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Topic: My first non-Ford in over a decade: (Read 7590 times) previous topic - next topic

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #15 –
Took one more pic (after removing the fog lights and bug deflector) before it got dark.

Got two bits of info from the sticker under the hood. First, it says it has a 2.94 axle ratio. Second, it says it's a "Chrysler 8.25 rear". I guess my next goal is to find out how durable these 8.25 rear ends are.

I'm not looking to make a monster out of this thing. I'm not even looking to do anything to it anytime soon. I figure, when the time comes that the 318 needs serious work, I will try to see if I can find a hopefully readily-available engine/trans/etc. out of one of the more popular newer Dodge trucks and use that. I'm guessing the 5.2 Magnum will be easier to find than the 5.9 Magnum.. but either would do. I would most likely leave it at "new" engine, trans, and rear gear to take advantage of having overdrive. (numerically higher, I mean.. to match current highway RPMs) Maybe headers (it already has exhaust work done to it, minus headers) while the engine is out.

The research gives me something to do to take a break from this Mturk website. Doesn't cost anything to read up on what I'm thinking about. :p

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #16 –
I does look a bunch better without that bug flector an dem foggy lites... :hick:

My Lightning has a bug deflector... Ronnie installed it to mainly to help hide a place on the hood that wasn't preped very well when it was painted. Guess I've gotten used to it, never even notice it now... It's supposed to have fog lights but they were missing when Ronnie got it...

BTW yea its possible to install a later FI 360 or 318... Neighbor down the street did just that to a '87 Dodge P/U.. He's since gotten rid of it and swapped a 360 into a '93 Ram Charger... Now that he's got a supercharger on it It's almost as fast as my Bird... Gotta look out though, he just got a 408 stroker for it...

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #17 –
Thinking about using the LED driving lights I won from here on the truck, since I already have a set of driving lights on the Mark.

Also thinking about blacking out (or, more accurately, darker-graying-out) a good portion of the non-chrome trim on the front end.. probably something in the neighborhood of the gunmetal- or graphite-colored paint I've used in the past. Like I did with the LSC's grille, I'd tape off the chrome parts so they remained, and just paint the flat gray areas like the headlight surrounds. Might wait until I can find a second grille and do only one grille like that, so I can change it back if it comes out shiznitty.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #18 –
Truck looks nice.

My dad has an '01 Ram with the 5.2 (318). It runs good but it's not really that fast. Well not nearly as fast as my cousins '00 4.3 silverado.

That being said, I read in one of the Mopar magazines once that you could take a 318 block, get the magnum performance aluminum heads and a good Mopar cam, headers, full dual exhaust and it will turn out faster than a 5.9 R/T Dakota. I'm sure theres a lot more to this and I read it a good 5 years ago so...
Take a look in the Mopar section of the Jegs or Summit catalogue and you'll see how this stuff is interchangable between the 318 and 360.

Now if I could swap a motor in that thing, I would do a newer truck HEMI. They are pretty fast and that would be too cool. For that matter even one of the newer 4.7 V8's would be better than the 318. More powerful and efficient than a stock 318.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #19 –
Bird351,
Man, that is a clean truck, no matter what name is on it.  I actually like the older generation full-size trucks with single cabs and long beds.  And there are worse engines than a 318.  Hey, to the Mopar crowd, that's their 302.  I think it's been around every bit as long.  I've got a friend who's an ex-demo derby driver, and he swears by a 318.  He says you can't kill one, even without coolant.  I think you can "rod" a 318 with the equivalent parts that a 5.0 could be built with (cams, intakes, heads, headers).  I know that if you drop in a 360, you better be ready to spend a lot of time at the pump.  And I wouldn't go dropping any late-model Dodge truck/van auto OD in it.  I have yet to hear of anyone who's bought a new Dodge truck or van in the last 10 years that made it to, say, 20000 miles before needing to be replaced or rebuilt.  They (the OD trannies) are complete junk.  I think I'd keep a gool ole' 727 in it, which is probably what it's got right now.  I'd put some cool wheels and rubber on it, get the motor tuned up, install some tunes, and just have a nice old (1985 isn't really that old) truck.  Like somebody else said, a Dodge truck is tough as nails.  Good luck!

Fordman3

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #20 –
Fred,  a little more info on that conversion.  You can't put magnum heads on a non magnum block.  The magnum block oils through the pushrods while an old non magnum oils through the block.  Kind of a weird setup the old ones ran. 

