1989 Dodge Van Engine?

I am picking up an 89 Dodge van with a 318. It is an automatic and EFI.

I am gathering pieces for a budget daily driver type 318 for my A body. Most likely carburetor equipped.

Regarding this 318, a couple of questions:

What head castings should they be?
Compression ratio-Rated?
Roller cam yes or no?

Is the transmission is a 904 with a low-gear set and lock-up?

Basically I would like to clean it up and throw a carb, distributor and use it as is. I am primarily interested in MPG with performance being secondary to mileage although both would be good.

Thanks people.

ROB

All I know, is that it should be roller cammed and probably roller double timing chain.

should be the 318 swirl port closed chamber heads and little ports 1.78/1.50 vales

around 9.0 to 1 CR,roller cam(short nose/no fuel pump)

904 would be lock up and low gear set(may have the silnoid VB for the lock up/wire in the back corner on tranz case)

it will resond well to a LD4B intake and 600 eddy carb,headers with the stock roller cam

the lunati roller cam 60710 is a good one for a street engine,use comp 901-16 springs and the stock roller lifters,push rods,rockers

258/264
207/213
.485/.485

it will have the LA style oiling to the rockers thru the heads

and it may have hollow PR oiling thru the lifters also,I have had a couple like this so far

the early roller cam engines did not have the oil thru roller lifters

just something for yout to check and look at while you cleaning it up and painting it

my last one is a 88 cop engine 318 with 360 heads,I swaped in the lunati roller cam and hardware from a 1990 318 tbi engine(4-v 318 has 360 heads and flat tappet cam with roller block)

Don't forget the truck guys like the van lower control arms if you are parting out the van.

You'll need to run an electric fuel pump or make allowances to add a mechanical fuel pump, this engine has no fuel pump eccentric and I'm not sure the stock cam will allow adding one.

Robert

good call,I didnt think of LCA with pockets

i would be interested in them if you scrap it

I am in need of a set

OK that helps.

A couple of more questions:

Are the head castings the 302's? Or at least that good?

What other stuff is of any real value on the van? I am going to use what I need to mechanically, but there may be other things it sounds like others could use. I will recycle what other parts I can into my other two 89 trucks etc.

As far as the engine goes, it sounds like just what I am after. A mellow street cruiser that I can "hopefully" get 20 MPG out of on a daily basis.

Keep in mind that I am getting rid of my boring DD and likely will use this car alot of the time.

I have the following parts on hand and would like to use them, because they are just gathering dust on the shelf.

1. NIB Double Roller Chain
2. Eddy Performer Intake
3. NIB Eddy Aluminum head valve springs
4. Holley 600, Thermoquads, Eddy 600 Carbs
5. 85 904 Lock-Up out of a Diplomat

I am leaning towards the Eddy but I want to use whatever will get me the best MPG.

I don't want 20 MPG once in awhile, daily would be good!

ROB

Steering column
outside mirrors
side marker lights (they tend to break where the light socket fits)
Door handles are shared w/trucks I think.
if you are considering a rod someday, the fuse panel and wiring along with any switches and cluster.
wheels
Will the bumpers work on a truck?

should be 302 or equivalent heads, roller cam, 9:1 ratio, and be pretty much spot on with that.. the voodoo scratchin' suggested is a good fit, or send yours to bulletcams and have them regrind. use their HR259/316 lobe for the intake and the same for the exhaust, or up the exhaust to the HR266/325 if you plan on keeping the 302 heads, and if you plan on manifolds.

trans should be a lockup 904 with lockup override activated by a solenoid, or it could be an A500 overdrive. rear should be a 9 1/4