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When you say you "dropped a low mileage 318 in " that forms in my mind the idea that you took a running, low mileage engine out of something else------
So why and how did it "get turned" without the chain?
The point is, this engine may not be what it seems. It may have other problems, and may have been screwed with. Has it been re-ringed? If so, you may have binding from rings too tight--which can be caused, for example, by debri left down in the ring grooves.
Otherwise, if you "think" the engine is in good shape--and I'm not sure this is no--
the basic causes of poor cranking speed are
low/poor/ bad/ undersized battery
poor battery connections or undersized/ poor cables, or not connected to the block at the ground
poor starter,
Have you tried a good set of booster cables?
Try to find a friendly mechanic with a good battery tester. There are all kinds of fancy digital things available nowadays, but the one standard of all time is called a "carbon pile."
With a carbon pile you can do at least two things:
test the battery for cranking amperage, and
measure the starter amperage draw
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