looking for more power

[amzchad]

What would be the cheapest but best way to build alittle power for my 318

i have a carter 4bll( i think i will have a holley 600cfm soon)

I haver a KnN filter

MSD ignition with stock distributor(i think) and kragen wires

engine has 50 original miles on it

what can i do for cheap to build some power

 

[Burntorange70]

Headers, intake, cam.

You can get the summit $99 headers. A E-brock performer intake and a mild cam. I think all that could be done for under $500.

 

[autopar3000]

Headers, intake, cam.

You can get the summit $99 headers. A E-brock performer intake and a mild cam. I think all that could be done for under $500.

Bingo!! I would do it in stages, so you can experience the incremental differences. Start with the headers. Next I guess would be intake/carb, then cam. Or maybe cam, then intake?

 

[TheGreenSlime]

When choosing a cam keep in mind your low compression ratio.

 

[needsaresto]

Headers, intake, cam.

You can get the summit $99 headers. A E-brock performer intake and a mild cam. I think all that could be done for under $500.

Good advise! About the only thing I could add would be an increase in compression ratio. You can get a mild .2 or so bump with a thin set of head gaskets.More with 302 heads or magnums,but that isnt cheap. Or you could have your stock heads cut a bit for a chamber size reducement.This might gain you another .3 to .5.Just be aware that you should be checking piston/valve clearance,even though the stock 318 piston is waaaay down there. The nice part about bumping c.r is it results in an overall powerband boost. The cams and intake are always specific to thier intended rpm range.

And while you have the heads out break out the die grinder and clean up the bowls,do a port match. More cheap stuff.Even a simple clean up should net 20-30 H.P. Dont go nuts and kill velocity off.

Another great way to boost performance cheaply is to do a rear gear swap. I dont know what your running now,but something in the 3:23 to 3:55 range will give surprizing results and still be driveable every day.

 

[LXguy]

I'd probably do a leakdown on it first. It you're getting a bunch of blowby its not worth messing with.

An LD4B or Weiand Stealth intake would be a good choice, and is the easiest of the 3 options to install. I put a LD4B and a Holley Street Avenger on my 30K mile 71 318. It didn't make the car actually fast, but it was a massive improvement over the stock stuff.

A VERY small camshaft would help a lot too. Maybe the very smallest or second smallest Voodoo stick. They seem small, but they really are pretty massive compared to the stock stuff.

I'd really think twice about the headers, especially if you're planning on swapping in a Magnum engine. It is a serious ***** to install headers on these cars. The headers are cheap, but what are you going to do about the rest of the exhaust? You've probably got the same 1-1/4" single exhaust system I had on my car that was a total pain to cut off, and not cheap to replace. Plus you might have to replace the motor mounts to get clearance between the header and torsion bars.

If you have to do exhaust right now, I'd come up with some way of putting duals on the car instead of the headers. It'll be worth a little power, and be a lot less hassle than installing headers.

Steve

 

[rumblefish360]

This is what I did in my thread on "Cheap 318 Power" that took the car from a /6 to a 318 of a '79 vintage which has less comprssion than the earlier engines. Most Dusters will run in the hi 16's to low 17's with a 318 and a peg leg hwy geared rear.

I added the following parts from top to bottom;

MP unsilenced air cleaner , though any open element will do. I have had this air clener since they were like $50, but we'll just use that as a base price for other cleaners.... $50

A Holley 1850 carb rated @ 600 cfm. It's a 4160 model that I convertered to a 4150. The carb did use a rebuild kit and the carb itself was $20. Rebuilf kit $42. So for basicly under a hundred bucks, I have a excellent carb.
$100 (Total $150)

Intake is a LD4B picked up cheap. Otherwise a Edelbrock Performer should be used.I picked up this used unit for a bout $50. Glass beeded it myself. ($200 total)

Crane Cams split duration @ 216/228 -.454/.480 lift Comp Cams, Huges or Lunati has excellent vesrions of this cam and are probably better to use.
Hooker Comp. headers coupled with a Jegs/Sumitt true dual exhaust kit @ 2-1/2. I picked up the cam/lifter and spring kit since matching springs is a must.
( $185 for cam, springs will run about another $70 or so. Total so far, $455)

And electric fan and lokar cables were nice extra's as was the B&M floor shifter. Though not needed, how likes a column shift hot rod?

B&M floor shifter; $120
Lokar cables, expensive but you don't need them.
Permacool E-fan; I for get what I paid, but it'll run around a $150 or so with thermostat kit for a on and off by itself fan.

We'll just add the floor shifter to this expense.

Ruffly speaking. Without shipping that is. Total $575

I did swap out the 7-1/4 rea for a 8-1/4 rear that is sure grip equiped w/3.21 gears. Great deal @ $200, no brakes or backing plates which suited me fine since I had a Cordoba donte it's 11 inch brakes. Backing plates swapped right over and everything works great.


This car can run high 14's. The one and only time at the track on a cold day, I did run it ruffly tuned to a 15.14 @ 89 mph. Ruff carb tune, ruff distributor tune, spinning out of the hole on skinny stock tires .... I know I can whittle down that .14 for a 14 second and quicker run.

Lookie here; http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=10508

A serious help in this would be a high stall converter and rear gear as well as milled and preped heads with better valves.

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

Everybody has good advise so far so all I can really say is just do a basic compression test on your 50 org mile motor and if all is within 3-6psi of each other do the cam for sure along with the other stuff mentioned.

600 holley vac secondary works great on even a stock 318 btw and usually like the 25 shooter/pink cam and stock jetting w/silver or purple spring and do a vac reading for the correct PV, but it'll probably be like 8.5-10.5
Pull the heavy spring out of the distributor and just run the lighter one, so [example] if you have 34* total it'll let it sit @ around 18* initial.

BTW if you are gonna change intake,cam and go with headers, it's only head gaskets & another $60-$100 to have the heads milled .030 to up the compression, oh while you're there have .010 milled from the intake side of the heads to keep everything true.jmo