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Post by jeff84 on Feb 16, 2017 20:13:59 GMT -5
so I am about to buy a 79 dodge powerwagon, with a 318.
I plan on rebuilding this engine from the ground up, replacing everything but the block, and maybe a few other parts. just have to see what everything looks like when I get it apart.
anyway, how do I choose a cam profile? it seems there are a million different cams out there, but they all pretty much say the same thing. it is a truck and will be doing truck things. so I am thinking I want a cam that will provide lots of torque at lower rpms, as opposed to a race setup, but just looking at the numbers I cant tell the difference.
am I looking for low duration high lift. high duration low lift, high duration high lift or low duration low lift. all of these options are available in varying degrees. I am lost.
my goal is a is a moderately quick truck on the road, with the ability to romp around a bit on the trail.
I know this is probably not the right forum to ask, but they guys in the actual car and truck forums, seem to just talk over your head and thin insinuate that you are stupid because you aren't familiar with all the terms they use.
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Post by 190mech on Feb 16, 2017 20:52:55 GMT -5
Short duration,moderate lift,,Remember valve springs must be checked for coil bind when doing a cam upgrade.
Comp Cams do a good job,look at a 268H(20-212-2),thats a decent cam for your application!
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Post by jeff84 on Feb 16, 2017 21:05:45 GMT -5
I plan on replacing cam, crank, heads, and valve train. I am seeing a few different cranks as well. from 4 and 5/8 inch stroke to 4 inch stroke. the longer stroke cost less. that makes no sense to me. I don't know what the stock crank stroke is. guess I really need to wait till I have the truck in my possession before I start looking at parts
I do have a machine shop down the road that specializes in sprint cars and truck/tractor pull engines. i am sure they can be good guides, and will probably be getting some business from me. i plan on taking the block to them for all the machine work.
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Post by 90GTVert on Feb 16, 2017 21:38:20 GMT -5
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Post by jeff84 on Feb 16, 2017 22:42:18 GMT -5
yeah, i have plenty of time to read. i wont even be allowed to drive it for another three years.
will also be buying a gas saver car for the everyday driving.
really want to restore this truck. i love new projects. mind going everywhere with possibilities.
color schemes range from blue/orange, purple yellow, black/yellow, to drab green and black
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Post by eclark5483 on Feb 16, 2017 23:08:11 GMT -5
Mopar is a good engine to rebuild. Soo easy!! I've done 318's dozens of times. Having the valves springs all lined up on a bar makes it a breeze.
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Post by FrankenMech on Feb 17, 2017 2:15:45 GMT -5
You don't need fancy rods, pistons, valves, or cranks. For low RPM torque the stock cams are usually best. The Mopar 318 is an easy build and a good motor for everyday running also. The OEM auto transmission is great also. Keep the rear end around 3.0:1 for mileage. The transmission has low gears for grunt on the trail.
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Post by eclark5483 on Feb 17, 2017 4:10:31 GMT -5
Want a good combo, go with a Torqueflight 727 tranny with a 3.73 Dana rear. The tranny is bulletproof and strong and the gears will give you one hell of a good romp and still pretty decent on the highway. Paired with a 318, you pretty much get the best of both worlds, power & economy, leaning more towards power. I would hope since you're rebuilding that you would have it bored .30 over as well. Actually you could go .40 over and even higher, but if you wanna go higher then .40, then you'll want the machine shop to do a sonic test to see exactly how far you can go. Safe bet is .30 over. That will give you a...uh.. 322?? Don't remember right off hand, I'm sure the info is out there. But anyway, have fun with that 318!!
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Post by eclark5483 on Feb 17, 2017 4:12:30 GMT -5
You don't need fancy rods, pistons, valves, or cranks. For low RPM torque the stock cams are usually best. The Mopar 318 is an easy build and a good motor for everyday running also. The OEM auto transmission is great also. Keep the rear end around 3.0:1 for mileage. The transmission has low gears for grunt on the trail. Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought standard on those was 3.23. Guess it's been quite a few years since I've worked on, but that's my recollection. |
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Post by 90GTVert on Feb 17, 2017 9:00:01 GMT -5
I just remembered that Hot Rod Engine Masters has been playing with Mopars a little. I don't think a 318, but all of their vids are domestic V8 related. You mentioned stroker or no stroker and I know they did a vid of 2 Mopars with and without a stroker crank on the dyno. Anyway, it's worth a look for entertainment if nothing else. www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvTvFzdMg_O2T3UdUEt5dIHutSOu7srE |
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Post by jeff84 on Feb 17, 2017 17:04:10 GMT -5
well the deal fell through. there was just too much wrong with the body and frame, to put the time into doing the engine work. the restore project search is still ongoing. who knows what I will be getting.
I wish people were more honest when trying to sell a vehicle. leave out major issues hoping you wont notice.
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Post by FrankenMech on Feb 17, 2017 17:56:54 GMT -5
You don't need fancy rods, pistons, valves, or cranks. For low RPM torque the stock cams are usually best. The Mopar 318 is an easy build and a good motor for everyday running also. The OEM auto transmission is great also. Keep the rear end around 3.0:1 for mileage. The transmission has low gears for grunt on the trail. Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought standard on those was 3.23. Guess it's been quite a few years since I've worked on, but that's my recollection. I don't know what the 'standard' ratio is since the ratio changed all the time. Keeping the numeric ratio as low as possible helps mileage. The tranny gears will give plenty of romp on the trail. Too bad the deal fell through, better luck next time. |
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