Just a moment to vent

[Bullseye]

I bought my Dart 2 years ago from a guy who said the motor and transmission were out of a 1973 Road Runner so I have been getting parts for a 73 318. Everything except for the oil pan gaskets have worked. While i was under my car most of the weekend I had a clear view of what I thought to be the date code stamped on the block--12/6/68-- So a little bit more looking and I found the VIN on the block and transmission(both match) and this is what it told me.

Vehicle Identification Number: pm23f9d220249 Vehicle Model: Fury/VIP Vehicle Class: Medium Price Class (Road Runner) Vehicle Body Style: 2 Door Hardtop Vehicle Engine: 318 CID/230 HP 2 BBL V8 Vehicle Year: 1968 Vehicle Assembly Plant: Belvidere, IL, USA Assembly Sequence Number: 220249At least he was right about the model, now I'm not sure if the motor has actually been bored out .060 or not. Sorry to vent it was just the last straw after all the other crap I have noticed. Missing bolt in motor mount, different bolts in the headers, intake bolts loose, Etc...........:wack:

Chuck

 

[Robbie2734]

You might have the better motor, the 68's had a steel crank and had been rated at 9-1 CR. It would be interesting to see if it did. Check the heads to see if they are hardened seats. Get the casting number from under the valve covers on the top of the head, that should tell you if they are later hardened seats. Good luck!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Might wanna rant when you really got sumthin worth rantin over. Jus sayin.

 

[jamesdaytona]

If you are getting at it being out of a 68-69 Roadrunner , forget it . NO Roadrunner was made with a 318 until 1973 .

 

[slant6/4speed]

Ya there is some thing wrong with the VIN decoder here. The Fury is a "C" body and a Road Runner is a "B" body and as pointed out no Road Runner was made with a 318 in 68 and most of them are 2dr post sedan, not 2dr ht.

 

[Bullseye]

Might wanna rant when you really got sumthin worth rantin over. Jus sayin.

You maybe right this was a premature vent. I did some more research and I'm happy about the rated HP and torque gain. I just hate the fact that I was lied to.

 

[Bullseye]

Ya there is some thing wrong with the VIN decoder here. The Fury is a "C" body and a Road Runner is a "B" body and as pointed out no Road Runner was made with a 318 in 68 and most of them are 2dr post sedan, not 2dr ht.

Well hell then...... the car is wrong, however, I'm I right in thinking that it is a 68 due to the stamping in the block?? It doesn't really matter which car it is out of as long as I know the year.

I ran it on another mopar site and it shows a 69 Fury

 

[RustyRatRod]

You maybe right this was a premature vent. I did some more research and I'm happy about the rated HP and torque gain. I just hate the fact that I was lied to.

Could have been an honest mistake. I didn't know myself Road Runners didn't come with 318s until 73 until I read it here. I never really thought about it because I like A bodies. Also, since it's not a numbers matching car anyway, what difference does it really make? That's all I meant.

 

[waggin]

i got just one thing to say............Neet car who cares about all them numbers anyway?

 

[67Dart273]

I just hate the fact that I was lied to.

The seller might not even have lied to you, he may have just been mistaken. As old as these girls all are, LOTS of them have had swaps. He may have gotten the engine OUT of a '73 or whatever, and the '68 engine might 've been swapped in there by someone else.

Years ago I bought a running engine for 50 bucks, needed to get my car on the road. Supposed to be a 318, and turned out to be a 273. Hell, for 50 bucks, it had a set of adjustable rockers that later saw 7 grand on the valvetrain of my 340

 

[Bullseye]

i got just one thing to say............Neet car who cares about all them numbers anyway?

oh i don't really about the numbers its just there is a difference in oil pan gaskets im on my second one now. after i got the pan back in is when i noticed the date on the block. if the numbers are correct the 68/69 318 is by far a better motor.

 

[Bullseye]

Could have been an honest mistake. I didn't know myself Road Runners didn't come with 318s until 73 until I read it here. I never really thought about it because I like A bodies. Also, since it's not a numbers matching car anyway, what difference does it really make? That's all I meant.

i understand we all learn something everyday when we do it ourselves:toothy10::toothy10:

 

[waggin]

well if this oil pan gasket don't fit check the last four or five digits above the starter motor they will say 318- 1 thru 13 if it indeed a 318 and if it says 360 - 1 thru something that would be why the oil pan gasket dont fit...if the last digits dont say the engine size then it is a 273 but I'm no expert then again as I understand all 273 318 and 340 oil pan gaskets are the same and the 360 is the diffrent one....when ya got the pan off see if the front and rear end seals are the same or if the rear one is diffrent if it is smaller on the rear then you have a 360 which they did not make back then...maybe they are giving you a gasket for a 360????

