engine swap

[Chazz 47]

Will a 218 with t172 engine code work in a p15

[knuckleharley]

I'm not familiar with that casting number,but a 218 is a 218.

 

Do NOT get rid of your original engine until the swap is complete,though. Even though the 218's were all the same engine,different applications required different exhaust manifolds,maybe different oil pans and pumps,and maybe a few other things. All of which will transfer from your original engine to this one.

 

For all I know everything is identical,but it is better to be safe than to be sorry.

[greg g]

Truck engine should swap over but thee are several differences that will need tobe addressed.  The truck bellhousing is different so that will need to be swapped over, the oil pick up and pan may be different.  Intake and exhaust manifolds may be slighly different as well as the carb linkage so you may need to swap alot of stuff over to effect the change but it is all nut and bolt stuff.

[Merle Coggins]

T172 is a truck engine. The exhaust manifold may be a little different, but could be swapped out with the one from your car. Also, the truck carburetor is turned 90 degrees comparted to your car engine. So you may have to swap both manifolds. And the throttle linkage is different, so I wonder if the linkage can be attached at the head.

 

But other than that it's the same basic engine. Distributor may have a different advance curve as well, but should still work for you.

 

Merle

[timkingsbury]

Will a 218 with t172 engine code work in a p15

Well its pretty much covered.  That engine is a 23 1/2" 1950 engine.  You need to change the oil pan from the car onto this engine. The clutch and pressure plate

can be used but as someone pointed out you will want to use you car bell housing. The truck intake exit you can work with, or you can flip your car intake and exhaust.

You can use your car linkage and have it come across the head, where the truck linkage comes down to the intake block then goes around the back on the engine.   Everything else you can use right down to the distributor.  The cam in that truck engine is

a low rev torque curve.  It will work though.  If you want I can send you pictures of what I am talking to from a linkage standpoint.

 

Its all pretty simple stuff when your already R&R and engine.

 

Tim

[Chazz 47]

Thank you for the help.

I thought it would work for it. I have been looking for an engine for my p15 and found out that my cousin has a t172 truck engine sitting in his she'd 2 miles from me.

[knuckleharley]

With luck like that you are set for life.

[Chazz 47]

I've been very lucky with this car so far. I pretty much had the car gave to me.

[Chazz 47]

As for as the cam couldn't I couldn't I swap it with a car cam.

[RobertKB]

I have truck engines In two of my cars. Never even heard about changing cams and never did. They both are excellent engines and run great in the cars. I would strongly recommend using the truck engine as is regarding the cam.

[55 Fargo]

Exactly as Rob has stated for the most part, sometime the bigger trucks have a hotter cam grind in bigger engines with a 265 factory dual carbs and exhaust.

Some stationary engines, have are cammed for a certain RPM range, as well some of the Marine engines too.

If you have the engine install it, it'll rev up to 3500 to 4000, if you want it more radical you can have it ground by someone like George Asche, for more punch.

But should be just fine as it is....

[Young Ed]

I have truck engines In two of my cars. Never even heard about changing cams and never did. They both are excellent engines and run great in the cars. I would strongly recommend using the truck engine as is regarding the cam.

and I've got a p23 car engine in my truck and I have the same results as Robert. 

[deathbound]

Edgy regrinds cams also....if needed. He's in California.

[knuckleharley]

Edgy regrinds cams also....if needed. He's in California.

So does Delta Cams,in Washington state. They also rebuild cranks,solid lifters,and rods.

 

I have ran 3 of their cams in various engines I built,with no trouble at all. They used to even grind custom cams to your specs if you wanted one,and I suspect they still do it. I plan on getting a custom grind 3/4 cam from them for the 251 DeSoto engine I plan on putting in my 42 Dodge coupe if I ever live long enough to get to it.

 

http://deltacam.com/

[greg g]

Unless you want to do a full blown race type rebuild, i would just swap over the parts you need to allow it to fit.  What ever differences there might be in the cam you will probably never feel it on the street. Trucks had lower rear gear sets that did the most to adapt them for hauling and towing. I believe my distributer in my 56 engine is from a 53/4 truck and the timing curves are marginally different but not apparent in performance.

[dale]

Can a person still buy a 3/4 cam for these old cars ?

[knuckleharley]

Can a person still buy a 3/4 cam for these old cars ?

Yes. I see them on ebay all the time. Old Isky grinds,as well as Engle. Kind of pricey,though. If you buy one,make sure you buy new lifters to go with it.

 

You can also contact Delta Cams as I mentioned above,and they will grind you a new cam to any specs you want,and sell you new hardened lifters,too.

[Chazz 47]

Thank you to everyone for the information.

I plan on keeping it stock and just have a driver that I can take to the cruise ins. But I do plan on taking a trip on route 66 with the car at some point.

[DJ194950]

Last I have read (many) times is the are no new cam blanks available for these old mopar flatties, but the cam companies can use your old cam and regrind the lift, duration of the valves with the old if they are in reasonable condition. Some regrind specs for these have been posted in the past and should be able to be found with a search on the forums.

 

Possibly add some newer coating(s) to the cams lifters to make the new grind last longer?

 

Anyone know different on both things mentioned??

 

New lifters Should be required as they seem to be still available.

 

Thanks,

 

DJ

[knuckleharley]

Last I have read (many) times is the are no new cam blanks available for these old mopar flatties, but the cam companies can use your old cam and regrind the lift, duration of the valves with the old if they are in reasonable condition. Some regrind specs for these have been posted in the past and should be able to be found with a search on the forums.

 

Possibly add some newer coating(s) to the cams lifters to make the new grind last longer?

 

Anyone know different on both things mentioned??

 

New lifters Should be required as they seem to be still available.

 

Thanks,

 

DJ

I worked at a machine shop once where we rebuilt cranks and cams. What they do is weld the lobes/journals up on the old cams or cranks,and then "grind" them down to the specs they want.  "Grind is too harsh of a word for what they really do. The reality is they polish them down with stones,and then chrome and heat treat them.

 

Same with the lifters. The lifter bottoms aren't really flat. They are concave. I have no idea/rememberance of how they grind the surface of the lifters,but they do,and then they heat treat them. This obviously ain't something you would do at home.

 

And really,I see no reason other than cost why they can't or won't just grind a brand new blank if they want one. Yeah,you save a bundle if you ship them or exchange your old one for a rebuilt one,but that's because of the additional time required.