318 Engine Capability
 

Hello again, I was looking through some options for an engine swap and I found it nearly impossible to find a 318 crate engine for under 4000 dollars (Which is still out of my range) And then I thought "Hey they made 318s up until 2002, I wonder if one of those would work?"

So my question is, Would a 1968 fury be able to be fitted with a 1994-2002 318? If so would I need to install a carburetor and get rid of the fuel injection set up, Or could I leave those in. What would be the pros and cons to that?

And is there anything else that would need to be swapped out, Like a new bellhousing for the transmission. The stuff that would need to be changed for the engine swap to work I mean.

Also I meant to type '318 engine compatibility' For the title, not capability.

The main differences between "three eight teens" is that the older ones are "LA" and the later ones are "Magnum." This is a VERY important distinction. There were changes in the timing cover, pan, heads, oiling method, valve gear, to say the least

"It just might be" that for the sort of use classic cars are put to, a mag is no advantage, maybe not enough to pay for the difference in coversion

Plus unless you buy "special aftermarket" heads, that is re-drilled intake manifold bolt holes, you are VERY limited to (1?2? few?) intake manifold designs with the mag head style bolt pattern.

If you are trying to do this to save money, I think you are up the wrong tree. AFTER you get all this done, it would be true that used good engines and more modern parts might be greater availability, but personally not sure it would balance out

thanks for weighing in DDodger,
What if I were to keep it fuel injected, I wouldn't need to mess with the intake manifold or changing out the headers would I?

Is it possible to simply buy a working 1999ish 318 magnum and put it into my car then have it run? Or are they too just too different for that?

I guess what I'm asking is, Is it a good idea? What are the cost and problems? and what are the absolute minimum modifications that need to be made for this to work?

If you search the internet for this swap you'll find all sorts of information, mating Mag to older transmissions, new heads on old engines, single plane manifolds for stock injectors and on and on. It has been done and done.

If your serious about this and if you want a smooth running stock fuely engine then get the engine, transmission and computer from on car or truck and drop it in, but don't do it to save dough.

If I was going to the trouble then I would go for the modern hemi with computer controlled transmission.

For a 1968 Fury I would stay with an LA or for power go B/RB, or maybe a 408.

Todays vast modern camshaft and carb selection can make a fresh rebuilt LA into more than the engineers ever dreamed they could be.

Simplicity and cost effectiveness go LA.

Thanks Coronet, Any Idea where I could get a relatively inexpensive LA 318 engine then? I've looked around and couldn't find anything under 4000 dollars. And my budget is closer to 1000 dollars

How toast is the 318 you have, is it rebuildable ?

Well thats a good question, Right now I'm looking at at least a blown head gasket, or at most a cracked block. It's doing this thing where it's leaking oil somewhere inside of the engine, which then mixes with the coolant and ends up in the radiator. Which then causes it to leak a really annoying cake-batter like substance (Which is oil and coolant mixed together).

It also presents a couple of the other blown headgasket symptoms, Like white smoke when it's started up, and a sort of rich smell to the exhaust.

I guess it might be rebuildable, But I'm not sure if it would be worth it if the block was cracked, What do you think?

I'd pull it and tear it down, find out the good, bad and the ugly and go from there.

That's good advice, I've been told I should give the entire engine the once over before.

I hate to guess or spend more money than necessary.

Rather than a cracked block it could be bad head gasket mixing fluids from the head oiling passage. My 1970 had the .020" steel shim gasket OEM. It could be as simple as that.

Before disassembling anything do a coolant pressure test, a cylinder pressure test. Do any testing while you can, when you get some data post it up and lets see what to do next.

You may find bad gaskets, replace and go. You may find a decent engine that could use a re-ring and bearings and there you have your refreshed, up and going for $1000.00 engine with upgrades easily.

Don't think worse case scenario, we'll be in this with you.

I can't be much help on the technical aspects but I do know if you swap engines, changing the number of cylinders you have to move all the original emission stuff over with the engine. It would put your car into emission standards for the motor. Not sure if it is the same with V8 to V8 swap though.

thanks Coronet, Any idea what kind of place would offer those kinds of tests? Like a dealer or something?

