Is this a good performing engine for a 67-69 Dart? Are the parts readily available and is the engine reliable?

The cars were light enough but not really a performance car with that engine.

Engine reliable? Probably the best engine ever made for a car...

Is this a good performing engine for a 67-69 Dart? Are the parts readily available and is the engine reliable?

Could the 318 be modified to produce a bit more performance and would this be a good route to go for a daily driver with some performance in a Dart?
Thanks :smile:

the 318 is the second most bullit proof eng made. 327 chevy being first but not important. my friend has a 318 in his 73 dart and it is a good driver and somthing that can be taken down the strip. its a good eng and a light car you will have no problem finding parts. mopar performance is the easiest place to find parts but not the cheapest. P.A.W. (performance automotive warehouse) is pretty cheap but doesnt really have a big selection but for the parts you are going to need it will be perfect. if you need anything else let me know.

those engines are pretty nice, i had one in my 73 swinger, they are pretty quick, the engine from 72 put out like 250 stock i know, and parts are not too hard to find, u can easily find an intake and carb to help ad some perfomormance to it, if u want a really nice small block though i recomend the 340, they can handle more power then any of the other small blocks

In '72 it would have only been making 150 horse stock.

i was gonna say mine only had 230hp in 71

Due to the bore/stroke ratio (relatively small bore), 318 is not really a good candidate for performance mods. We've seen a few that were good runners, but for the most part, they're better as "torque" engines (lower engine speeds). I agree, one TOUGH engine!
The aforementioned 340 is probably the best of the MOPAR small blocks. For a street engine, in a reasonable price range, we recommend the 360. They are MUCH more available than 340, and make a ton of torque. Torque is the primary performance measurement for a street car. Lightly modified, they can easily make 350-400 horsepower, as well. And on 93 octane.

These specs should be of some help:
('69 Dart, Road Test magazine, Aug., 1969)
Engine/hp................. 318/230
Rear axle ratio........... 2.76:1
Curb weight.............. 3,100 lbs.
0-30 mph................. 2.5 secs
0-40 mph................. 4.7
0-50 mph................. 6.5
0-60 mph................. 9.8
1/4 mile................... 16.54 secs @ 84.80 mph

('72 Dart, Road Test, May, 1972)
Engine/hp................ 318/150 (net)
Rear axle ratio.......... 2.76:1? (not mentioned)
Curb weight............. 3,000 lbs.
0-30 mph................ 3.0 secs.
0-45 mph................ 5.2
0-60 mph................ 8.2
0-75 mph................ 13.2
1/4 mile.................. 17.4 secs @ 85 mph
Fuel mileage............ 14-18 mpg

('73 Dart Sport, Road Test, Sept., 1973)
Engine/hp............... 318/150 (net)
Rear axle ratio......... 3.23:1
Curb weight............ 3,400 lbs.
0-30 mph............... 3.6 secs.
0-45 mph............... 6.0
0-60 mph............... 11.0
0-75 mph............... 17.4
1/4 mile................. 17.9 secs @ 76.46 mph.
Fuel mileage........... 12.2-15.5 mpg

Unless you're seeking ultimate gas mileage, I recommend a 340 or 360. Great, better-breathing, heavy-duty equipped engines!

I like the 318.. I have a 69 Dart and i put a 318 in it that came out of a 74 scamp i had.

I put the smallest cam that com cams make for a small block mopar, a edelbroch performer dual plan intake and a junk holly 600 vacume secondary. it also had $99 headman headers, 2 1/4" exhaust and dynomax ultra flow mufflers(no tail pipes)

Go to Hot Rod's website. They have a recipe for a 400 horse 318 there.

Yep, thats a good article..

http://carcraft.com/howto/116_0401_318/

Yep, thats a good article..

http://carcraft.com/howto/116_0401_318/

Nice Dart. What are you using for power? Stroker sb?

Its just a 318 on spray.. but its getting a procharger in a couple months.. just a crusier

how about you, hows that strocker workin out for ya?

Its just a 318 on spray.. but its getting a procharger in a couple months.. just a crusier

how about you, hows that strocker workin out for ya?

It's a beast. 512 hp - 569 ft/lbs of torque. If I'd have known better I could have built a 470 or 499 for the same money. Live and learn. :biggrin:

It's put away for the winter as I'm traveling for work. I'm hoping to do the Hot Rod Power Tour next June.

hopefully ill see ya there

I have a couple of friends with 13-sec 318 Dusters, so I know that engine can run. One guy I know took a 72 4dr 318 Dart, slapped a Holley 600 and intake, dual exhaust, and headers and ran a 14.80. That motor has more potential than many people realize. A lot of people prefer it to the 360. The 340 is still the best, but rare

over here in Mexico, the only official factory performance offerings from 68 to 1974 were 318, rated at 270 hp. They were offered in the Dart GTS from 68 to 70, and from 70 to 74 in the Super Bee, wich was a package available in the Duster. The mexican engines were pretty hot in the day, they were unbeatable in the street (considering the only other car they had to beat was Ford's Mustang, in the chepest models... Mexico never had REAL performance offerings), and lately vintage mopars have been causing quite a stir over here. Many 318 Darts and Super Bees have surfaced recently, and many of them run strong. I have a friend who has two, one is a 1970 Dart GTS with some mods in the engine. You can see pics here. (http://www.mustangcluboaxaca.com/cocheschilangos/cochedelmes/70dartgts/70dartgts.htm)
When the pics were taken, this car didnt have a lot of the stuff that's on it now. It now sports a Holley dominator, headers, and more stuff. it runs hard, I've been there.
The other 318 car he has is a survivor 1973 Duster Super Bee, wich is untouched, it even has factory paint, interior, and all the other original stuff, amazing car, really. The 318 is full of patina and its great. Both are 4 speed cars and both rip the tires in second, even the super bee wich is 35 years old stock. The 318 can be made to run strong, over here in Mexico is one of two small block Mopes we have (from 75 to 81 the superbee was available in the last two years of the duster and later in the aspen/volare with the low compression 210 hp 360) so we have learned to work with them and there are a few that run really strong. I recall this 69 Barracuda that runs low-13s. It may not sound that spectacular, but it does so 2 kilometers and a half over sea level. That's a low 11s car at sea level. It's totally streetable, and its mean!
Try the 318, its worth it.