what t do for performance

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sonier

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I am new too engines im very mechanically inclined so i can do most things no hassle with a little guidance.
I am building my 1989 dodge ram d-100 4wd into a torque machine. something i can boil the tires off and have the power to go threw rocks snow mud you name it. so im trying to find the best route to go.

heres what i have at my disposal

a burned up 727 transmission needs rebuilding
a spare 318 engine with good heads intake and tbi
a 318 block that needs to be rebored to run

currently in my truck is a
904 trans
318 TBI engine

other things sitting round,
a scrap ramcharger bodie with good axles
and 500 bucks to dump into this project

so if you were to build a high performance 4WD truck with this what woudl you do?
 
While 318's are great little engines I don't think one will offer you the torque to boil the hides off like you want unless you super charge it mainly because a 4wd truck is super heavy. You need to step up to a 360 minimum but a big block would be even better.
 
fishy68 said:
While 318's are great little engines I don't think one will offer you the torque to boil the hides off like you want unless you super charge it mainly because a 4wd truck is super heavy. You need to step up to a 360 minimum but a big block would be even better.
Click to expand...

im a little wrried about a big block, im scared ill run short of funds too get it dropped in. lots of adapter plates, balanced torqu converters etc.
im finding lots of reasonable running 360s.
would it be better to grab a 360, and do a budget performance build later?
 
i just bought a 360 engine that is running and everything. the only issue im looking at is the exhaust manifolds, will a 318 exhaust manifold bolt on a 360 engine?
 
If you can't afford a big block a 360 is the next best thing. A 360 is a direct drop in except for they use a balance weight on the torque converter. You can get around that by using a B&M flexplate made to balance the 360 to a neutral balanced converter. I did it and it works fine. B&M part # is 10236 and Summit and JEGS sell them. 318 manifolds will bolt up to a 360 but the ports might be a little smaller that the 360's were so it might be restrictive. But it will run. If your budget will allow headers that'd be the way to go cause stock manifolds are pretty restrictive.

For a high torque 360 here's what I'd do.

Machine work as necessary to bring block up to specs. i.e. clean, bore, hone, resurfacing as necessary.

Install ARP rod bolts and resize the rods or buy a new set of Eagle or SCAT rods.

Install new KB hyperutectic KB107 pistons and rings.

Recondition your heads and if you can do any bowl cleanup work on them and take off any casting flashing's that'd be good. Go by your other thread on that.

Lunati 60401lk cam kit, or comp 262XE cam kit, or a real budget build would be to use a Summit cam kit part number SUM-K6900.

Intake: Any stock 4 barrel SB intake manifold (except the old style 273 intake) or, Edelbrock performer RPM air gap, Weiand action plus, or lastly a Summit stage 1 or 2 intake. Use a 600 cfm vacuum secondary Holley or Edelbrock 600 if you like Eddy's.

Small tube full length headers or stock Magnum manifolds off a 92-94 318 or 360 magnum if they'll fit the chassis.

Standard Mopar ignition with the orange box and the dist. re-curved for a faster advance curve.

That's the majority of it I think. If I forgot anything let me know.
 
that a mouthful:) and i liked what i read. i was curious about the balancing. thankyou for part number, thats gona help. also is a 318 balanced through the torque convertor, or should my stock convertor work in conjunction with my balanced flex plate?
 
A 318 is internally balanced so by using the B&M flexplate on the 360 you can use the stock 318 converter. One thing i forgot to mention though is a little higher stall speed converter will help power production also. 2200-2500 would liven it up and not be too loose to use with a 4wd.

I also forgot to mention that if you do swap out the pistons for KB's or any most any other aftermarket you'll need to get the assembly balanced. The only exception would be if you found aftermarket pistons that weigh real close to the stock pistons weight. Even then it'd still be a good idea to have it balanced because the factory balance job wasn't the greatest but it would run ok if you didn't balance it.
 
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