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Post by chevykillerx13 on Mar 11, 2015 23:25:57 GMT -5
Just as the title says, I have 2-80s 318s (one mild, one bone stock), 2- 318 magnums, and 1 73 400. I've got 3 diplomats and a 73 plymouth suburban... Apples to apples which is the best fit for each car? Would there be benefit in putting a 318 magnum in place of the 400? Rear gears are either an 8.75 with 4.10's or a 9" with 4.88's, and anything from a 7.00 15LT,7.00 15 Chevron skid steer, or 27" 15 skid steer. This seems like a slightly stupid question, but I figured it could also serve someone trying to figure out what type of engine to search for and build. Also, let's assume builds are equal, and a transmission cooler is used.
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Post by chevykillerx13 on Mar 11, 2015 23:30:36 GMT -5
Let's make it simple and just eliminate any aftermarket mods outside of carburetors and intakes. Exception made for converting the magnum to carb. Stock parts swaps like factory heads and ignition also acceptable.
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Post by themopar17 on Mar 11, 2015 23:43:37 GMT -5
I would say magnum mainly because of the mounting options, magnum blocks have both the standard mopar mounting ears and the the gm style mounts. For converting to carb edelbrock makes a carb intake for magnums or you can put LA heads and intake on.
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kj53
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Post by kj53 on Mar 12, 2015 6:46:21 GMT -5
I'd go with the 400 but I like big blocks
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Post by XtremeMopar#307 on Mar 12, 2015 10:15:24 GMT -5
I've ran 400 big blocks, 383 big blocks, 360 and 318 small blocks... The only one I haven't liked was the 360... And it's a toss up between the 383 and 318 for my favorite... Trying a 318 magnum this year
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Post by TeamMASS#16 on Mar 12, 2015 12:28:39 GMT -5
I said LA block because my 318 has never failed me even after running over 5 mins at WOT with zero water
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hemi1
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Post by hemi1 on Mar 12, 2015 12:31:19 GMT -5
Cubic Inches seperates the men from the boys ...
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Post by XtremeMopar#307 on Mar 12, 2015 13:49:48 GMT -5
I said LA block because my 318 has never failed me even after running over 5 mins at WOT with zero water If you can't run any engine for 5 minutes wide open without water your doing something wrong... Just saying... I've ran big blocks for 15 with no water and had no issues... The 318 I've ran last last few years has to stall on me for any reason |
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mopar17
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Post by mopar17 on Mar 12, 2015 16:00:27 GMT -5
I'll take a 360....have yet to try a magnum though.
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dm440c
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derby drivers against drama- there's no crying in demo derby!
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Post by dm440c on Mar 13, 2015 10:26:47 GMT -5
I voted 318 LA because I like the way they fit in a dippy better than a big block. Love me a 400 though. I am cheap so I don't like buying all the parts needed to convert a Magnum to carb. There ya go, my vote and my reasoning.
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Post by cowdoc on Mar 13, 2015 22:21:12 GMT -5
400. Cheap and Nasty.
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Post by seventyonehemicuda on Mar 13, 2015 23:32:42 GMT -5
DM440 is bang on, diplomats were built for the small block la engines, work is done, they slip right in... and guess what the 318 is a killer demo engine... problem solved. really who wants to go to all the trouble of cutting out motor mounts and welding in new ones to force a 400 in there when a 318/904 slides right in there (just like mom & dad)
the 400 is my favorite derby engine of all time, but its just not worth the effort when a 318 will do the job ten fold, especially with a nice gear ratio at the tail end. save the 400 for a C body. as far as the magnum is concerned, I've never run one in a demo, just doesn't seem worth the effort to me to convert when there are so many small block LA engines around. Maybe some day when there are fewer la engines around i'll go for it but like DM440... I'm CHEAP!!! no need to re-invent the wheel in my eyes (especially if it costs me money).
what if you break the ears off the 400... you'd have wasted it on a dippy.... yuck
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Post by sparks11x on Mar 14, 2015 6:44:35 GMT -5
I personally would say a BBM I ran my 383 last year for like 12 min with no water and it still ran great. I even cut off cause they said I was on fire and it fired right back up with no issues.
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dm440c
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Post by dm440c on Mar 14, 2015 8:15:30 GMT -5
you can put a big block in a dippy but the tunnel clearance is an issue and I like to cut as little of the tunnel as possible; for that matter I prefer running 904 trans instead of 727 in dippys for the same reason...but the real problem is that the engine bay is already tight and tends to get mushed in if you are using a dippy to its fullest, and it's ten times easier to crush the headers on a big block in one of these cars. Again, I'm cheap, headers are expensive and I like my odds with a small block for its clearance. Now, a stroker 400 in a drag car dippy, that's a different story  |
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Post by martin113 on Mar 25, 2015 21:05:22 GMT -5
So are they saying the magnum engine can bolt to the cradle same as chevy's do?
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