 

[Bullseye]

well if this oil pan gasket don't fit check the last four or five digits above the starter motor they will say 318- 1 thru 13 if it indeed a 318 and if it says 360 - 1 thru something that would be why the oil pan gasket dont fit...if the last digits dont say the engine size then it is a 273 but I'm no expert then again as I understand all 273 318 and 340 oil pan gaskets are the same and the 360 is the diffrent one....when ya got the pan off see if the front and rear end seals are the same or if the rear one is diffrent if it is smaller on the rear then you have a 360 which they did not make back then...maybe they are giving you a gasket for a 360????

that i know says 318 but sometime early 70's there was a slight change in the front and rear seals on how they attach to the pan

 

[waggin]

iv'e never seen that in 30 years playin with these thing but ma mopar did some stuff that just can't be explained sometimes.....still a neet *** car ya got there!!!

that i know says 318 but sometime early 70's there was a slight change in the front and rear seals on how they attach to the pan

 

[Bullseye]

You might have the better motor, the 68's had a steel crank and had been rated at 9-1 CR. It would be interesting to see if it did. Check the heads to see if they are hardened seats. Get the casting number from under the valve covers on the top of the head, that should tell you if they are later hardened seats. Good luck!

I got the numbers 12028 and 2843675 can any one tell me what these mean?

 

[kursplat]

that i know says 318 but sometime early 70's there was a slight change in the front and rear seals on how they attach to the pan

318 / 340 - the early pans have a bunch of holes on the ends on the pan that rubber nubs get pulled through to help hold the gasket in place.
later pans don't have the holes and the gasket is "U" shaped. you can swap the pans between years as long as you use the correct gaskets.
think the change started some time in 70'

360's, as stated above, have a different pan that only fits them...

 

[Robbie2734]

I got the numbers 12028 and 2843675 can any one tell me what these mean?

A ENGINE CYLINDER HEADS CASTING NUMBER:


There are basically only two different cylinder heads that have been used on the "LA" engines from 1964-1984 a small port 273-318 and a big port 340-360. There have been only three different valve combinations in these heads: one for the 273 and 318 with 1.78" intake and 1.50" exhaust; one for the 1968-1971 340 with 2.02" intake and 1.60" exhaust; and one for the 360 and the 1972-1973 340 with 1.88" intake and 1.60" exhaust.




Engine


Year


Casting Number
Valve Sizes (in.)

In.
Valve Sizes (in.)

Ex.
Combustio-Chamber Volume (cc)


Rocker-Arm Type

273 64-65 2465315 1.78 1.50 57 Adjustable**
273 66 2536178 1.78 1.50 57 Adjustable**
273 67 2658920 1.78 1.50 57 Adjustable**
273 68-69 2843675 1.78 1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 67 2658920 1.78 1.50 57 Non-Adjustable
318* 67 2658234 1.78 1.50 57 Non-Adjustable
318 68-71 2843675 1.78 1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 72 2843675 1.78 a1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 73-74 2843675 1.78 1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 75-76 3769973 1.78 1.50 63 Non-Adjustable
318 77-80 4027163 1.78 1.50 63 Non-Adjustable
318 77-80 4027593 1.78 1.50 63 Non-Adjustable
340 68-71 2531894 2.02 1.60 63 Non-Adjustable
340TA 70 3418915 2.02 1.60 65 Adjustable**
340 72 3671587 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
340 73 3671587 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 71 3418915 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 71 3418915 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 73-74 3671587 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 75 3769974 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 76 3769974 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 76 3671587 1.88 1.60 65 Non-Adjustable
360 77-80 4027596 1.88 1.60 66 Non-Adjustable
360
77-80 4071051 1.88 1.60 66 Non-Adjustable
Looks like you have the heads off a 72 318. I'm not sure if they have hardened seats. It does say they have 60cc chambers..LOL

 

[1969dodgedartgt]

thanks for the rant, it turned into good learning

I'm a bit surprised you never checked your engine date in 2 years. Ive read that the C/R has gone down over the years for emissions reasons so the better for you. I have a great affection for my 69 318.

 

[Bullseye]

A ENGINE CYLINDER HEADS CASTING NUMBER:


There are basically only two different cylinder heads that have been used on the "LA" engines from 1964-1984 a small port 273-318 and a big port 340-360. There have been only three different valve combinations in these heads: one for the 273 and 318 with 1.78" intake and 1.50" exhaust; one for the 1968-1971 340 with 2.02" intake and 1.60" exhaust; and one for the 360 and the 1972-1973 340 with 1.88" intake and 1.60" exhaust.




Engine


Year


Casting Number
Valve Sizes (in.)

In.
Valve Sizes (in.)

Ex.
Combustio-Chamber Volume (cc)


Rocker-Arm Type


318 68-71 2843675 1.78 1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 72 2843675 1.78 a1.50 60 Non-Adjustable
318 73-74 2843675 1.78 1.50 60 Non-Adjustable

In-line with the other pages i have looked at this evening that head stamping was used from 68-74 which leads me to believe the heads are late 68 early 69 as the block is a late 68. Thanks for the info though.

 

[Bullseye]

thanks for the rant, it turned into good learning

I'm a bit surprised you never checked your engine date in 2 years. Ive read that the C/R has gone down over the years for emissions reasons so the better for you. I have a great affection for my 69 318.

Silly me I thought it was a 73 like I was told. I did look on the driver side to make sure it was a 318. It was the first time I have had the headers loose and able to really see that side of the motor. I love the idea of it being the better motor of the two. Any one have an idea on HP guesses eddy intake; 600 CFM eddy, "mild purple cam" (I have no idea anything else on the cam), and I was told it is .060 over