318 upgrades

Duster1 · Post by **Duster1** » Tue May 30, 17 1:53 pm

Can anybody recommend any upgrades to a 318 engine and what is the maximum overbore possible. Is it possible to turn a 318 into 340?
Andy

DaveBishop · Post by **DaveBishop** » Tue May 30, 17 5:03 pm

No you can't bore a 318 to make it a 340 but you can buy a stroker kit to make it around a 390 but the 318 heads are not great so you will have to find a better set of heads 340 or 360 heads fit but you have to have 60 thu skimed off them

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Tue May 30, 17 6:52 pm

Depends what the budget is and what you're wanting to achieve, beyond a certain point you'd be better off finding a cheap 360 to build.

Duster1 · Post by **Duster1** » Tue May 30, 17 9:00 pm

Budget is tight.
Bit of a novice when it comes to engine builds, etc.
So any advice appreciated.
Thanks

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue May 30, 17 9:04 pm

The biggest single thing you can do to wake a car up is sling some 3.91:1 or 4.10:1 gears in the rear.

Kills highway speeds a bit and is hard on your ears, but is a really quick and relatively cheap fix.

It depends on what you want to achieve.

Dave81 · Post by **Dave81** » Tue May 30, 17 9:11 pm

As Blue says.....Budget?

A healthy 318 can get inot the 300hp range with a good match of parts and minor work. Carb, cam and compression etc etc.

If you want to make it really come alive you'll need to go down the stroker route. 390 or 392 is most common.

As I'm doing currently, the key is research, research and more research. Stroker kits are currently at around $2k......add shipping, Vat and tax.
That's the easy bit......The 318 will need to go to a proper engine place for boring, honing, decking etc......and the 000s just keep adding that's if you don't have any block issues. You'll need decent heads to make all that worth the expense. Eddys are around 1500 or you can port J heads, that'll still not be cheap though to get it done for best bang for buck.

At this point you have to weigh up the cost differential between going this route and buying a 360 and bolt ons........its a minefield and I'm still trying to navigate it.

Set yourself a target....BHP or 1/4 mile time. There is your starter for 10.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue May 30, 17 9:16 pm

Also people aim for a powerful engine and then it is breakages and spend, spend, spend on the drive train - Trans, convertor, and especially Rear end.....

Duster1 · Post by **Duster1** » Wed May 31, 17 7:27 am

Thanks for the advice guys.
Need to have a good think as what we want to achieve and start researching.
Andy

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Wed May 31, 17 8:33 am

Ok a budget build, assuming the engine is in good shape to start with, electronic ignition with recurved distributor and a less pedestrian rear gear are your best bang for the buck. Next, viscous fan package, quality headers and a true 2.5" system, aluminium intake and 600 double pumper Holley. That's the fairly cheap and easy done. Cam, lifters, billet timing set and convertor to match is next, and that lot should get you in the 13's and totally streetable. That's as far as I would go with a 318, your spend to gain ratio drops considerably after that.

Duster1 · Post by **Duster1** » Wed May 31, 17 1:17 pm

Cheers Blue

Duster1 · Post by **Duster1** » Thu Jun 01, 17 7:12 am

Guys
Thanks for all your input. Time to sit down and have a think as what we can do and mainly afford to do.
Cheers
Andy

octanejunkie · Post by **octanejunkie** » Mon Jun 05, 17 9:53 pm

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-040 ... 18-engine/

Really good article

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Mon Jun 05, 17 10:39 pm

For certain, loc tite, new bolts, torque wrench. Job done.