Best Engines of All Time: Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth 318 V8 (LA Series)

[@hotrodmercury3941]

I got a 1988 D-150 with a 318 as a "work" truck. Since I'm single and don't really "work" she's dedicated to hauling furniture, hauling parts for my Mustang and just hauling me around to enjoy a nice drive. She's perfect. Fell in love with her. She's got 170K miles and grandpa owned. I just got her so I don't know much about her. So I guess she got that full 1988 treatment.

[@classicwefi]

When I worked at the Chrysler dodge jeep dealer we had many customers who had put over 300,000 miles on their magnum 318 the one that had the most miles was a 94 grand Cherokee that the 318 made it to 600,000 miles when it soon after broke a piston ring and lost compression on number 1 cylinder it was a sad day.

[@ChillkootMarkowee]

Yup, my high-school shop teacher's daily a 1966 Dodge Charger 318 A-block V-8 all original 300 000miles!

[@robhargis6980]

And Scotty Kilmer would still claim it be junk.

[@ChillkootMarkowee]

@@robhargis6980 hahaha nice one!!

[@cc8530]

did the company offer you counselling to get over the trauma you poor sad man?

[@bertgrau3934]

I had a 1988 Dakota with the 3.9 V6, at 172,000 miles it was smoking bad, I pulled the engine, and 2 cylinders had both compression rings broke. Had it bored. 030 milled both heads, and block. Had it balanced, rods rebuilt, and it ran better than ever for 21 years from 2001 until 2022 when I sold it running for strong with over 70,000 miles

[@martentrudeau6948]

Good to hear this story of the Chrysler 318. My father was a mechanical engineer and always said Chrysler engines were well designed and this engine is a good example this. Excellent history.

[@chuckhaugan4970]

My Dad owned repair garages and service stations from 1955 to 1994. He said the same thing! The 225 slant 6, 318, and 440 were his engines of choice by Chrysler, so much so, he didn't care that I bought a car with a 440 as a teenage kid.... He expected me to drive like a maniac, which I didn't since I loved that car. I have to say, that car is still my favorite of all I owned: we drove it all over the state of Washington and Oregon, without a worry of break down, after I slowly replaced all the pumps and ignition since it had sat for over 7 years. The thing ran like a top. Another case where my Dad was right.

[@Rmehki]

Chrysler gets a bad rap but their engines are actually really reliable, with only a couple exceptions such as the 2.7L. The internet blows everything out of proportion, but the real everyday drivers will have a car rust out before the engine finally dies.

[@member57]

Used to be well engineered....

[@robhargis6980]

I've had many 318's, all of them super reliable and easy to work on.

[@tims72demon]

Still have my 72 318 3spd Demon I bought new. 50 years ago, and still going strong. No rebuild, still doesn’t burn a drop of oil.

[@vinny_af16]

No one ever talks about it, but these small block mopars are criminally underrated

[@ohger1]

I don't think they're underrated at all. Even a Ford guy like me greatly admires the 318/340. Great family of engines.

[@swissarmychainsawadams9541]

Uncle Tony does!

[@josepeixoto3384]

i had two well used 15 passenger vans with the 318s,in the 80s, and in 5 years they never missed a beat, while others at the same plant were periodically breaking down, i am a mechanic and maintained them, and still that cost me nearly nothing; i remember the only breakdown under way,coming to a stop: the ignitor died, and of course i had a new one in the glove box, IT was the ONLY sudden death electronic gizmo in the van, and 10 minutes later it was back on its way; bought another new one,for spare, the same day,25 dollars in New Brunswick, NJ. today you can't carry new spare parts, between sensors and modules,you'd need a full trailer-shop behind you so,in that regard we went backwards by a looooooooong shot,thanks Greenphissers, but now the world is starting to see the deep hole you've been digging.

[@billsmith7255]

There’s no denying they made some of the best engines that ever came out of Detroit

[@travislostaglia8861]

All of them made great engines even amc

[@Conn88]

We had a 1968 Fury III with a 318 when I was a kid. It was a beautiful car. But my father was terrible at maintenance; somehow he managed to kill that engine by never changing the oil or putting anti-freeze in for the winter. Even with that abuse, it took him 5 years to kill it. He later went on to kill the slant 6 in our 1972 Dodge Dart, which was an even greater feat. My father was a good man, but you didn't want him anywhere near your car.

[@ThomasG.-hh9gg]

I owned a 1968 Plymouth fury 3 with a 318 v8, awesome car!! I lost a job because of that car, the job sucked

[@_Peremalfait]

Yes, power and reliability. One of the best, most underrated engines of all.

[@abdulabdanahib9617]

140 hp from 5.2 it's a shame

[@777jones]

They made 220hp in the Magnum era. Strong performers, great sounding also.

[@kuiper6926]

@@abdulabdanahib9617 mustangs made 200hp with their hi-po engines in the 80s, 400ci firebird made 250hp in the 80s, it is no shame having 150hp coming from a workhorse engine.

