318 rebuild vs crate motor

[74w300uteline]

I'm having a 75 crew cab restored. Body work is being handled by a gifted panel banger. I know that she will look brand new and got to thinking about the motor and drive train. In all probability I will be thinning the heard, and reinvest the funds in the crew cab. What are the pros and cons of a crate motor vs rebuilt motor. same question applies to tranny. When the crewcab is done I would like to be able to venture around the east coast attending rallies without worrying about getting stranded.

[TommyDodge]

318 rebuild vs crate motor

I am unsure whether the 318 is available in a crate motor, the last I knew it wasn't, but I don't want to say it isn't.
I have a preference for a 318, but not everyone does. I am thinking that this would be a matter of personal preference, but I would prefer a rebuild of what I have if it os in decent shape. I have never ever had a problem with any 318 I have ever owned as far as engine trouble is concerned.
In my opinion rebuilding your 318 and the tranny would be a good move, it is what I would do if I were in your shoes
DB69

[74w300uteline]

crate motor

a quick search of crate motors seems to focus on performance. I prefer bone stock. With a rebuilt motor would I still be able to say "All Original" or does the motor get pulled and a previously rebuilt motor replace mine?

[Desoto61]

The 360 seems to be the more common crate engine, at least from Mopar.

The advantages (of the crate motor):

• Most come with a warranty.
• Engineered package with known performance.
• Quicker turnaround (possibly).
• Can be cheaper than a rebuild.

The disadvantages:

• Not original.
• Modifications may be required.
• You don't get to do it yourself (if you choose)
• You can't pick out exactly what you want for components.

Only you can determine how important these are to you.

The price aspect will require some research on your part to compare the cost of the rebuild (machine shop services, rebuild parts, etc.) vs the crate motor and any new parts it may require (different carb/intake, or modifications). Then factor in how much the crate motor warranty is worth to you.

[NNICKB]

The Mopar crate motors are not cheap. Not sure if they offer a 318 or not. The 360 is externally balanced and requires a different torque converter. There may be other differences.

Any time I have swapped from one engine to another I have always encountered problems with oil pans, pulleys, manifolds, you name it. Even when the motors were supposedly the same.

There are "crate/rebuilt" motors from outfits like Jasper. They are basically used engines rebuilt on an assembly line. This would certainly be cheaper than all new.

I have a "personal preference" for the 318, in that it seems to be a bit smoother and quieter than the 360, and not nearly as thirsty. If you like horsepower, the old 340 was fabulous. It used the same stroke as the 318, with 360 type heads. But they are not easily found these days, and may be a little high strung for your truck.

All LA motors are durable and long lasting. I think it is interesting that the new Chevrolet LS small blocks now use longer length connecting rods, like the LAs.

My vote would be to rebuild your 318, if it needs it. You know it will go back in without any problems. I think it would be cheaper and give you the best result, if it is a reputable shop. We are fortunate that we have a shop near here that does good work and is very reasonable.

[Hobcobble]

a quick search of crate motors seems to focus on performance. I prefer bone stock. With a rebuilt motor would I still be able to say "All Original" or does the motor get pulled and a previously rebuilt motor replace mine?

If you re-build the engine that is presently in it and if this IS the original
engine, I guess you could say that your truck has the original engine that
was re-built?.... That's the way I'd tell it to people....

A rebuild can be as easy as honing the cylinders, having the heads
re-done by a good machine shop (if needed) and putting in a "standard"
re-build kit [rings, rod, main & cam bearings, timing chain, core plugs,
cam, lifters, push rods (if needed), gasket set, etc.. If your short block
is workable, you'd probably get the best bang for your buck this way.
John

[Don Williams]

I suggest rebuilding the 318 yourself. I've done it, enjoyed it, and learned a lot in the process. Get a good manual, tear down the engine, have a machine shop do their thing, put it back together, enjoy the fruits of your labor.

[74w300uteline]

sorry don

I would wind up with a planter!! Oil changes and spark plugs are just about my speed. Spent my younger days chasing skirts when auto shop class was in session. I began this Power Wagon hobby in my mid 40's. I'm going to stay with a 318. I will wait till i hear from restorer about the condition of existing engine, I cant imagine the engine being good after sitting for so long. I will let restorer decide, there may be other places where the money will be better spent (drive train/tranny) I'm trying to help make the restoration easier for him. Iowa is just around the corner.

[KRB64]

Surely you could find a speed shop nearby that will rebuild to as mild or wild as you want. More reliable than a crate maybe but more expensive too.

We have a father/son machine shop here that does pulling motors too. I've had them do my 134cid Willys, 225 slant six and just recently the head on a Corolla. Used to be you could figure $100 a hole if you put it back together your self...

[Hawk]

I have always been good sticking my fingers into motors, but until my 74 I really didnt do much with transmissions. Low and behold the transmission was as easy as doing a carb. The Torqueflite 727's that are common with our older Dodges are very easy to go threw. Plus there are plenty of walk threws online that will help lead you to some upgrade and power addons. I have 3 of the transmissions now (1 in the truck from an 86, 1 on the shelf that I am not sure what going to do with, and orginal one that I am going to power house). The 86 one I bought as a core and redid the clutch packs to ensure a solid transmission to move it around and maybe play from time to time.

If you get a good Mopar Engine book that covers your 318, they are not really that hard to do. And can save yourself some funds to use for other parts or upgrades. There are only a few special tools you would need to aquire outside of your common socket set: Piston ring compressor, Harmonic ballancer puller, rubber malette, feeler guage, angle die grinder w/ roloc bristle disk (green or yellow), engine assembly lube, some rubber tube for guides when incerting the pistons to keep from scratching up the cyl. walls, and of course a torqu wrench (to 150 ft lbs).

The block send in to get hot tanked

Heads take in to get gone threw (mine ran me $137 at my local machine shop and I had supplied all the new parts I wanted them to put in: intake and exhaust valves, valve guides and seats, valve springs and keepers)

This way once you get the heads and block back, you can send them off to your gifted panel banger to have painted or pollished before putting everything back together. Its always better to stay as orginal as you can with block numbers and such.

Just my thoughts on the issues.

[Deathdeelr]

I rebuilt my 318 in 2002? and she's still going strong after 50K miles. I had the motor cleaned and measured by NY Speed in Staten Island. She didn't need to be bored (even though it had 32000 on the odo you never know how many thousands of hours idling on the 882 radio trucks). I put Clevite mains and rods, Total Seal rings, Edelbrock intake, cam, valve springs, timing chain, Fed/Mog rockers and shafts, and 4150 carb. I changed the front pump seal on the trans while I had it out and a TCI Towing low stall converter. I think the entire rebuild ran about $1500 with the most expensive items being the converter and the intake and cam package.

This was the third motor I rebuilt; the first two being Chevy's; a 305 (just a bearing and ring job) and the second being a worked 350 (major overhaul all performance). It's actually not that bad of a job if you do the research, go slow and steady and you'll win the race. Keep in mind of what already came up in the previous posts; rebuild it yourself at your own risk or drop in a crate job with a warranty. If I say I do this stuff every day I'm a liar but I do it more than the average joe so I'm confortable with the job and have a basic knowledge of what to do and what pitfalls to look for.