72 duster

[metallicaluc]

i got a 72 duster and i whant to know if 360 heads will bolt on a 318 engine and whitch intake manifom do i use the 318 or 360 ???

[MrPbody]

Yes, 360 heads "fit". However, due to the larger combustion chamber and larger valves, a serious DROP in "performance" will occur.

318 is a good, solid engine. The bore/stroke ratio, though, is not conducive to good performance. I've seen SOME 318s built up that would run pretty well, but they're no "match" for a well-done 273 or 340. 360 is an EXCELLENT street engine, as it can generate more low-end power than any of the other small Dodges.

leave the 318 alone, drive it and keep looking for a 340 or 360. 340 is a better "race" engine, while 360 gets the "nod" for street use.

Jim

[metallicaluc]

but i ehas told that the 360 are cheap engine that you cant rought them up and that a 318 whit 360 heads are strong and last becase i cant find any 340 around here

[BlueDjinn]

MrPbody is right in all of what he said. I can't help but have a notion that you think just bolting on a
set of 360 heads onto a 318 kind of "splits the difference" and becomes a pseudo 340. Umm...no.
Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. You asked about the intake manifold. Well, if you're intent
on using the 360 heads, the preferable intake to use would be the 360 intake for the reason of the
ports matching.
One thing to note is that the 318 uses the smaller Carter two barrel wheras the 360 uses the larger
Holley. I believe that the Carter used solid throttle linkage and the Holley used cable linkage. That in
itself will probably be the deciding factor which manifold you run; like keep what goes with car, with the
car.
I, myself found a similar situation thrust upon me when a guy came in with a Dodge Ram on the hook.
The girls driving the truck had run the 360 out of oil and punched a rod through the block. The owner
of the truck needed an engine now and all I had on the spur of the moment was a 318 in a Plymouth.
To keep things simple I used the intake manifold from the 360 on the 318 because of all the linkage
and emissions hoses hassles that I did not want to get into. I decided to keep everything from the truck
with the truck. The port mismatch between the manifold and the heads was huge. Nevertheless the
engine ran very nicely and I gave the guy what he wanted; a running, driveable truck; but not a race car.
Actually, what he wound up with was considerably better than what you'll wind up with.
It wasn't really a snag, but I had to order a truck oil pan for a 318 along with the oil pump pickup as
the oil dipstick is opposite that of the 360 and the sump in the truck is opposite that of the car.
I have no doubt that if you put 360 heads on your 318 it will run just fine but the performance would be
marginally adequate at best. It'll run and that's about all it'll do, it'll run.

[MrPbody]

I must also address the comment about 360. If properly built, 360 is the BEST (IMO) small Dodge for street use. It's capable of more low-end torque and power than any of the others. 340 will "out-rev" it, but that's all. it also has larger main journals, making the cast crank PLENTY strong.

Much of the bad reputation 360 has isn't "earned". It's out of ignorance. Most cars and trucks original with 360 are "smog era". As a result, the engine is drastically "detuned" to meet emmissions. It also has a 195 deg. thermostat so the catalyst works properly, which leads to cracking heads and blocks due to overheating.

When current engine technology is applied, the thing is a beast. We have one example that revs to 7,000 and makes 14" of vacuum at idle. It's in a '71 Duster that runs 11.70s... Pump gas!

Jim

[maxwedge]

Agreed, a 408/414 inch small block can be very quick and the 440 front end burden is not an issue. There are NHRA "stockers" that run low elevens with the 360 Duster/ Demon combo.

[mopowerman]

Originally Posted by metallicaluc

but i ehas told that the 360 are cheap engine that you cant rought them up and that a 318 whit 360 heads are strong and last becase i cant find any 340 around here

If you want a good 360 that you can make nasty go with a 71 or 72 block (out of like a truck or motorhome) as you can overbore them .060 and still have good cylinder walls. Then find yourself some X, O, or J heads if you don't want to go alum.