[@abdulabdanahib9617]

@@kuiper6926 BMW M50b20 has same 150 hp but consumes much less fuel

[@kuiper6926]

@@abdulabdanahib9617 American v8s are easier to work on and a 318 will outlast any 70s or 80s bmw non diesel engine. Not to mention, they had around 200hp net standard, but those 318s are easy to reach the 500hp mark naturally aspirated with few mods.

[@paulgibbons8222]

I once owned a 68 Fury 3 with a 318. I loved that car now I own a 89 Dodge D150 with the injected 318 it is approaching 200K miles and runs great with routine maintenance.

[@bellendcottage8820]

I have a 64 with under 60k

[@knitterscheidt]

Mopar made some excellent engines, the 318 was a reliable workhorse, as a kid I saw a few of those my uncle owned and the slant 6? what a great engine!

[@davef.2811]

Perked up several malaise-era LAs by advancing the camshaft with a 4 deg. offset woodruff key on the cam sprocket.

[@craigbenz4835]

I had a '73 in a Dart Sport that really woke up with just a 340 cam, 4v and headers. And of course the advanced timing you mention.

[@rockerneck]

I had a ‘96 Dakota with a 318. A light truck with 4x4 and a v8 was an absolute blast to drive and beat. The weakest link was the rear spider gears after burnouts and off-roading.

[@jamesengland7461]

That dual 4bbl may be the wildest intake design I've ever seen. Love it!

[@tl5108]

You need to look up the max wedge intake from the early 60s. They used it on both the 413 and 426 I believe

[@jamesengland7461]

@@tl5108 those were cool too, but these air cleaners seem even more striking to me

[@markdubois4882]

@@tl5108 The Long Ram intake.....383s and 413s got those in the Chrysler line

[@mikecyanide7492]

@@tl5108 enjoy pulling those valve covers lol think I'd rather the whole in my hood with a reg tunnel ram

[@tl5108]

@@mikecyanide7492 yeah I’d definitely run a hydraulic cam with the stamped rockers if i used that intake lol. Not pulling all that shit apart to adjust rockers a couple times a year

[@lukesm5747]

In Australia the 318 was a very popular engine to retro fit into speed boats.I always wondered why but never got a definitive answer.After watching this video i presume one of the reasons is because it is light.I was also told that it was strong enough to pull 2 - 3skiers all day long.Add to that they were probably cheap and reliable and i think i finally have my answer.Thanks Adam!

[@JulesN580]

Interesting Luke. Had a 318 in my 1970 Chrysler VIP in Melbourne in my early 20s - LOVED that car!

[@julienbriere1352]

I own a ‘79 Newport with the 318. Bought it from the original owner. It has just over 200 000 miles and it runs so smooth still. I’m quite impressed. Nice video 👍

[@robertjewsbury3212]

A friend had 73-74 dodge van 318 automatic. A set of headers into some purple straight-thru glasspacks exiting ahead of rear tires. Oh, and a Holley 500 2-barrel up top. It had 130K and he ran it (hard) past 270K. Sounded so sweet.

[@arthurallen189]

Thank you for mentioning this engine.. 318 is my favorite engine of all time I had several of these through the years some with well over 200,000 miles on them never any major issues.. I hope to get another Mopar with a 318 when I retire.

[@jimpalmer2338]

I had a 1973 Charger with a 318.. Easy to work on, reliable, good power and great mileage..

[@fairfaxcat1312]

One of our fine KZbin commentators, indeed one “Jim Palmer,” apparently shares a social media name with the lanky Hall of Fame righthander. Palmer had one of the best lifetime winning percentages, eight 20 win seasons, three Cy Young’s, and he never gave up a grand slam in 19 years.

[@jonthomsen7433]

Dude I've got 14 318 engines I've collected over the years because really the 340 and 318 are the same engine with different top ends. I'm obsessed with these engines because they wake up easy and will take one he'll of a beating

[@milehighkit4725]

No engine in history has transported me further in my six decades of life than the small block Chrysler :-) I had every variant over my years although mostly 318/360.... Several 70.340 Dusters, and two 273's one of which was a 66 barracuda formula S. Great video. Thanks :-)

[@eldrenbiddle9358]

Had a '65 Formula S (My wife hated the exhaust tone) and it surprised a lot of "muscle cars'. Later dropped in a 340 that came out of a '70 Duster wreck. Bought the whole car for $450 and moved the front seats, dash instruments, drive train with that 'rock crusher' transmission, and brakes to the S. Duster was sold to me as 4500 mile car, odometer showed 450. I won the wrecked car lottery. I bet that kid still can't buy insurance. The S with the 340 was faster than my '69 Corvette 350. Sold the car to a Lockheed coworker who used it as a tow car for his stream liner. Body design was approved by one of our wind tunnel aero engineers and engine was a FIAT double overhead cam with added turbocharger. He broke world record at Bonneville Salt Flats. .

