The trap of the industrial / motorhome 318-3

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In another new addition to the thread, I’ve started tearing down a set of low mileage original 2973 234 LA industrial heads from probably a -2 318. Actually, the same heads pictured by SS Lancer that he and I traded around on a while back ago. Big high flow water pump and head crossover but cast crank bottom end. I thought I was going to get by easily with some stainless engine pro 1.78 Jeep valves and some bronze liners on the intake and for a little bit more add some new guides and 11/32 stem Chevy valves on the exhaust. I was not planning on increasing valve size. Only upgrading to nail head valves bowl, seat, and chamber cuts and from my machinist along with a .025 cut and touching up the port and bowl finish. It turns out that the intake valves measure 1.82 inches and the exhaust are 1.53 inches. I thought it strange that there would be valve sizes this close to the 1.78/1.50 valves. The seat widths are .130 on the exhaust side and .110 on the intake. I thought about continuing the plan and step them on up to 1.88 on the intake and 1.60 exhaust, but after porting to make the larger valves work, I’d be much better off putting that $$$ into one of the sets of 974s I’ve got laying around…
 
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Good article ## something out of the norm proceed please
With the build !
Yes, I’m still proceeding forward! I’ve found some other quality stainless valve options on the cheap that will allow things to move forward. The port shape in these heads is too good to not do something with them.
 
Someone asked about the big block stuff so here is the lowdown on 413 heads on the high water pump version.

They are not worth spit for any performance, but are damn near indestructible and great for the intended purpose of an RV, industrial, or tow engine. The 413-3 engine made 445 lb ft @ only 2400 rpm.

Tiny 1.88/1.50 exhaust valves with chrome stems, exhaust is sodium filled. Hardened pressed in exhaust seats from factory. Water pump housing bolts directly to the front of the heads for better cooling. Heads are much taller than normal big block due to this.

They are also closed chamber head, but with a large 90cc chamber. Peanut plugs in the center of combustion chamber. Special exhaust bolt pattern. Runners look more like a small block than big block.

As mentioned before, 413 piston choices are limited and or expensive for what you get. For this reason I am building a basturd child 440 short block with TRW six pack pistons with the 413 RV heads. Will be set up for .040 quench, 9.25 to 1 compression, and a set of RV headers and 3" exhaust. Using a Mike Jones cam ground especially for these RV motors.

I go back and forth on whether or not to keep the water flowing through the intake. Fuel economy v/s cooler intake charge and less prone to detonation. Leaning toward blocking them off.

As to the 440 RV engines, I have yet to see one that had the high mount water pump. With Chrysler though never say never. Lots of them I have been told are 440's but on closer inspection they have always turned out to be 361 or 413 industrial engines.

Dont try to convince anyone of it though as some people get snorting mad sometimes when you try to tell them. Cousin Jim Bob told them it is a 440 so by god it has to be!
 
Very interesting! That makes perfect sense on those heads being that small. The last true 413 industrial I saw was in a 1971 LCF 800 tandem drive axle coal hauling truck with a five speed NP540 and an SM-465 cased three speed non-synchro compound behind it. I can’t imagine what it was like (honestly it’s more that I just don’t want too!) shifting both sticks on some of our 10+% grades out of the pit or 8 percent mountain grades with the typical overload (packing coal in the bed with the loader bucket and the loader bringing the front wheels off the ground) during the coal boom here around that time.
 
Someone asked about the big block stuff so here is the lowdown on 413 heads on the high water pump version.

They are not worth spit for any performance, but are damn near indestructible and great for the intended purpose of an RV, industrial, or tow engine. The 413-3 engine made 445 lb ft @ only 2400 rpm.

Tiny 1.88/1.50 exhaust valves with chrome stems, exhaust is sodium filled. Hardened pressed in exhaust seats from factory. Water pump housing bolts directly to the front of the heads for better cooling. Heads are much taller than normal big block due to this.

They are also closed chamber head, but with a large 90cc chamber. Peanut plugs in the center of combustion chamber. Special exhaust bolt pattern. Runners look more like a small block than big block.

As mentioned before, 413 piston choices are limited and or expensive for what you get. For this reason I am building a basturd child 440 short block with TRW six pack pistons with the 413 RV heads. Will be set up for .040 quench, 9.25 to 1 compression, and a set of RV headers and 3" exhaust. Using a Mike Jones cam ground especially for these RV motors.

I go back and forth on whether or not to keep the water flowing through the intake. Fuel economy v/s cooler intake charge and less prone to detonation. Leaning toward blocking them off.

As to the 440 RV engines, I have yet to see one that had the high mount water pump. With Chrysler though never say never. Lots of them I have been told are 440's but on closer inspection they have always turned out to be 361 or 413 industrial engines.

Dont try to convince anyone of it though as some people get snorting mad sometimes when you try to tell them. Cousin Jim Bob told them it is a 440 so by god it has to be!
I had a 1977, 37' Foretravel RV 440, peanut plugs heads..... ain't sure about the water pump I think I would have noticed that as being an oddity
 
Very interesting! That makes perfect sense on those heads being that small. The last true 413 industrial I saw was in a 1971 LCF 800 tandem drive axle coal hauling truck with a five speed NP540 and an SM-465 cased three speed non-synchro compound behind it. I can’t imagine what it was like (honestly it’s more that I just don’t want too!) shifting both sticks on some of our 10+% grades out of the pit or 8 percent mountain grades with the typical overload (packing coal in the bed with the loader bucket and the loader bringing the front wheels off the ground) during the coal boom here around that time.
I wouldn't wanna either!
 
Some off those heads had extra cooling around the spark plugs, requiring special headgskts IIRC .

Yes sir. 413 rv has a couple extra cooling passages more than even the 440 rv engine does. Not a big deal I will use the head gasket as a template and drill through the deck of the 440 short block and gasket to make it work.
 
I had a 1977, 37' Foretravel RV 440, peanut plugs heads..... ain't sure about the water pump I think I would have noticed that as being an oddity
Those heads were a 452 casting, but with more water passages than a car head. Cant remember if the spark plug was moved on those or not.
 
Those heads were a 452 casting, but with more water passages than a car head. Cant remember if the spark plug was moved on those or not.
That's funny, cuz I was pissed, after I went down there in order to set a plugs for a 69 440 Magnum, came back, and they wouldn't fit! So I pulled an old one, I seen they were Lil. It's a good thing I didn't put the 452's I had in the shop on there, it probably would not have helped ! Was thinking more performance, but now in retrospect, I'm thinking Chrysler engineering, to keep your motor running cool, so it lasts a long time, especially if you're pulling that thing filled with crap up the hill somewhere!
In all honesty, Mopar had the best Engineers back then.
 
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