The Quest for the 550+HP 318

[MRL Performance]

As most of you know, Im in the Mopar Muscle SB engine challenge this year, MRL Performance. Im going to try and beat my fellow engine builders with a Rodney Dangerfield "I get no respect" 318. Can it be done? I will be up aginst 408-410 stroked 340-360's, pushing 700hp Im sure. So Im here to prove to the world 318's are great performance engines. I have built lots of them, but nothing like the one I have planned. Im shooting for 550+HP. No stroker crank, no .650" lift roller solid, no W2/5/9 and not 12 to 1.

i will list the parts Im going to use. Then take pics of the build and post them up here so you guys can see it take shape. I love it when others have done this with there projects,like Larrys car, and I thought it would be fun.

So here is the plan.

Good 318 block. I have a 67 block that has good thick cylinder walls and minimal core shift.

Good forged crank. Got it, also stock for the 67 318. 360's never had a forged crank.

Rods. I put a lot of thought into this. So Im going out on a limb and useing Eagle I beam rods. They are light and inexpensive. Price is a big factor in the challenge. 7000rpm is a strech for them, but it only has to be there for a short time. Im pretty confident they will do just fine.

We need compression. KB to the rescue, again. KB845 forged DOME piston. 4.9cc dome. They are the only company that I could find that had a forged dome 318 piston. With out it this wasnt going to happen. So thanks KB.

Heads. Need good flow and moderate intake runner volume. The obviouse choice to me, MAGNUM. So magnum it is. After market HD castings from Hughes. Port prep done bt ME, to save some cash. 2.02I and 1.625E. Flow should be around 270I and 190E acording to them. But Im going to do a little better I think. They are 62cc chambers and that puts me at 11 to 1 at zero deck.

Cam. Soild flat all the way. I have spent hours upon hours searching for what I want. I made up my mind today. Comp 20-618-5 w/1.6 rockers. Single pattern 290/255 duration .550" NET lift. This will get the job done, and survive on the 93 octane with no issues. I will groove the lifter bore to help with oiling and use Comp 801-16 lifter. Also will be using Comp Beehive springs 26120 set to and installed height of 1.83". I will have to cut a bit into the spring seat on the head to get this right. Not a problem. The valves sit at 1.79"I and 1.82"E right now after cutting the seats for the 2.02 valves.

Intake will be a Victor instead of the M1. I dont like the spread bore top on the M1. I will have to modify the heads to accept the intake bolt patteren, but not a problem.

And the rest is just basic stuff. Rings, low tension oil rings. Bearings, std. Oil pan, stock center sump w/hv pump. Mian studs, head bolts. Maybe a short fill on the block. That I have not decided on yet, so any input is welcome.

That it in a nutshell. Im bringing a Mouse to an Elephant party, get it? Think real hard Ya know cause elephents are supposed to be affraid of a little ol mouse.

[MYBD318]

Yea, Kick some butt with a Bad 318.
Just like our personalized plates on the Duster, MYBD318.

Mikey

[R/T Magnum]

Good Luck with that engine build Mike.That would be a meanest/baddest 318, looking forward to seeing some pics!

[Phil]

Mike talk to Hughes when you get the heads IIRC they have a fixture that they can re-drill the heads for the LA intake pattern. I thought Edelbrock was going to make a magnum victor intake......might wanna check with them about that you might be able to get a prototype. I am really going to watch this build cause this might be my next engine. The only difference I will have so far is I have the Eddy heads and I'll use H-beam rods cause I will be on the spray too. I know why you are using the I-beams rods and mag heads cause of the cost factor in the contest. I am really looking forward to this build.

[62v200]

Does it have to retain the stock heads?... Just food for thought...what about those small block hemi-head conversions that guy makes?

[Phil]

No you don't have to use stock heads but cost is just as big a factor as the amount of power it makes in this contest. Those heads are more of a WOW factor than a power maker......you'd get more power per dollar on a set of Eddies or Indy than those. The contest basically is dollar per hp made.....the more power you can make on the cheap the better chance you have to win.

[62v200]

Okay... a low compression huffer.. that runs on nitro. Old school early top fuel type deal. Or do they specify pump gas? Just funnin'.

[Phil]

Rockett Brand 93 is the fuell that is used.

[62v200]

I've seen that stuff advertised in magazines...how hard is it to get local?...and I'd like to see one of the engine builders dig deep into some old speed secrets and come up with something that was comparitively stock but would put out hp numbers like you wouldn't believe.