[@jeffreycler495]

Many years ago i owned a 1964 Dodge Dart Gt with a 273 V8. It had a factory 4 speed with a Hurst floor shifter. Put on a Carter AFB 4 Barrel and dual exhausts . It looked like a granny mobile. Surprised many Ford Falcon sprints and Chevy II novas at the traffic light. Lots of fun. Keep up the good work . Jeff Cler

[@cammontreuil7509]

Atleast the 273 had a 4 barrel. 318 never did. What a joke.

[@louiskats5116]

Goodday Adam, A very popular engine here in Australia. I have had plenty of 318 over the last 3 decades & still have one in a long roof ( station wagon ). Here they were know as 318 Fireball. Your number 1 Fan in Australia Louis Kats from Melbourne Australia ☺ 👍 ❤

[@jamesjustin5095]

Hi Adam. Back in 1980 I had a 69 Polara with a 318 and blew the head gasket on the driver side. Some how I got the head off without removing the intake or exhaust manifolds and ran it. 18 mpg cruising. Thanks for the memories!

[@chrisbosley7095]

The 318 is a true classic! I also find it interesting that our '66 Plymouth Barracuda had the famed 273 that begat the 318! My Dad loved to work on it, and my Mom knew how to drive it. Can't count the number of times she blew the doors off a malaise era Camaro/Firebird from a standing stop. It was reliable as a stopwatch as it was before Lean Burn

[@keithpearson7059]

The 273 4 barrel of '65 - ' 67 was the predecessor of the 340 in ' 68 .

[@bill90405]

The LA engine was developed because the A engine was a very tight fit in the Dart/Valiant engine bay. They were eventually able to shoehorn the B engine in there!

[@keithpearson7059]

@@bill90405 I had an O.E. '67 formula s 383 4 speed coupe in H.S. I put in a 440 with a button clutch with the STOCK engine it had a 160 m.p.h. top end and consistent 11.00 second quarter mile e.t.'s AND 25 m.p.h. had highway ! I also had an O.E. '68 formula s 383 4 speed sport coupe till recently with O rust

[@lukepokrajac1057]

Awesome long lived engines along with the b big blocks. Large lifters, great rod ratio, beefy blocks. Demo derby guys love small block Mopars because they can take the heat. Good set of aftermarket aluminum heads and stroker kit for a 318 make it a formidable engine…even better than the 340

[@timothykeith1367]

Yeah, the stock 318 heads are designed for economy and durability.

[@bluesky-ud9wg]

Well of course since it's a stroker and modern heads

[@flyingdutchman4794]

Thanks Adam - it would be interesting to see something on the "old" 318 engine as well. We had a 1963 Fury when I was growing up which had the A-series 318 - Dad loved the power, Mom loved the gas mileage and the TorqueFlite transmission with the pushbutton controls. She still talks about that car

[@johnmaki3046]

You would be STUNNED to know how many "young" MoPar fans DO NOT know of this GREAT MOTOR!

[@chuckhaugan4970]

@@johnmaki3046 Agree! And it was in just about every work truck Dodge produced or a slant 6. They were the Olds 305 of GM fame but were produced for decades.

[@keithpearson7059]

I had the same car '63 Fury 4 door sedan 318 wide block , 2 barrel stromberg carb , push button auto. and 8 3/4 rear end with the tow package .

[@lisam4503]

The A and LA 318's share much in common and with little modification heads are interchangeable, Both the A and early LA have pretty heavily duty and rugged block castings. Both used internally balanced forged cranks.

[@soaringvulture]

It was noted at 5:32 that the 318 always had hydraulic lifters. This is only true for the LA engine. The A engine with polyspheric heads had solid lifters.

[@hutchcraftcp]

I owned a 81 Dodge Mirada with the 318. I had zero problems with it from 81 thru 88 when I traded it for a new Ford Thunderbird. I never thought of the 318 as weak. It surprised many of my friends with it's acceleration.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Adam, are you going to do anything on the bullet proof & dependable slant six?? Thanks for sharing your informative videos!!! 👍👍🙂

[@vinceschimoler6674]

My dad had a 58 Plymouth with a 318 Poly (Powerflite) which later became mine. Then, as a young man, I ordered my first new car, a 70 Duster with a 318 LA (3 spd man). Would give anything to have either one.

[@chrisubias7135]

@@vinceschimoler6674 what does that have to do with the slant six?

[@josephflanagan1070]

Another great motor

[@ronripplinger5235]

Good little engines but the slant made them a little tighter to work on than the straight in line sixes of GM and Ford

[@chrisubias7135]

@@ronripplinger5235 yes, however, you really didn’t have to do much repairs because it was so dependable. The Ford inline 6 300ci was another great 6 cylinder

[@wardmontgomery9259]

318 - they always run like a Swiss watch !