Ben, Fordman3 is correct about the reliabilty of these engines and transmissions.  Working at autozone I can say that I sold more rebuilt dodge magnum engines and the transmissions that backed them.  I certianly would not drop a motor and transmission out of a late model unless I knew for certian it was in proper working order.  If you do come across a good deal stay away from the 96,97,98 years.  More parts sold for those than any other.  Anything later than that and you have a better chance of getting a good one.
One 88

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #21 –
Quote from: fordman3
Bird351,
And there are worse engines than a 318.  Hey, to the Mopar crowd, that's their 302.  I think it's been around every bit as long.  Fordman3

The first 318s were around in the mid/late 50s, In '67 they brought out a whole new series of small block V8s that included the 273, 318, and later the 340 & 360. To the best of my knowledge no parts interchange between the '66-earlier and later 318s...

So the modern 318 has been around longer than the 302 which was first available in the '68s. Of course the 302 is based on the 289(introduced mid '63) which was based on the 260 and 221 which came out in '62.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #22 –
At least I probably have a couple years to work out the details.. heh.

For now, I have to cut down the oil usage. Lost a little over a quart of oil just getting it down here. (about 130 miles) Also have to chase down a minor water leak. Have an exhaust leak to deal with, too.  Smokes when you first start it up after sitting awhile, (valve stem seals?) and smoked a bit once or twice when I would accelerate on the highway. (could see a bit of haze in the headlights of cars behind me) Needs a tune-up, too. Once I get the leaks and the tune-up taken care of, it should be good for awhile yet.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #23 –
Quote from: Bird351
Thinking about using the LED driving lights I won from here on the truck, since I already have a set of driving lights on the Mark.

Also thinking about blacking out (or, more accurately, darker-graying-out) a good portion of the non-chrome trim on the front end.. probably something in the neighborhood of the gunmetal- or graphite-colored paint I've used in the past. Like I did with the LSC's grille, I'd tape off the chrome parts so they remained, and just paint the flat gray areas like the headlight surrounds. Might wait until I can find a second grille and do only one grille like that, so I can change it back if it comes out shiznitty.


I'd remove the bezels and grille to do that painting. It'll come out way better, and no chance of overspray.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #24 –
Yea smoke on startup is valve seals, or maybe just the oil drains in in the heads are plugged up...

I had a 289 ('64 Galaxie 500FB) that used next to no oil, first thing I knew consumption was up to 200 mi qt. Replaced the seals and it went back to using less than a quart in 3000 mi... Was kinda for naught though, within a couple months I had swapped in a 390 :D

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #25 –
Quote from: oldraven
I'd remove the bezels and grille to do that painting. It'll come out way better, and no chance of overspray.


That's generally how I do it these days. If it can be easily removed, I remove it to paint it.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #26 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50
Yea smoke on startup is valve seals, or maybe just the oil drains in in the heads are plugged up...

I had a 289 ('64 Galaxie 500FB) that used next to no oil, first thing I knew consumption was up to 200 mi qt. Replaced the seals and it went back to using less than a quart in 3000 mi... Was kinda for naught though, within a couple months I had swapped in a 390 :D


I think it's a split on the oil usage.. valve seals, and leaking gaskets.

According to my uncle, it needs an oil pan gasket and both valve cover gaskets. He got the valve cover gaskets (but didn't put them in before I drove it home) but not the oil pan gasket. I see another potential problem in the cutouts in the valve covers themselves. There's a flat plug on the driver's side that has oil around it, and the oil filler neck on the passenger side has oil all around the base as well. I was told by a friend who has had Dodge trucks before that there are gaskets for those two items.. so I think I'm just going to go ahead and pull the valve covers and replace all of the above gaskets. (might paint the covers while they're off, too) Perhaps a new PCV valve while I'm up there wouldn't hurt. I'm guessing that's what I saw in the middle of the driver's side VC.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #27 –
Well dodge went over kill on all there motors.
318 is hard to kill, A buddy of mine has a dart and use to get 318s from s yard spray  out of them for a few weeks then get another one.  It seems 250 shot is limit of the bottom end on a stock 318 LOL.

One thing with dodge motors is size of bolts they used.
You look at GM rod, main and head bolts then ford and then dodge.
GM cheaped out and ford was better but dodge wins hands down.

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #28 –
Quote from: CougarSE
Fred,  a little more info on that conversion.  You can't put magnum heads on a non magnum block.  The magnum block oils through the pushrods while an old non magnum oils through the block.  Kind of a weird setup the old ones ran. 

See, I knew there was a little more to it. Actually when I posted I was assuming he'd get a newer block but I never thought about the difference between the magnum and non-magnum318.  Thanks.:)

My first non-Ford in over a decade:

Reply #29 –
Quote from: fordman3
I'd put some cool wheels and rubber on it


I meant to come back to this once I had a decent pic. I'll have to settle for the following instead. :p

So what's wrong with what's on it now..?