, "A". Also I know everybody has their opinion, and I've owned B and RB engines in the past, but nowadays you can get a LOT of power out of a SB, so I'm not sure I'd be too anxious to convert. You'll have to change a lot of "stuff" to do so.

 

[Abodybomber]

67 ,had a good 408 die,in my hands. Well aware,of LA/Magnum potential...

 

[Andre68]

Yea bud thanks for the list great stuff!

 

[Andre68]

Do u think I need the gasket set? Or just try what u said first? It is manual so I'm sure that makes it easier

 

[67Dart273]

What all is unbolted on the engine? Sounds like the manifold was off? So at the least you need valve cover and intake manifold set.

Depending on how many miles "you think" is on the engine, I'd pull the pan and timing cover. Inspect and retorque rod and main bearings, and inspect and/ or replace the timing drive.

So you'd need a timing cover set and oil pan gasket.

I would not mess with pulling the pan / timing cover until after you test fire the engine

 

[318willrun]

No carb and sitting awhile causes concern, though. Often times if an intake valve was in the open position, moisture can get into the cylinder and rust the cylinder wall. Be sure to at least pull a plug an see what you can see with a bright light. A small finger can get often reach and touch the top of the cyl wall and see if you get "brown" rust on the finger. Good luck

 

[sireland67]

Can you post a couple of pictures of what you have to work with?

 

[Andre68]

okay thanks for the info 67dart273!

yea I should have time to take pics tomorrow, yea to be honest I have no idea how long it was sitting with no carb, all i know is the car was not registered in 10 years, but I looked at the oil today on the dipstick and too be honest, it looked just how it should. I remember telling the guy I bought it from that i planned on rebuilding it, and he told me to that he really though it didnt need one, that he was pretty sure I could get that thing running.

 

[Andre68]

I got some pics of the motor.

this is it after a degreasing and a pressure wash.

Im gonna pull some plugs and take a picture of the oil.

 

[d55dave]

Judging by the brass freeze plugs I am guessing that the engine has already been previously rebuilt. I could be wrong, but I believe the factory only used steel plugs. You also have the heavy duty (cop) water pump on there. Flush some oil through it, put on a fresh filter, prime the oil system and fire that puppy up!

 

[d55dave]

Judging by the brass freeze plugs I am guessing that the engine has already been previously rebuilt. I could be wrong, but I believe the factory only used steel plugs. You also have the heavy duty (cop) water pump on there. Flush some oil through it, put on a fresh filter, prime the oil system and fire that puppy up!

 

[Andre68]

Cool deal! Here's a pic of the oil and and a plug... I pulled a few plugs and the all looked like this

 

[Andre68]

Plug

 

[sireland67]

Did you pressure wash it with the intake and valve covers off?

 

[sireland67]

By the looks of the cam and sludge on the rocker arms, I would say you have a stock 100K + motor.
New soft plugs and water pump would lead me to believe there was an over-heating issue, or rust in the coolent system.
Pull all the plugs, if they look like the one you showed it is just gas fouled, clean or replace all of them.

Since it is on the stand I would drop the oil pan, and timing chain cover and look everything over real good.
At best it may need a new tiiming chain, if the timing chain is shot look for broken plastic teeth, if this is case, pull the oil pump off, the oil pick up catch the broken teeth, and may sound like a baby rattle.
Throw a new gasket set it, there was a reason the engine was greasy to begin with.

 

[Louie70Dart]

''

 

[krazykuda]

The original freeze plugs could have been replaced due to rust....

Measure the bores to find out if it was rebuilt or not...


I recommend going with a "refresh". Mancini racing sells "refresh" kits with main and rod bearings, rings, and a teardown gasket kit for reasonable prices. Then make sure to plastic gauge the bearings to make sure that everything is good before the engine is installed in the car....

 

[Andre68]

Should I buy that kit? Or do as mentioned above and depending on how that goes see if I need that kit or not.

 

[Andre68]

Well I dropped the pan today from what I can tell, everything looks good, except for the 2 front connecting rod shafts and caps, they seem to be a little more rustish color than the rest.

 

[67Dart273]

If you feel you can handle it, I'd remove the caps one at a time, inspect the bearings and crank, and retorque.

 

[Andre68]

What about those rusty looking rod shafts? Is that fine?

 

[Andre68]

To be honest I don't know if that is rust? It's just those two connecting rods and just that. I was reading that sometimes the factory used to copper coat some connecting rods?