Ok poll on 218 vs 230

[dezeldoc]

OK since this has come up a lot lately i thought it time for a poll on the subject to hopefully help out and see what would be the best way to go. if you were rebuilding your 218 motor and had access to 230 parts would you go ahead and do the change over to 230 or leave it stock 218 ?? Please state why you would or would not.

1) change to 230

2) Leave as a 218

3) Don't Know yet

4) Went with a V8

Edited January 10, 2010 by dezeldoc

[hkestes41]

I would go to a 230 in a heartbeat. As the old drag racing addage goes "there is no substitute for cubic inches".

[dezeldoc]

I would go to a 230 in a heartbeat. As the old drag racing addage goes "there is no substitute for cubic inches".

I always thought it was, ain't no replacement for displacement!

[55 Fargo]

I have a 218 Canadian 25 inch enegine, this engine is rated at 98 HP, could simply add 251 crankrods, pistons, instant 251.

I have a 251 with full-flow oil filtration, that will be my rebuild when the time comes........Fred

[Frank Elder]

230 conversion, makes you wonder if there is a crank conversion also.....longer throw,etc.

Fatter pistons and shaved decks....Money, I suppose.

[blueskies]

Because I already did...

It's the simplest way for bolt in power with no mods to the car or frame.

I did it because I didn't want to notch my frame for a long block 251. It looks stock because it is still the numbers matching block.

I'd do it again without second thought.

Pete

[jd52cranbrook]

A no brainer IMO

[Frank Elder]

Pete, I'm curious about a billet crankshaft, 4 mains or not, alonger throw or not.As Don says the crankshaft, is weak.

[JBNeal]

my '48 1/2 ton has the 218 (Plymouth)+3spd, my '49 1 ton has the 230(Dodge)+4spd...the 230 has more lower end grunt, coupled with bull gears in the tranny & 4.89 rear end, and it just seems to run smoother at highway speeds. Changing a 218 over to a 230 is relatively painless.

[RobertKB]

All my cars are Canadian built and therefore have the long block engine. My '53 Plymouth has the original 228 CID in it but both my '48 Dodge and '38 Chrysler have 251 CID truck engines. The '48's engine came out of a three ton truck and has exhaust valves the same size as the intakes. It really can haul when you want it to. If I was in the US and had a 218 and had the parts for a 230 available, I would likely switch but I doubt it makes as much difference as some think. 12 cubic inches is not a whole lot. Pictured is the 251 CID long block in the '48 Dodge D25.

I am babysitting my two grandsons for eight days and have not been able to work on the car much. Once they go back to mom and dad on Tuesday, I should have it running within 24 hours. Manifold is ready to go back on and I just need to put the carb back on and hook stuff up.

[Niel Hoback]

If could choose between a 1000 amp battery and a 500 battery of the same size for the same price, what possible reason could there be to take the smaller of the two?

Now change that to a 230 flathead and a 218 flathead.

No one would know by looking at size or shape or numbers. No one but you, and you would know every time you step on the gas.

[adam_knox]

Neil, that is the best analogy I've ever heard! I'm a stock guy myself. Keep the darn thing 6V because that's the way it was built dagnabbit! But then you brought up the darn battery analogy. 20 bucks says my batter has more oomph than the original. I'm sold on the upgrade issue now. God forbid you ever go into sales, your persuasion is unbeatable!

[Frank Ollian]

Longer stroke, better torque.

[Aussie D25]

All my cars are Canadian built and therefore have the long block engine. My '53 Plymouth has the original 228 CID in it but both my '48 Dodge and '38 Chrysler have 251 CID truck engines. The '48's engine came out of a three ton truck and has exhaust valves the same size as the intakes. It really can haul when you want it to. If I was in the US and had a 218 and had the parts for a 230 available, I would likely switch but I doubt it makes as much difference as some think. 12 cubic inches is not a whole lot. Pictured is the 251 CID long block in the '48 Dodge D25.

I am babysitting my two grandsons for eight days and have not been able to work on the car much. Once they go back to mom and dad on Tuesday, I should have it running within 24 hours. Manifold is ready to go back on and I just need to put the carb back on and hook stuff up.

I too have a 48 with the 25" 218 long block ... I am keeping it bog stock as the whole car is in basicaly as was condition and pretty sure the numbers match (or so I was told)... I am also a person who likes to take things apart to see how they tick, so I bought another 25" 218 "T" Coded engine that I want to hot rod with 251 parts.... split this , twin that etc etc. So expect the how do I get this off and the where does this left over spring go questions

With all this spare engine and no car to put it in I might have to work harder to convince my fiancee that a Fargo pick up is a good thing She likes the 48 Chev pick ups

[RobertKB]

With all this spare engine and no car to put it in I might have to work harder to convince my fiancee that a Fargo pick up is a good thing She likes the 48 Chev pick ups

Fiancee........Fargo. Tough choice!

[Aussie D25]

Heh, tell me about it ... just have to make it her idea to get one

[Rollie���]

A possible problem with the 230 conversion is finding the parts, it took me months to find what I needed.

[Andydodge]

Here in Oz the 23" engine in the 230 size is not common, the engine in my 41 Plymouth is the standard 201 and I was lucky to find a guy selling an airport tug 230 soon after I purchased the car.........I am a hot rodder so the 230 was a no brainer especially after I saw what Blueskies did with his 51..........so I have been slowly collecting all the bits required to build the 230 & T5 then it'll all get done........andyd

[Flatie46]

If I had a 218 and it was running fine I'd leave it alone, but if I had to tear it down I wouldn't think twice about it. 25 hp for no more trouble or cost than it is. Gotta be the best bang for your buck modification there is. I'd like to hear some reasons why you wouldn't.

[Plymouthy Adams]

sometimes the cost of the 230 parts can be a bit high unless you luck up on a donor engine complete at a good price.

[Tony Cipponeri]

I changed to a V8 because I wanted to cruise in comfort, with A/C and auto trans. My car looks very stock, till you open the hood, heck I still have 1 tail pipe sticking out the back. Tony C

[michael.warshaw]

A possible problem with the 230 conversion is finding the parts, it took me months to find what I needed.

well i could get the rods and crank from shelly, what else do i need?

[Niel Hoback]

Aussie D25. The solution to your problems seems obvious to me having seen variations of it before.

Buy the truck your fiancee wants. Dump that rattley old stovebolt 6 and replace it with whatever your favorite supply of spare parts affords. Everybody's happy?

[blueskies]

well i could get the rods and crank from shelly, what else do i need?

That's what we've been trying to tell you.... Crank rods flywheel done.

[daddyo23]

If I had a 218 and it was running fine I'd leave it alone, but if I had to tear it down I wouldn't think twice about it. 25 hp for no more trouble or cost than it is. Gotta be the best bang for your buck modification there is. I'd like to hear some reasons why you wouldn't.

When I rebuilt mine the crank and rods were o.k.. I went to oversize pistons, trimmed the head and a mild cam. The machine shop charged an arm and a leg, though, My fault, didn't communicate enough with them. If I would of had access to a 230 crank and rods reasonable at the time I would have jumped on it. But, the car runs good now.