[Mark]

Sounds like stock eliminator stuff to me...

[Phil]

Last time I checked there was a place in New Philly that was a Rocket Dealer...on Rocket's website they have a dealer locator.

[62v200]

Larry Shepard of Shepard's Automotive (hemi's only)in Barberton,Oh. know a lot of the little sneaky secrets, that's how I got my Commando 273 to haul the mail.

[62v200]

Look forward to seeing the results in Mopar Muscle. Keep us informed of the build on here please.

[MRL Performance]

Originally Posted by 62v200

and I'd like to see one of the engine builders dig deep into some old speed secrets and come up with something that was comparitively stock but would put out hp numbers like you wouldn't believe.

Most people would not believe 550hp out of a 318, Im a little in dought myself. But its going to have a stock crank, stock type(looking) Magnum heads, stock block, stock valve covers. Old speed secrets are just that, old. New tech has given us so much more, making the old stuff obsolete.

[62v200]

I agree it's old, but not all of it's out-dated. Indy has re-invented old technology, at it's core they do what every old builder has done - improve the basic design. Isn't that what someone does every time they polish and port? Like I told Dusterb318 - he's (67Dodge) the engine builder, I've built 3 motors- so i'll shut up now.

[MRL Performance]

Have made a few changes to the build. Still in the design and parts ordering phase.
Im going with Howards direct lube lifters, oil thru pushrods, and have a hole on the bottom to oil the cam where the lifter contacts. I am still going to groove the lifter bores. Cant be to careful when it comes to this for high rpm flat tappet cams. And polish the lifter face till it looks like a mirror.

[waynebo]

[quote]We need compression. KB to the rescue, again. KB845 forged DOME piston. 4.9cc dome. They are the only company that I could find that had a forged dome 318 piston. With out it this wasnt going to happen. So thanks KB.

I see a problem with piston selection,,they were designed for old la heads not the double quench magnum heads,,i can't see those pistons working,,waynebo

[MRL Performance]

Phil I talked to eddy on Friday. No singlr plane intake for the Magnum heads. Not even on the radar. I already have the heads, they were for another projetct. Im just going to use the M1.

[MYBD318]

I have a thought waynebo's post.
If the KB pop-up pistons cause an Interference with the quench pads, maybe you could go with a big pin height pistons and offset grind the crank to get the correct finish deck height that you need. I realize this will affect the displacement, but still keep the cost down. I have baby stroked the 318 I'm running now will good results.
Just my 2 cents.
Mikey

[MRL Performance]

The dome piston is fine. It goes up into the wedge chamber and is only .140" tall. Its perfect for the magnum head. And the rules state no offset grinding. And cutting anything more than .010" on the crank is not good for high rpm. The thicker bearings have a tendency to spin/crush when you are running 7000+rpm.

[MYBD318]

I can see your all over it.
Thanks for the response about
under sized/over sized bearings for high RPM applications, a good to know. I was thinking because you were going to use aftermarket rods, pick one that had a smaller big end, but as you stated "no offset grinding greater " pretty much does that idea in.
Mikey

[MRL Performance]

One issue that needs to be taken care of on a 318 is one of the weak links. The bottom end. The webbing in the main area is not very good, so 4 bolt is not even close to being an option. But I have come up with something that should give this 318 a little more meat where it counts. I bought a MP 4 bolt main Kit from ebay, cheap. It has the first 4 main caps and all the hardware to go with it. All grade 8 stuff, nice. But 4 bolt will not work. No problem, just cut the outer bolt hole ears off, grind a little and your in buisness. Take a look at the pics. You tell me, what caps would you rather have on your bottom end? You dont really need to answer, Its pretty damn clear. These will be Honed to size using MP main stud kit.

[Phil]

Loks like I am going to be looking for a 4-bolt main kit to do the same thing to my motor......that is some good thinking there Mike. I am loving this build.

[MRL Performance]

I got the whole kit for $40. I bought 6 kits from the guy. 3 for 318/340 and 3 for 360. These caps are cheap, and 10X better than stock. I was going to have the mains aligned anyway, so the cost for cutting these is the same. $40 for a stronger bottom end? YES PLEASE!

[Phil]

Dang that is a smoking deal. What did it cost to get the ends milled off if ya don't mind me asking?