hey all, I am rebuilding a 318 for my wife's 65 belvedere and I want to give the motor a little pep without getting to crazy. This will be my first engine rebuild and I was wondering if there are any good carb/cam/intake exhaust combos that you guys have used that worked well for a little more HP with great driveability. I have seen the edelbrock perfromer package and was thinking of using that but was't sure if anyone had any opinions either way.


Thanks

Luke

 

Edelbrock pretty much takes all the work out for you with their performance packages. Their carbs are easy to tune and adjust, heir stuff fits the first time, they are made in the USA. You just can't beat it.

 

I'm going to assume that this is not a polysphere motor, so for an LA,
I would use some pistons that will give you some better compression like Kieth Black 167's. 318's were notorious for having the piston way down in the bore {like .075+ thou. down}. If you go and put any kind of cam in it, it would be sluggish, at least off the line with the stock pistons. After the pistons I would put a set of 360 heads on it and an Edelbrock performer intake with a small Holley vacuum secondary carburetor. {600 cfm} For a cam I'd try a comp cam hydraulic about 255 advertised duration and about .460 lift [more lift maybe?] and 110 to 112 Lobe seperation angle . Then use a set of headders 1 5/8 diameter tubing. Heddmans would be fine. Hope this helps.

 

Sorry in advance Omaha, keith black pistons blow, I wouldn't use em for anything other than ashtrays. And I am not a big fan of Heddman headers either, leaky b@stards.
You really can't go wrong with a performer package.

 

Thanks for the info I have read a lot about how the 318 has bad compression. if I do find some non flat top pistons that will increase my compression am I then going to have to totally switch up timing. Also can I juts go with larger valves in the stock heads rather than purchasing 360 heads. I would assume the 360 heads will bolt up but do I then have to buy different length push rods. I am excitied but scared im gonna bolt all this stuff together and never get the damn thing running. I am getting the engine today so once I have it I will have a better idea of what im working with.

thanks again for all the advise

wait until i tear into this thing i will have so many questions you guys will wish you never met me

Luke

 

edelbrock is the way to go
2x on junking any KB pistons

 

Any recomended domed pistons rather than kb.

I think that is something i definitely want to do. I got the engine today from tis guys for 75 bucks. It looks like it has been sitting for a while but I hope the inside is still good. I looked up the casting numbers and it looks like it is a block cast in 1979 from the mount road plant. I have doused the thing with break free and am planning on tearing into it this week.


Thanks for the help ill be back.

 

I like Eagle. They make some good quality stuff. KB is a good company, but I have not heard to many Mopar fans having good luck with them.

 

Well KB also has some forged flat tops or other than the hypereutectic kb's. I think you could try some Wiseco's (from summit racing). Im trying to save you some money by chosing 'off the shelf pistons' . By the way I would stick to the flat tops and not go to domes. These choices for 318's bring the piston to the top of the bore (called the 'deck' ) instead of way below the deck like the factory pistons in '79. That is how the factory lowered the compression in the factory, by putting the piston farther down in the hole. There is not alot to choose from in the way of pistons for the 318 so you are kinda limited if you dont want to spend a ton on custom pistons. I think thats why the KB's came to mind, they are relatively inexpensive but the Wiseco Pistons aren't that much more and yes, they are forged. Here is the part number for the kit for the Wiseco's: WIS - PTO83H3 {through Summit racing}. The price is $540.99 . Another option would be milling the deck and using cheap cast pistons. But that's opening a large can of worms.

 

You could have the block bored out to a larger, more common size piston, perhaps one in the size of a 360 bore. Just a thought though.

 

Thanks I will check out that wiesco piston set, I know they are well regarded in the Harley world so that sounds like a good option.

Thanks again

Luke

 

I know a few of us are running the sealed power/ speed pro/ trw pistons. Those three brands are all the same company.

 

i am using them, and have had albsolutely no trouble with them

 

Good slugs. That's the ones bro