Thread: Here's a silly engine question

Tweet

So I'm looking to get into a Plymouth Satellite or Belvedere that will most likely have a stock 318 in it (hoping for a 383.) My question is, What kind of horsepower am I looking to get out of it? And what would be the easiest way to get some big horses and torque from it with out putting a huge sum of money into it?

I know cams, carbs, intakes and headers are the big ones, but what else? I want a lot of get-up-and-go. what would you all start with?

I'm new to Mopar.

Forced induction is the only way to get up and go out of a small motor. You can get plenty of go if you're willing to pay, but it will never have a lot of get up, torque.

You could spray it with nitrous...which is a form of forced induction I suppose. Nitrous is cheap horsepower, well until it torches the engine, but they do make a lot of safeguards these days to make um' live longer.

Thanks for all your responses guys, it appears i will be junking that rubberband engine and investing in a possible rebuilt 383 or if i'm really lucky a 440.

I had a feeling i wouldn't be able to get much out of the 318. It's funny how a lot of the satellites I've run across for sale have 318's in them.

All of the high perf stuff from a 340 will fit your 318 (after 68), so don't rule it out so quick.power

If you want real power, get a chevy.....sorry, couldn't help myself.

My partner just had his 318 Duster dyno'd and it has 329hp to the ground! He invested $1500 in to it, Holley 650 and offenhauser 360 manifold. Comp cam and all new valve train plus putting 194's in the heads along with several hours of porting and polishing. MSD ignition and distributor along with good wires and a set of good Headman headers and flowmasters with 2 1/2" pipe out the back and that duster screams for a 318.

Some of the parts where swap meet parts, some where new and some he had. He also used 360 heads he had, shaved alittle, everything else was bone stock.

440 is fun a hemi from the crate is more fun but a cheap and awsome solution is a 455, I got a 78 caddy seville turnin about 950 hp on the street with all toys ago, and didn't pu that much into it ( except the blower) lol but a hemi is a bit costly really if it's not an olds get a 383 magnum

6.13 gears will give it a real kick in the ass from light to light. course it's not a hp increase, only feels like one.
seriously though replacing with a 440 makes way more sense.

The old rule is still accurate. The only thing better than lots of cubic inches is more cubic inches. That Satellite weighs about the same as a Sherman Tank, takes lots of torque to get that much mass moving, a big inch motor with lots of torque is going to be the best return on the dollar.

Originally posted by CrazyBenny
440 is fun a hemi from the crate is more fun but a cheap and awsome solution is a 455, I got a 78 caddy seville turnin about 950 hp on the street with all toys ago, and didn't pu that much into it ( except the blower) lol but a hemi is a bit costly really if it's not an olds get a 383 magnum

78 Caddy, 950 hp.......................................I will believe that when I see it.....................................

Im big on 455s, Especially oldsmobile, and ill have to agree. 950 HP? lets see the engine man.

Well it's got some toys I'm runnin and 8-71 hampton blower all polished with 50 over forged pistons, a nod. crank shaved for chevy h beam rods. A set of extreme ported G heads with roller rockers and a w-30 cam, two 650 cfm 4 brl holleys, and 200 hp shot of N.O.S., But without all the toys runnin she's about 480- 500 hp. but I guarantee she's the sweetest cadillac you ever seen lol. later guys

Originally posted by CrazyBenny
Well it's got some toys I'm runnin and 8-71 hampton blower all polished with 50 over forged pistons, a nod. crank shaved for chevy h beam rods. A set of extreme ported G heads with roller rockers and a w-30 cam, two 650 cfm 4 brl holleys, and 200 hp shot of N.O.S., But without all the toys runnin she's about 480- 500 hp. but I guarantee she's the sweetest cadillac you ever seen lol. later guys

Got Pics.?

Good point Tech, I guess I'm just a little fond of that quick revving sound of a small block. I can't agree more about the cost being in favor of the 440, either engine would be a blast!

Originally posted by techinspector1
brickman, with all due respect, that's just my point. You could make the same or better power with a $250 boneyard 440 and no work to it.

You saying that i could find a 440 in a junk yard for $250?! I don't think my luck would be that good, but I'll definately look out for one. I was thinking of purchasing a remanufactured 383 polished, ported, including cam, pistons, crank, heads, etc. for $1,365. Good deal? I'm assuming it would be pump friendly.