[@classrockin]

Would definitely agree with you regarding the 318, and if anyone thinks you can't make them competitive against the small block Chevy, you're sorely mistaken. My 71 Challenger came equipped with a 318, 2 b carb, and single exhaust. 904 Torqueflite backing it up. I found a 4 b manifold at the wrecking yard, bought a new 625 Carter AFB, and installed a set of Cyclone Headers, with the dual turbo mufflers. I couldn't believe the difference, I could keep up neck and neck with my buddies 383 Charger

[@nicholasjarosch8908]

A 318 can make 600hp with a stroker kit

[@RailsOfTheMidwest]

I had a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 318. Going through the gears was an amazing experience hearing that American V8 roar which is a rare experience as all my family has Toyotas. It was fun thinking it had the same engine as the Plymouth fury which is the car they used in my favorite movie “Christine”. With manual fuel injection it pushed 230hp and it being a 5 speed manual with 0.73 OD and 3.96 axle ratio it did surprisingly well in gas.

[@capricetony]

Very Well Done! Excellent Engine LA 318 with the Carter 2bbl BBD! I hear the comments now “it was a dog” NO it was a dependable, workhorse that lasted almost forever, great engine in a Duster as a daily driver.

[@johneckert1365]

Right! Compare the smog era 318 to a Chevy 305, Olds 307, or a smog Ford 302. The 318 doesn't seem weak after comparing it to them haha. Better fuel economy and longevity too!

[@capricetony]

@@johneckert1365 they all last a long time, they don’t make enough power to do any damage they make enough to get the job done effectively, had them all, all great engines.

[@Zenny_6969]

..hi Adam...I am the proud owner of a la series 318, in a 1967 Coronet and am proud to say that it is still running strong after all these years....thanks for the video.....

[@2cartalkers]

Hey, you forgot to mention the Barracuda. My first new car was a 1968 'cuda with this engine in it. Very reliable, ran for ever.

[@davidbarrus6542]

My first car was a 68 barracuda, 318 . I took the engine out,an built a giant killer. 340 engine Built, 727 turbo action,and at the end of the cars life, 5.38s in the rear.

[@2cartalkers]

@@davidbarrus6542 Way cool!

[@keithpearson7059]

. FACT : NO small block ever beat my '67 440 Barracuda once i let out the clutch and hit the gas peddle .

[@2cartalkers]

@@keithpearson7059 Ok

[@kens.213]

I had a 24'1969 Pace Arrow motorhome built on a one ton Dodge chassis. It had the 318 V8 with TF automatic transmission. One of the toughest motors I've ever owned. It would climb a pass at a slow 30mph and do it all day long.

[@8241jb123]

I have a 392 HEMI and think it has a HEMI tick.. great design !!!??

[@konekillerking]

I learned new words and phrases watching my father work on this engine.

[@pauljanssen7594]

For your Chrysler's owners Chrysler redesigned distributor rotor which makes the spark gap rather excessive, so when I did my research I found out the Napa Mo 30000 brings the Gap the way the rotors used be. Allowing your ignition system to work a lot better.

[@nb7466]

I had a 92 dodge Dakota. The first year for the 318 magnum. That little truck flew. I remember it was hard to do the oil change. All of the 4x4 parts were in the the way of getting it out.

[@edwardt9585]

I bought a 92 Dakota 4x4 new with that Magnum 318 . It sat on the dealers lot for months none of the employees there even gave it a second glance . I had a couple of friends that worked at that dealership that drove my truck after I bought it and couldn't believe the performance . If I had a rolling start taking a then current 5.0 or a Z28 was no problem .

[@nb7466]

@@edwardt9585 I could woop mustangs with it. And it put other trucks to Shame. My friend's dad worked high up in Chrysler back then. He told me it's nickname was the little rocket.

[@Ariovistus1]

I had a 318 in a 1972 Plymouth Barracuda. I added 1970 340 Heads, an Edelbrock performer intake with a 625 Carter AFB. I ran a Crower Group II cam and a Cloyes double roller timing chain. I also ran 70 340 Exhaust Manifolds and Glass packs. That Car was quick. I was in the USAF and when I got transferred overseas to England, my Stepdad complained about the Car and it got sold while I was in England. It was my first car that I bought with My Own Money in 1978. I wish I still had it.

[@garymckee63]

One of the many vehicles that I owned one was a 79 Dodge Aspen R/T ordered through the MARINE CORPS post exchange. The sticker on the door jumb said made by Dodge for export no cats or lean burn and very quick 318 without the pollution control garbage.

