Thanks for looking.

I'm looking for some ideas because back in the mid '90s I lost my 360 (out of a '73 camper special) and replaced it with a 318 high compression it was a 67 I believe(?). It had a 2 barrel manifold on it so I put an adapter plat on and a 4 off of a slant 6 (with a little re jetting) that truck ran 20mpg in town and 22 down the hwy. Now I understand I will never pull 6K on the tac with that setup but it improved the bottom end and throttle response.

Now working with that experience I would think that I could gain better results with this package (NOT the MAG) but was hopping to find someone that had real world trial and error. But at the same time I'm open to maybe just taking the whole idea and throwing out the window.

I think rather then beating a dead horse I will just look at other ideas like a good torque/mpg cam and just try to think inside the box a little more.

Thank you everyone for you replies

I agree that you should just do some maintainence to the 360 and bolt it in.

As for mileage, this always comes down to someone with little money trying to stretch it a bit further.
The cheapest way to increase mileage in most cases is to buy a $300-700 MPG beater.
Yes you can low-buck together a low RPM high torque small block and tune it to get decent mileage. But you are still out the time, money and effort to push a heavy brick through the air.

Examples from ID
http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/2545556261.html
http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/2545409750.html

Thanks for the replies.
I have a little Nissan Sentra that I have been able to pull 42mpg out of on a daily bases.
The point in all this was for fun trying something outside the box on my daily driver and hunting/pulling truck, I have other toy's for the hp gpm (yes I put that in right) I just wanted to try something different. But I think I will let this thread die and look another way.

I do want to thank your all for you ideas.

RodStRace: I like the stacking in your shop wish I had one in mine.

A few things, I've put swirl port heads from a 318 onto a 360 with a Performer intake and a 340 repro cam. Better mileage and torque than with the stock 79 360 heads. Would I replace magnum heads with the 302'S? No.

Also, drilling the oiling hole in the block so that a Magnum block can run LA heads is no major feat, Chrysler only drilled millions of them over the years, if it's beyond your machine shops ability get a different shop.

Thank you.
I just want to play with this idea. I have dropped the Magnum idea and am on the hunt for a LA block only because I'm not building a performance motor just a motor to play with and have a little out of the box fun.

I'm thinking of trying just what your talking about with a XE250H (Very Strong Torque, Excellent Mileage, Smooth Idle) Comp cams and putting a Holley 600 with vac secondary's on it (because I have one).

Did the setup you tried raise your compression?

Yes compression was raise and I ran the XE262H cam at one point. Top speed was more limited by carb choice than anything else. Ran an Ebrock 600 and it's do 115, put the Ebrock 750 and it's do 125+, ex cop Diplomat. But the 600 was the better choice for mileage all around.

Ok I have to try this build.
I think it would be a fun one to play with even if I pull it in a year to try something else.
I thank you for you info its nice to see someone thats tried it and can tell me a little about it.
Is there anything that I should look out for in this build out side the norm?

Not really, it's pretty straightforward.

Did you use the push rods from the 360?
And if so how close were they? (I will check but I was wondering on your experience)

Yes, I used the 360's pushrods since the 318 was a roller cam and those pushrods are too short for a regular cam. all LA's use the same pushrods, based on the cam type that is.

Welcome to MoParts

I done a few myself,most with the stock 360 4-V cam

I mainly did it for a stockish 4x4 engine for the low end torque in the mud.

some of the early mag block are drilled for the LA oil passage,it is blocked at the head gasket and head.

best 360 would be an 89 or so pre-mag with roller cam,this will up the performance with roller liftes and cam choise.

I have noticed 90-92 318/tbi engine oil thru the roller lifters with hollow PR AND the old LA style thru the head and and rocker shaft.

when I swaped in my roller cam,it now oils both ways to the rockers so it ready for a mag head swap next..the head oily is figured out and ready.

of corse if you go roller you use all of the stock roller gear and shorter PR with stock shaft rockers.

there are a few ways of doing what you want with what you have,just pick all the right parts and put together a fun pre-mag roller engine cheaply and all stock part..just a cam and spring swap is needed.

the mag heads are the same head 5.2/318 or 5.9/360 and need more speical part to match up the older LA tranz and TC

the mag heads have a diff intake bolt pattern which in itself can be a hold up on "what intake" to use or redrilled.

I liked all mine that I did its no race engine but it does have some grunt for a working truck.

I used the 340 resto cam with a holley street dom intake 600 cfm on the one in my 68Dart,with a stock HS TC with 3.55 gears it was a blast to drive

all the 4x4s got thrashed and they held up great

I have done a few pontiacs with the 350/400 head swaps for the same thing back in the day when I drove a lemans sport

I bet most that knock it have not did a back yard re-ring on a 360 and used a set of the #302 heads..(which had just come out when I did it) to have some FUN WITH WHAT YA BRUNG!


best part is telling everyone "its just a 318 from a little old ladys dart"

sometimes less can be more fun

I thought you did but I was just checking to see if you used the stock or bought aftermarket.
Thank you for your info.

It's time for me to round up 360 and start playing

scratchnfotraction= I cant wait to find a 360 and get this little toy built
I think its going to be a blast stuffed in my short box 4x4.
Like I've been saying, its just for fun and I can't think of any other motor that you can put together so easily and for the price that would just drop into my truck like this setup will and have the mpg potential that this could (if I can keep my foot out of it).

5.2 and 5.9 Magnum heads are the same head, maybe cast in a different place but the same nonetheless.

For all the trouble you're going through I'd say BUY THE MAG MOTOR and put it in your truck.

It's the best of both worlds. Put a carb on it and your favorite distributor and go go go.

R.

and if you want a little more go, send the cam to bullet cams, and have their HR259/316 reground into the intake and exhaust, and use hughes engines' #1110 springs and their retainers.

will still idle very mild, but make a ton of power from about 1500 to about 5300 RPM.