318, how tough is it ?

[knighthawk]

Question for all you MoPar guys : ' 85 318 I bought in a donor car, from what I can tell, the owner did NO maintenance what so ever on this car ! The oil filter is the same shade of grease and dirt as the rest of the motor, oil is like tar, but not low., Extra bottles of Pennzoil in trunk, so he added oil, but never changed or greased anything ! The entire car is wore out ! The speedo reads 116,000 , I think he put on 60,000 miles and only drove it for about 6 years , then it sat out in a field for 6 years. Is this engine going to worth opening up or not ?

[Plymouthy Adams]

yep..but I bet you gonna find a lot of cud built up inside. The pennzoil is a parrafin base product and though highly refined over the past few years..still leaves a residue. The buildup will be even greater without the frequent oil changes...and if used only on short commutes about town..worse even yet.

Best thing to do on this baby if it is running at all now...is drop the oil pan and clean the screen. Using a hand held valve tool and compressed air, install new valve stem seals..replace the PCV and change oil and filter, add a quart of Rislone..ensure you have at least a 180 thermostat...throw in a set of plugs and run it like this for a bit..the Rislone alone will do wonder on the notorious lifters in a 318 about the only problem they ever have...

As the Rislone will do a good flush of the engine in a pretty quick pace...change the filter after about 200 miles and top off with 50/50 Rislone and oil.

116000 is nothing on this engine..when maintained

The entire engine, tranny and rear gear will make an great swap out driveline...using a later model A500 or A518 would be better...the only difference is the rear tranny mount is a tad different than the early model without OD

[Guest Roadrunner]

I used to do off roading for a drilling co. in West Virginia. LJ Hughes ran all Dodges. The 3/4 ton trucks were 318 powered and the 1 ton were 360 powered. We could not kill the 318s We beat them regularly. Of coarse this was before they discovered the fuel economy of the diesels.

[Justin Slingsby]

The best truck I ever owned and still wish I had. 1995 Dodge Dakota short box, short cab, 318 with a 5 speed, black. That 318 was a smooth running motor and plenty of power for that small of a truck. Wish I still had it for a midsize pickup it was perfect.

[knighthawk]

thanks guys ! that's good news . It's sitting in the corner for now, will be a while before the car is ready for it . I heard before, to take the "lean burn " off, replace it with another intake and carb , any suggestions ?. Possible junk yard swap ??

[Plymouthy Adams]

I convert lean burn babies over using 1969-1974 carbs and I recommend the 1973/74 breakerless distributor and the standard 25.00 ignition module..hve converted a few of these puppies...the fastburn heads on that baby are really good units..for the street..they do very well. If you want a bit of grunt and keep road manners just install a RV cam..basically a bit deeper breather in the 256-260' range...real torque and will light the back tires real well...not a race car..but a definite improvement..

[oldmopar]

I have a 76 D100 with a 318 727 auto trans that has about 140,000 miles on it. I use to tow my car trailer. I towed a 63 sweptline over 300 miles a few months ago with it and am picking up a 46 wd21 truck with it tomorrow about another 200 miles. They are good engines easy to get parts for and easy to work on.

[knighthawk]

thanks again , guys !!!

[Young Ed]

I have a 76 D100 with a 318 727 auto trans that has about 140,000 miles on it. I use to tow my car trailer. I towed a 63 sweptline over 300 miles a few months ago with it and am picking up a 46 wd21 truck with it tomorrow about another 200 miles. They are good engines easy to get parts for and easy to work on.

Post a pick of your new truck when you get it. Thats the long WB 1ton right?

[Guest mudflap22]

If you can find one, use a truck small block oil pan - somewhat bigger capacity.

[oldmopar]

Post a pick of your new truck when you get it. Thats the long WB 1ton right?

yes its the 133 wb. Looks to be complete except for cowl lights and 1 incorrect knob for the choke. engine has D30 on the block so I guessing the engine is from a 49 dodge car. It has the 4 speed trans and only some surface rust that I see so far. Don't know all about these yet but will learn. Brakes, exhaust system, carb and fuel tank have been done by the po. This will have to wait awhile I have a project that needs at least a month until I can free up some garage space. oh have all the parts for the 9' bed except the wood. Tail gate and head board for the box are repros still in the box.

[Guest mikeys toy]

I have a 76 D100 with a 318 727 auto trans that has about 140,000 miles on it. I use to tow my car trailer. I towed a 63 sweptline over 300 miles a few months ago with it and am picking up a 46 wd21 truck with it tomorrow about another 200 miles. They are good engines easy to get parts for and easy to work on.