[@RFKFANTS67]

Well Sir? First off and with all due respect here, Your step Dad sounds like a prick, that's terrible for a man that served to have had that happen. Your car sounds mint! I would love to see pictures of it. I had many GM cars however always had a love for Mopar as well. I wish in my youth I had taken an offer, from friends that ran a auto wrecking yard. They offered me a 70 Plymouth Barracuda with a 273 or beside it was a 360 74 Plymouth Satellite, I could have had either for $ 800 Canadian dolla. I kick my sorry ass for not buying either. Anyhow is what it is eh lol. Thank You for your service. "John S."

[@loveisall5520]

I think it should be noted that the 318/V8 was not considered low on power for its time; not at all. Chevy was still using the short block '283' as its mainstay with Powerglide (less efficient than TorqueFlite) and Ford was dropping the little 260/289 into most of its cars. Having lived in that time as a child car nut, I can assure you that people in general were more realistic about power in their cars. I took my driver's ed in school driving a beautiful 1971 gold Fury III sedan with that 318/V and TorqueFlite and in a lot of city and highway driving over that summer, it was in no way underpowered with its 230hp and 4 people. Quiet, workhorse engine like most people wanted then.

[@chuckz8053]

I had a 71 satellite 318, loved it.

[@OnkelPHMagee]

I learned to drive on a 1970 Fury wagon with a 318. I agree.

[@alan6832]

Not only that, but a few cheap and easy mods can get good power out of them for anyone who wants it. See Uncle Tony's Garage for that.

[@tombrown1898]

You are absolutely right about people in general being more realistic about the engines in their family cars. I took my driver's test in our Olds Super 88, with a 394 4-bbl, and it consumed a tank of gas just to go around the block! Our Driver's Ed car was a 1968 Dodge Coronet, with a 318 and Torqflite. A perfect match of body and power train.

[@michaelbarry8373]

@@chuckz8053 I had the '74 with 318, only 318 ever had.

[@jamesfriend4344]

I had 3 of these engines in Polaras. Great cars, great engines. One 1967 and 2 1968s. All 2 barrels which was all I needed.

[@travisd6585]

Had a 92 Dakota with the magnum 318, great motor put a few Mopar performance parts on it and it ran like a champ for 258k miles but a wreck claimed her.

[@malcolmhamilton5200]

Lost count of the 318s I've had(have four right now). Mostly the higher compression years; 69' and the later 80s roller cammed engines. Used to convert them to earlier electronic ignitions with the recurved Direct Connection or MP distributors. Really woke them up. The later Holley 2280 or 6280 2bbls could be tuned to deliver impressive mileage. Far better than the Carter BBDs. Especially with those 2.26:1 gears, yet still pickup quickly with the 2.74 1st gear. Installing the later Magnum chain tensioners and earlier double row timing gears makes for the smoothest idling V-8 you could ask for. Super reliable. Just buy the best plug wires you can afford to stop spark scatter. I use Taylor SpiroPros. Cheap and effective. Wish Dr. Jacobs still sold those double thickness distributor caps. Thanks enjoyed the clip Malcolm Ottawa Valley

[@eherexx1965]

I just inherited my mom's 2nd Gen 318 Dodge Ram. She really took care of it. This video gave me some good insight and somewhat relief on why my mom would leave this to me. Thanks for the video, and keep up the good work.😎👍

[@alanwood5857]

Had a '89 Ramcharger with fuel injected 318 (5.2L) Ex phone company truck, heavy duty everything. Great truck!

[@TXGRunner]

My 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee had the Magnum 5.2L (318) version of this engine. When I bought it used, maybe 6-8 years old, it was burning oil. I forget the mileage, but I just replaced the valve stem guides/seals and no more burning oil. The first side took a couple of hours, but I think I did the other side in less than an hour as I gained experience. The replacement guides/seals were cheap, maybe under $20! I was ecstatic because I was concerned the engine was on its last legs. It was great.

[@kmath50]

Great info. I had a 64 Valiant with a 273 and 4 speed. One of my favorite cars. The 340 and 360 that came later were great engines too.

[@autonomous_collective]

1) Stroker kit 2) 10.8 to one CR 3) Trick Flow Heads 4) Edlebrock Performer RPM intake [not air gap] 5) A.E.D. vacuum secondary down leg Carb [870cfm] 6) Performance Distributors' DUI HEI-style distributor + Ignition Solution’s Plasma Booster. 7) Headers TTI 8) Cam with 108 LCA. Hardened with nitriding process. [adv 4 degrees on install]. 9) High flow oil pump [not high pressure]. 10) Driven GP1 synthetic Blend 20w- 50

[@jordantomblin2302]

My uncle had a 1967-1968 Plymouth Belvedere with a 318. It was the only Mopar he had ever owned. He said it was among the least problematic and most reliable and decently performing and economical cars he ever had. He had nothing bad to say about that car AT ALL.

[@markst.germain9286]

I loved my 88 Dodge ram d100 with this engine, always ran great.