You can do it yourself if you can fab and weld / braze. IE pressurize engine. Go to hyd. hose shop or see if you can find a store than can obtain the old "straight" radiator hose like used on older tractors. This is typically sold in cut lengths. You need a short piece for the upper and lower pump fittings.

Get make find pipe or other fittings, go to a muffler shop, short piece of scrap tube that fits this hose

Now take and cap them both off, in either (just one) you put a small fitting for air, IE 1/4" pipe fitting

Simply fit them on the upper / lower hose connections, and cap off the heater fittings. Don't use heater hose, use general purpose which is higher pressure. We used to call this "Gates type 6B" hose" typically red for no good reason.

Fill block with water. Pressurise with air and look and listen for leaks in oil, cylinders, etc.

"Pre" flushing block before test with hot water and filling with hot water helps expand cracks. Try to maintain 40 psi

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A variation can be done like this:

Cap off lower hose, remove stat and leave stat fitting open. Fill block with (again, hot if possible) water.

Remove valve gear so valves stay shut. Install a plug air fitting into each plug hole and look for bubbles in the stat opening. Use full shop air pressure, 120psi whatever you have.

The air will blow each cylinder in turn down to bottom dead center, but with valve gear removed, you don't have to worry about cam position. Thus, if there any wall cracks, you might find them this way.

That may take me a while, I'm not exactly sure I have enough skill to do something like that without a bit of research before hand. My dad would probably know how to do that but he won't be back in town for about 10 days.

If you you tube search something like DIY (do it yourself) pressure test coolant system you'll find all sorts of easy methods.

DDodger's step by step is good but may sound complicated to a novice. Watch a few videos and see some of the gizmos and just a bicycle pump and I'm sure you'll say, I can do that.

It'll probably be a few more days before I can run that test.
In the mean time I was wondering if my using unleaded gasoline in the engine could have caused this. I read that anything that had under a 10:1 compression ratio could safely use unleaded gasoline, And the 318 has a 9.3ish:1 compression ratio.

Also would a 66ish poly block 318 work in my 68 fury? Just curious. Thanks.

Well It looks like this doesn't matter anymore. I just bought a 71 sport fury that I'll be replacing the 68 fury with. It's in slightly better condition but I'll probably need help with it too.
Thanks for the help guys!

Wow, what a super cool car. Congratulations.

Thanks Coronet!

Just a quick question, Do you think the Carburator off a 318 would fit a 360?

Which one. Flange size first, then cfm will make it go but not too fast depending on what carb.


A Thermoquad, Yes.

I'm not sure which carb it is, I'm wondering because I'm probably going to be taking any parts I can salvage off of the 68' and putting them on the 71'

Whatever the standard 2 barrel carburator on a 318 from 1968 was, that's the carb I have. Is that the Thermoquad? And this 360 I'm putting it onto is all stock, so it's intake is set up for a 2 barrel carb.

The '68 is likely a BBD and the base plate will be smaller than the larger 360 2bbl base.

Need to measure to be sure, probably a Holley 2210.

A 360 in a 1971 ?

Darn, I was informed that the 71 fury needed a carb rebuild, I was hoping I could just swap carbs. Oh well though I suppose.
Do you think the Alternator or starter could be swapped then? The Alternator off of my 68 looks like it would fit, but I'm not sure.
Also I was hoping to swap the gas tanks too, the 71's is in rough shape, and my 68's I just bought a new tank for.

Yeah interestingly enough 71' was the first year for the 360 I believe. I would have liked the 340 a little more, but they are both good engines from what I hear.

My parents had a 71 Sport Fury with a 360, it ran pretty hard, I remember how peppy it was for such a big car. It also had the paisley vinyl top!

Congrats on your new project, sounds like its time to buy a kit, carb cleaner and do some research on rebuilding your carb. If you take your time, pay attention to detail and be very thorough, you can get that carb up and running like a pro.


It also helps to take pictures or video of disassembly if you haven't done this before.


It's a good opportunity to learn the lost art of rebuilding carburetors, something that is getting harder to find someone to do. If your going to continue with older mopars you might as well learn it now.

I think this one used to have the paisley vinyl top, But somewhere along the way it lost it. I think I'll keep it a hard top.

How quick was it?

Thats a good point, I should learn how to do that. Thanks Iowan!