is it worth installing cam in stock 318?

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68bb

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Hello

With money being tight right now does this plan make sense to do. Car is 70 dart 4 speed 3.55 gears. Stock 318 small valve heads, stock exhaust manifolds. we have an edelbrock performer manifold and 600cfm carb and dual exhaust on it now. Question is, until we can do something with another motor, would it help much to install a small cam like a lunati 60400 , or small comp hi energy, or the like. Of course including the correct springs, new timing set, etc. What kind of improvement could we expect?

thanks
 
You can pick up 50 HP with a cam change and still have a fairly smooth idle. You can get stock 340 performance valve spring for around $50 a set that will handle most street cams you would want to run in a 318. I run the factory 340 cam in mine it's a nice upgrade there are alot of nice streetable cams for the 318 that will boost power nicely and not affect fuel consumption very much at all.
 
edelbrock performer cam .420 int/.420 exh. You already have the intake, all that stuff was designed to work together. I had the performer in my 87 .5 ton pickup and it ran real good with the intake too. My truck had 302 casting heads though, which are better than the old ones. Cam and lifter kit is reasonable in price too. $152.95 from summit. I didnt change my springs either. $.02
 
Your engine is just absolutely perfect for a Hughes Engines whiplash cam. Those cams are ground to work with stock engines. Even works with stock springs. they are ground to sound really choppy, but provide excellent low end torque and raise cylinder pressure for additional power. If i were you, that would be the camshaft I would be looking at HARD.

Here it is: http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...V2hpcGxhc2ggTXVzY2xlIENhciBDYW1z&partid=25113

There is even a video there so you can hear how it sounds and see the car run that has it.
 
On my stock 318 with a 904 (A low comp. '79 engine/drivetrain) & 3.21 sure griped gear set, I added;

600 AFB
Edelbrock intake (LD4B)
Hooker headers and a Jegs Dual exhaust @ 2-1/2 inchs.
Stock tire height (?) 225/70/14
Cam was a Crane 216/228-.454/.480 CL-112.
Dead stock heads

First run @ ATCO on a cold Oct./Nov. (I forget) day ran me a 15/14 @ 89. I later tuned it and gained a nice seat of the pants gain. I never took it to the strip though.

(That whiplash cam idea is a preety good one.)
 
thanks everyone, I really appreciate you sharing your expertise
 
YOu need some headers man! Probably one of the cheapest HOP mods out there. A nice cam is a nice HP boost too...gotta love the low-end idle growl!
 
If headers are out and not do-able, I wold then look to Comp Cams at there line designed for exhaust manifold engines.
 
I happen to have a new in box comp hi energy cam 20-212-2 218/218/.454 .454 that I bought years ago and didn't use. does that sound like a good cam for this situation with stock heads and valves?
 
68bb said:
I happen to have a new in box comp hi energy cam 20-212-2 218/218/.454 .454 that I bought years ago and didn't use. does that sound like a good cam for this situation with stock heads and valves?
Click to expand...

now that sounds like a plan
 
68bb said:
I happen to have a new in box comp hi energy cam 20-212-2 218/218/.454 .454 that I bought years ago and didn't use. does that sound like a good cam for this situation with stock heads and valves?
Click to expand...

..............that cam will idle dead smoothe.................kim,,,,,,,,,
 
I think, SINCE it is a 4speed, and 3.55 gears, you should go up of the cam some.

Think 270/270.... 420-440ish lift.

small port heads like same/same cams, IMO, headers or no.

Just coming from a 318 guy.....

Oh, issue. IF you change the cam, on high(ish) mileage valves, it will kill the seals, put in new seals, and it will kill them. The valve is wore to the lift of the cam in it, or at the very least there is a gummy line there, sooooo, if it was me, I would go ahead, since it is an old motor, and pull the heads, do a valve job, good springs, add a bigger EX valve maybe, and port match your heads to your intake.

THEN, you will have a peppy little ****, that will turn 5000RPM. :)


But also, there is nothing wrong with doing like I have done SOOOO many times, and just dealing with adding oil, and a bit of smoking at idle.

Just my thoughts.
 
I'd hold off touching the heads, depending on how many miles your engine has on it. I once overhauled the head on a used motor which ran sweetly, when I fitted a cam and had it skimmed to raise the CR. And it went from using no oil, to being a smokey old dog.
 
thanks again for all the helpful insight. the engine just turned 40k miles and has never been rebuilt, including the heads. This deal is kind of a temporary thing until there is time and money to do something better. We have a 360 block and rebuilt magnum heads and eddy magnum air gap, for down the road. i was just hoping for a little more fun for a year or two until we can do more.
 
Then njust put a cam in it, keep it under 430 lift and you will be fine. Worse you will haveto do is air the cylinders up and put new unbrella seals in it.
 
Hey guys. I was just reading through the thread here and have a question myself. I have a stock 318 in my Demon and its in such good and factory condition that it sounds "too calm". I know first thing to do it get headers but what I really want it the rough idle sound and I heard in some youtube videos that I get that sounds mainly through the cams. Im just wondering which cams you guys would recommend. Like I said, I dont want smooth idle, I want rough. Something that really opens up air wise. This is the sound Im looking for or better:



Any kits you could recommend? Thank you in advance.
 
element303 said:
Hey guys. I was just reading through the thread here and have a question myself. I have a stock 318 in my Demon and its in such good and factory condition that it sounds "too calm". I know first thing to do it get headers but what I really want it the rough idle sound and I heard in some youtube videos that I get that sounds mainly through the cams. Im just wondering which cams you guys would recommend. Like I said, I dont want smooth idle, I want rough. Something that really opens up air wise. This is the sound Im looking for or better:



Any kits you could recommend? Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...


So you want to make your engine run like crap?

Here ya go.

20-600-4 - Thumpr™ Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshafts

Here's what it can sound like with the right mufflers beginning at 55 seconds into the video.




.
 
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Lots of great suggestions here and all will work. Here is what I used in this motor my Low dollar 318 hop-up project

Cam & lifter kit - K50052 109.97
Edelbrock valve springs - EDL 5877 - 48.00
summit double roller timing chain - 38.00

All together 196.00 to my front door from Summit.
Here is what it sounds like


with 2.76 gears and stock converter, I ran 94 mph (93.9) at the strip. I did do some head work, but your 4-speed and 3.55's should be a great help. I did this to a 120,*** miles motor....
 
And then I just realized this thread was made in 2010..... LOL.
 
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