[@keithpearson7059]

I. " loved " my ' 67 Barracuda Coupe ( original ) formula S 383 , 4 speed , 8 3/4 rear with 3. 23 : 1 sure grip . i installed an ( O. E ) 375 H.P. " 440 " and a button clutch did consistent 11:00 second quarter mile w/ L60 15 street tires with 5-7 p.s.i. and with 25 p.s.i. did 165 -170 M.P.H.and got 25 M.P.G. and " loved " MANY OTHERS i built .

[@markst.germain9286]

​@@keithpearson7059 this video is about the 318. Love um.

[@Tk-ou9ec]

Great video. Here in Australia I own a 1980 Chrysler! 318 which used to have the factory lean burn system and two barrel carby. Now it’s boasting a bigger cam,carby and ignition and so on. Still even with all this done it made 220hp on the dyno but I still love it. Had it for 7 years now. Just keeps going. On my channel.

[@stvitalkid7981]

My parents had a 66 Valiant (Canadian version) Custom 200. It was equipped with the 273 V8 with 2bbl carb. That was rated at 180 hp. My mom said more than a few other drivers were surprised when she took off from stoplights in a compact car (with two kids in the back) that was sporting V8 power. My dad said the Valiant's rear end was too light to really transfer all that much power to the drive wheels. My uncle had a very nice 71 Satellite Sebring with a 318. After the Valiant, my parents switched to Volvo temporarily. Their one last Mopar was a 77 Volare Premier wagon. It turned out not to be a favourite.

[@eldrenbiddle9358]

My ' 65 Formulae S's pinion gear contracted broken tooth syndrome. Dropped in a '70 Duster 340 engine, 'rock crusher' transmission and rear end. A perfect combination. Went fast enough to scare hell out of me.

[@mark_osborne]

...@6:42 a "Gramp Fury", or in the case of the Dodge variant, a "Gramp-Lomat". Adam you did a spectacular job- point for point

[@stevengamsby5344]

I love the 318 I’m getting 379 hp out of my 1974 w-100 318 works great with electronic ignition fuel injection can’t ask for a better 318 reliable great fuel economy and reliability thanks for the video retired sergeant major US Army Gamsby

[@keithpearson7059]

The ( STOCK ) 440 I put in my '67 Barracuda was 375 HORSEPOWER ( with 0 mods. ) 😁😁

[@F6HemiCharger]

Thank you! Can you do one on the slant sixes? You can’t argue with the results of a brilliant mind like Willem Weertman!

[@jerrynavarro2404]

The 318 V8 dodge motor was a bullet proof motor hooked up with a 727 high torque transmission was the best combination 👌

[@JulesN580]

True Jerry! I had a 1970 Australian Chrysler VIP (basically a luxury stretched-wheelbase luxury Dodge Dart with the Fireball 318 and torque flite. Metallic green with bone vinyl roof. MAN l loved that car with that sweet V8 as did my friends ☺ The 318 was a large capacity V-8 by Oz standards…

[@1575murray]

Starting in the late 1960s most 318 car applications used the A904 transmission. Trucks and vans may have continued to use the A727.

[@KnoxTownCrew]

I got a 1st gen 1989 Dodge Ram with a 318 sounds amazing, and indestructible highly recommend

[@victorjohnson7512]

The mass produced 318 is a great small block for building hot rods. The casting is identical to the 360 with just a smaller bore. Making it stronger due to the extra iron between cylinder. Even bored over it's thicker and more temperature stable. With modern aluminum heads and stroker kits it can be a real powerhouse V8.

[@ufarkingicehole]

360 water jackets are further apart, allowing for a bigger bore potential for the 360. 360 also has minor casting differences that are also shared with the 340

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, We can see you are working your way up to the Slant Six. For the record, what is the relationship between the LA series 318 and the 340?

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

YAS!! LEANING TOWER OF POWER

[@johncholmes643]

Firing order

[@21Piloteer]

Stroke was the same.

[@tl5108]

Pretty much identical engines, they do use different casting though so you can’t bore a 318 into a 340. 3.91” bore vs 4.04” is the main difference other than that the 340 got high performance heads, intake, and other parts that are relatively easy to change out

[@darrellbordeaux6132]

My father was a Mopar man most of his life and owned several all with 318 engines. Always reliable and respectable fuel economy. When he started to look for a new Mopar, the first question was, does it have a 318 in it. Great memories.

[@bradleybprentice1497]

Hi Adam. Yes these were great engines. One of my 1st cars ever was a '74 Dodge Challenger with the 318. I have no idea of the HP but it was more than adequate. It was an ugly green colour but had white interior with buckets and the slap stick auto shifter. A real plain Jane car with basically no options. But what car to have as a young guy. It had about 16,000 miles when I bought it for only CDN2200. Immediately I installed Michelin radial tires to replace the bias ply factory rubber and it drove like a completely different car in terms of handling. This car served me well and the 318 was faultless until I sold the car with 120,000 miles on it. The oil was a bit foamy when I sold it so I suspect the head gasket needed replacing by that time.