I'll trade you a '60 powerwagon w-200 for that '63...........

[Guest Roadrunner]

I know were there is a 1947 Dodge 1 1/2 ton in Nicholson PA. It is repainted but need to be put back together.

[Young Ed]

yes its the 133 wb. Looks to be complete except for cowl lights and 1 incorrect knob for the choke. engine has D30 on the block so I guessing the engine is from a 49 dodge car. It has the 4 speed trans and only some surface rust that I see so far. Don't know all about these yet but will learn. Brakes, exhaust system, carb and fuel tank have been done by the po. This will have to wait awhile I have a project that needs at least a month until I can free up some garage space. oh have all the parts for the 9' bed except the wood. Tail gate and head board for the box are repros still in the box.

I saw your post on the 39-47 yahoo group. I'm a member there too. My 46 pickup was my first old vehicle. The p15 coupe came next. I've been having a great time working on both. If you have any truck questions feel free to ask.

[oldmopar]

I'll trade you a '60 powerwagon w-200 for that '63...........

I think the transportation would be expensive I am in NJ. Interestling find the truck is titled as a w200 but do to many changes it looks more like a 100 rear axel and front hubs are 5 lug has a newer 74 engine and headers,edelbrok carb I had picked it up as a parts vehicle but found the motor ran well brakes replaced,rear changed, hedders installed ,looks like someone started working on it and stopped have not fully checked it out. a few pics at the link

http://oldmopar.com/oldtruckbarn/63pics.html

[oldmopar]

I know were there is a 1947 Dodge 1 1/2 ton in Nicholson PA. It is repainted but need to be put back together.

Thanks but as a xmas present to my wife I will pass just too many projects going on and I may have to park the next one in here garden and then she will plant me there

[oldmopar]

I saw your post on the 39-47 yahoo group. I'm a member there too. My 46 pickup was my first old vehicle. The p15 coupe came next. I've been having a great time working on both. If you have any truck questions feel free to ask.

Thanks I am sure I will have many, I wll be posting those questions on the 39-47 forum but I also added your email to my address book

Ed

[Guest mikeys toy]

wow, that's wierd. It looks just like my '62 D200; but I thought "swetpline" just stood for non-stepside.

Mine has the older cab, it's oficially a w100, but I think that has more to do with the frame than anything else.

I still want your truck though; if you're serious, send me your e-mail address and maybe we can meet here in oklahoma, the half-way point. My truck is sitting in San Diego

[Guest mikeys toy]

here's a pic; after sitting for 2 years, it fired right up.

the camper is gone btw........

[oldmopar]

wow, that's wierd. It looks just like my '62 D200; but I thought "swetpline" just stood for non-stepside.

Mine has the older cab, it's oficially a w100, but I think that has more to do with the frame than anything else.

I still want your truck though; if you're serious, send me your e-mail address and maybe we can meet here in oklahoma, the half-way point. My truck is sitting in San Diego

I think sweptline was what that era was called and the flatside were sweptsides and other like mine were stepsides. It would be a interesting trade as I like the power giant style look but we are way too far apart.

[Guest mikeys toy]

yeah, I don't like the cab style on mine, I've always liked the widebody trucks like yours.

[knighthawk]

O K , you mopar guys, this '85 5th ave. donor car has a tag on the rear axle that says 2.2 , is this 318 going to have enough horse to get this '48 fired up and down the road ? I know this is the original drive train package, but it couldn't have been very quick ?????

[Normspeed]

Thanks for the info Tim. My friend Lee in Fla is talkiing about putting a 318 in his P24 hardtop. He isn't getting along well with his flathead 6 with OD. I call DIBS on the OD:D

I convert lean burn babies over using 1969-1974 carbs and I recommend the 1973/74 breakerless distributor and the standard 25.00 ignition module..hve converted a few of these puppies...the fastburn heads on that baby are really good units..for the street..they do very well. If you want a bit of grunt and keep road manners just install a RV cam..basically a bit deeper breather in the 256-260' range...real torque and will light the back tires real well...not a race car..but a definite improvement..

[knighthawk]

old post, new question ::::::::: the 318, ( out of '85 5th Ave , going in the '48 ) abused, old, old oil, . If I take the pan off , which bearings are the most likely to show the most wear ?? If it's a rear pump, then I expect the front bearings, but would it be mains or rods ????

[Guest mikeys toy]

very fron two bearings; i have never seen a 318 with bad mains, even one that was driven 20 miles w/o oil and threw a rod, the main bearings still looked good