[@ryanhodges7101]

Definitely a great engine. The only problem I ever had out of one was caused by the factory “silent-chain” nylon toothed timing set. That’s definitely the weak point. Mine was a 1971 318.

[@peteg4978]

I added a timing chain tensioner from a 2000 3.9 liter to my sons 89 fifth avenue and found it ran much better. An old Chrysler engineer told me when there was more than 6 degrees play in the timing chain the spark control computer and also the fuel controller on that fifth would get “confused” and cause surge at cruise. Seems to be correct in our case as the car runs very smooth now

[@keithpearson7059]

"Chain tensioner " lol , put in a double roller chain or a gear drive $

[@peteg4978]

@@keithpearson7059 has a double roller and the tensioner

[@pattyeverett2826]

Good video. My wife's family had a Dodge Swinger with one of these. From other videos, I have heard the Chrysler slant 6 and flathead 6 engines were very reliable.

[@JETZcorp]

Since before I was born, my dad has been driving around in a 1977 Power Wagon with a 318. The speedometer cable broke some time in the 1990s, freezing the odometer around 350,000 miles. God only knows what the miles are now. It's slower than dirt and uses fuel like an arson at a Shell station, but it always always always works. With tbat said, the 318 majes a fabulous platform for performance, and they absolutely emanate power with just a mild build. They'll surprise yourself.

[@akadog6319]

I had one for 27 years. I loved it.

[@hughjass1044]

One of the best indeed. Our family had several and not a bad one among them.

[@control_the_pet_population]

I had a '79 Dodge Van with the 318 2bl. My grandfather gave it to me as my first car. It had about 120k on it in 1990 when I started driving it... I had it for roughly two years and only took it up to about 135k, then it went to a family friend who used it as a work van for another 6 or 7 years after that. Finally went to the scrap yard in 1999... threw a rod at 265k. At that time I was under the impression that the engine was going to be rebuilt by the guy that bought the van... but the van itself was pretty much roasted at that point... body panels had probably lost 40% of their mass due to corrosion...the rear single piece door had rusted off the hinges and was welded into place... almost nothing electrical still worked... But it put up a fight before it died.

[@markpaulo9584]

Do you know the mpg you would get

[@control_the_pet_population]

@@markpaulo9584 It wasn't good... and this was over 30 years ago... But the few highway road trips I took and paid attention to the mileage, I ended up around 13-14MPG. Just city trips, back and forth to school/work... I'd guess it was probably 9-10MPG

[@mikevan5219]

I liked your presentation I was a mechanic in the 80s-90s I did a slew of lean burn deleates and bbd 2 barrel Carter's intake upgrades. The prod years was 67-91 the magnum was a different engine the only thing that carried over from LA to mag were the rods.

[@stephengreen3566]

I still remember the 1964 Plymouth Fury my dad owned. It had the 318 with the push button automatic. The fan made more noise than the engine. We got over 250,000 miles on that car before the transmission started slipping. My dad sold the car for $50! I almost cried.

[@timothykeith1367]

That was the 318 poly. It would have been a nice to have seen improved poly heads offered on the LA. But, I guess that's why they offered a big block. The poly engines were as heavy as big blocks and would not fit into the A body.

[@mr.badluck8004]

I just picked up a 78 dodge b100. With a 5.2 318 ci. Stock. I bought it and drove the b100 500+ mil. Not knowing if the van will make it home. Now glad to purchase.

[@RickSeling]

318 was a war horse and very easy to work on and reliable

[@billharris3385]

I ran demo derby's years ago and the 318s are hard to beat. Very good at starting when they get hot.

[@patricklynch1962]

All my Mopar V8s have been 318s. Love them. I have a '68 Fury VIP fast top and a '79 St. Regis with 318's and both are running late 70's Holley 2280 2 barrel carburetors. Very happy with both of them. The '68 Fury VIP's 318 has never been apart but has gotten a new timing chain on schedule. The St. Regis 318 has almost 200,000 miles on my dad's rebuild as the car itself nears 300,000 miles. Keep up the oil changes and timing chain replacements on schedule and they'll run practically forever.

[@markcollins457]

Love the Green Plymouth 4dr hard top at the end.😊

[@chuckz8053]

Thanks, enjoyed watching. My experiences with these engines were good.

[@Keleneki]

The first car I drove was a 1972 Plymouth Satellite with the 318 in it. I drove my brother and myself to school with it. I loved that car and engine.

[@donaldperrotta8514]

My dad bought a new 59 Plymouth Savoy with the 318 wide block ! Fabulous strong engine !!!!!

[@johnmccloskey7347]

Had 5 different Mopar 318's over the years, from 67-79. Loved my '73 Challenger with slap stick, but my favorite was the '78 Volare (yes, Volare) with 4spd and T-tops that I had in the mid-80's. With a few tweaks, it was a decent performer for the time. Even with an 85mph speedo, I know that it went around 110 at least once since I had a tach and knew the base RPM at speeds. (Had my girlfriend looking for cops since we were rushing to try and get her to the airport - both of us were military and she'ld be awol if we didn't get her to the plane on time!) Loved these engines - actually killed that Volare's lean-burn computer by changing out the carb for an adapter-plate and Holley 650cfm 4-bbl. My friend and I had a wonderful evening of a sub- 6sec 0-60 time and torquing over the trans, but as the tach went up the fuel noticeably went down. It wouldn't start the next day, and ultimately was towed away to a junk yard while I was back overseas. Damn, I miss that car even now!

[@johnmccloskey7347]

Oh, BTW - had removed the Holley before it got towed away, so used it on the '73 Challenger later on with a proper mid-rise 4bbl manifold in the early 90's. That same friend said that he'ld been chasing the same performance and sound for years when we mounted it up.

[@mrsimpleesarcastik3494]

my first car a 1967 Dodge Polara 4 door had the mighty fine 318 with 2 bbl Carter carb,,,the car sounded and ran great with a cherry bomb muffler in 1982!!! She was a beast!!

[@willallen7757]

In '93 I rebuilt a '76 360 from a cordoba using the original crank, rods, pistons. It went in a '86 Dodge d150 with the granny low transmission , dang flywheels were like hens teeth . The 360 had nearly 100,000 miles in the cordoba and currently has over 100,000 miles in the truck and is on it's second owner since I sold it.

[@JulesN580]

I had a 1970 Chrysler vip - -fireball 318. What a beautiful motor!

[@wagnergodoy3167]

Chrysler also produced the 318 in Brazil, from 1970 to 1981 (when Chrysler local operation was sold to VW). It equiped the Brazilian Dodge lineup, ranging from fullsize sedas like Dart, LeBaron, coupés like Charger and Magnun, also pickup trucks and trucks. By 1980 there was also an alcohol-only version.

[@kuiper6926]

Darts were only considered full sized around here, in the US, the Late 60's dart (the one we know as the early-late 70s) were already compact sedans

[@akallio9000]

I had an old '81 cop car with a 318 and a ThermoQuad. No bottom end grunt or high end, but it was impressive between 2000 and 4000 rpm. It had big valves like a 360, but the cam choked it off at the high end.

[@nicholaszamelis9471]

I’ve had a 91 d250, tbi two barrel, super easy to work on and parts are cheap. Driven it up and down the east coast u.s. and back across from ca to ny. Love my truck.

[@DSP1968]

This was very informative, Adam, thank you. I now know a lot more about Chrysler engines.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great video really enjoyed!! 👍👍👍

[@perpetualgrin5804]

Here in Australia ,Chrysler always had a reputation for great engines.

[@NorthernChev]

Yes, in 1988 everybody, across the board, seemed to get improved EFI systems. Out with the old, and in with the new.

[@danielcarlson9627]

Very well explained video. Just got an 89 Dodge RC with a 318 and I want to know everything about it

[@weegeemike]

My uncle owned both a 77 Dodge Tradesmen 100 van as well as a 77 Dodge D100 reg cab long bed both with the 318. The van made it to 350k before rebuild and the truck 280k before rebuild...truly remarkable considering the typical 100k lifespan of most carbureted engines, regardless of manufacturer, during the era.

[@muffs55mercury61]

I absolutely loved the 318 since I wasn't interested in jackrabbit starts or going from 0 to 60 in six seconds. For a V8 they were stingy on gas too (about 14-15 mpg in town which was really good back then. And what longevity the engine enjoyed, it's first variation coming out in 1957 on Plymouths.

[@jonmoore8995]

Thank You Adam to feature this great motor, very enjoyable to watch. Looking for a 318 to replace a 273 in my valiant. Maybe feature the 273 someday. You highlighted the 1966 DDart 275 hp motor, nice caveat.

[@rorybellamy2533]

had one in my 2003 Dodge cargo Van , wish I still had it

[@kencooper2059]

Had a bunch of 318s back in the day, they were nearly bullet proof. Souped up one in my '71 Dart GT, 4-barrel manifold and carb, headers, etc. She would scream!

[@CarFacts81]

She … Lmaoooooo

[@rtdc5662]

I've had every variation of the 318. A, LA carburated and tbi, and magnum. Great engines.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

In stock form, they're great reliable engines. If you're willing to do the work, 318s respond well to performance modifications, much like it's big brother, the "giant killer" 340.

[@crankychris2]

Absolutely. All the 340 parts bolted right up to the 318, the heads were much better.

[@member57]

"giant killer" 😂 riiiiight....

[@johncarter1137]

My first car was a 1967 Dodge Dart GT with the 273 two barrel. Not much power but boy did I have fun in that car! I wish I had it back.