Trying to decide engine option on Ramcharger

Bought my 16 year old son a 1989 Ramcharger a couple of weeks ago. He killed the 318 in less than a week. Overheated on the highway and then developed a wicked knock. Can't necessarily fault him since we have no idea on the actual mileage etc on the truck.

Now, I have to decide to either:

A) rebuild the 318 (been quoted $1500 for rebuild with new pistons, stock sized cam, a valve job, new rings and bearings)

B) I have a buddy with a 340 he puled out of a car 20+ years ago that I know for a fact ran really well before he scrapped the car. He has offered me that engine for $1500 "or so"

C) Find a 318 or 360 Magnum motor to swap in

D) not really an option due to finances but my son wants to put int a newer 5.7 Hemi

E) scrap the truck and find him something else

Thoughts?

340 with the correct flywheel and a wood block under the gas pedal to keep a fast young foot under control.

5.9 Magnums are cheap and easy to find. Plus they last a long time.

I would fix it the easiest and cheapest way, find a used 318 and put it in. I would have given you one two weeks ago if you were closer. But its in engine heaven now. My next choice would be a 5.2 Magnum, but that would only be after absolutely no 318 LA's were out there.

Comments added. How much of a project do you want and how is the rest of the truck?

First question is, will the kid have some skin in the swap? His lead foot will never get any lighter if all he has to do is blow them up.

Him and I would do an LA 318 or a 5.2 Mag. If your keeping the carb, look for an LA 318. Gene

florida? Scrap a ramcharger? Up here in the rust belt that would be most likely... but down there where theres no snow so therefore no salt or brine on the road? Blown up or not, send it to me here in Illinois. I'll take care of the engine. and drive the He11 out of it.

$100 JY 318 and he does the work.

Swap in a magnum, either one, had both, don't have a serious preference 318 or 360, both very good. Have the 5.7, very expensive but LOTS of fun, maybe too much fun. 2¢

Robert

The body on the RC is darn close to perfect. The only rust is behind the passenger rear wheel well and is less than the size of a dollar bill.

We have decided not to scrap it since it is so clean and he really wants it due to its uniqueness around here.

I may look in the local scrap yards first before going the 340 route.

Hemi swap is out due to costs and scope of the project. School starts again in about 3-4 weeks and, frankly, I was looking forward to no longer being the morning taxi as I have been for the past 16+ years (including taking his older brother to school everyday from age 3...).

I would think you could find a used, running 318 or 360 locally. Since its for a new driver, I'd get one for a couple hundred bucks and throw it in.
Make him do the work while you watch. My dad did that to me - and 25 years later, I am still playing with cars.

He's already pulled the interior apart and is cleaning and painting whatever needs it plus looking for new seats.

Go 5.7 , spend the cash now and be done with it.
http://bouchillonperformance.com/inc/sdetail/669/742

I do not agree. Every kid wrecks his or her first car. The truck needs a 318.

Go to where there are retirees (I know, hard to find down there) and buy a Fifth Avenue, preferably with the hydraulic roller cam, meaning '86 or newer, maybe '85 will have it. My Mom's Fifth had a little over 100K and you could still see the honing marks in the cylinders. I could have reused the bearings, they were all very good. Dress the engine with the stuff from the RC.

The later model two barrel 318s are more efficient than earlier ones, better chamber. I mean the ones in the Fifth Avenues.

Add dual exhaust from the manifolds but nothing else until he's been driving it for a while. He'll have to live with the 2-barrel carb. The Fifth Avenue's exhaust manifolds have 360-sized ports so no need to change, if they fit in the chassis.

The 318 is known among car people as the engine that is too tough to die. So this kid must be super talented. Don't give him anything you aren't willing to have come back as scrap. No 340s and no Hemis. You'll live to regret either of those.

Replacing in kind is the quickest and least likely to result in a dead RC gracing your driveway for the next four years.

R.

I have a running 91 318 you can have free minus the whiplash roller cam in it. it goes in my other 318 next.

need headers?

got all the hydro clutch stuff with a 4 speed or a nv4500 5 speed for it.

nice 8 3/4 that bolts in as well.

even have a set of wheel tubs if he wants to shackle flip & tub it for some fattys.

I agree with your son.. not many running around here in my part of FL.

I am looking to make a 2x gasser out of a 4x4 RC (or W150) so it has a tube axle and leafs up front.

I say go for it! at his age and having something that old is a good start to having a hot rod in his mid life.

Are you getting rid of the TBI?

Not sure. I want to keep it as cheap as possible, so I will probably keep it. Thoughts?

I found a 1990 318 TBI locally that I can get for $250. Guy says it ran great and was in his RC as a daily driver but he got a wicked good deal on a built 360 so he swapped it out. I figure I can do timing gear & chain, water pump, gaskets, and freeze plugs on it for around $100 and get him back on the road.

Hey Scratchinfortraction - what kind of headers do you recommend? I know you have put together a bunch of D100's and am thinking that is the one performance mod I will do while the engine is being swapped...

BTW - what is a whiplash cam?

Update - ended up finding a rebuilt 318 that had some performance upgrades done to it. Supposedly, it ran great in a 71 Dart. Mild cam, 30 over, 1970 340 heads and intake.

Finally started taking the old engine out yesterday (instead of watching the NFL). Hope to have it back on the road by the end of the week for my son. Ordering headers for it this am and should have them here by Wednesday.

Doing just that! He is doing the bulk of the work together with his friend who is also 16. I am getting the new engine ready to drop in while they pull the old one. I know it is taking longer than if I were to turn the wrenches myself, but he is certainly getting some worthwhile experience in the process.

Ahh the good old days.
That is probably how most of us got started.
I didn't have a Dad to help.
So here's a Fer ya Pops.
My friends Dads were very helpful and supportive.
He'll learn about responsibility, cooperation, and mechanics.
Nice looking truck.
Whats up with that bumper?

Needs a new bumper for sure LOL

Yeah, my Dad never helped me either when I was a kid, truthfully, he was not around at the time - he had taken a job out of state. And even if he had been there, he just wasn't into working on cars at all. I tore apart my first 1971 Challenger when I was the same age as my son. No help from Dad, No manual, No Internet (of course it was 1983 Al Gore hadn't invented it yet LOL), just a will to make my car better and faster Had help from my neighbors who were Chevelle junkies.

After we get her back on the road, we are going to give her a nice fresh coat of paint (and a new front bumper at the same time). He also wants to add some 4th Gen Ram front seats to make the ride more comfortable.

Sounds like a plan.
Looking forward to the "after" pictures with some smiling faces.
My first time around was a '66 Coronete 500.
Running like crap.
Took it to a shop.
Still ran like crap.
Figured I could do no worse.
Found out the Library had books.
Bought a cheap set of tools and I was off and running.
Turned out to be bad points.
Once I got a replacement for it,
I tore it down to a bare body shell.
Still have some parts laying around.
That was like 1975.
Learned a lot of things not to do.
Neighborhood kids all helped each other out a lot in those days.

While you at it, you should find a 518 so the highway trips are easier on that newer motor.

Started installing new engine yesterday. Hope to have it fired up later today but keep hitting parts snafus...

Coming along very nicely.

I think your snafu is caused by the "Lite" beer.

Always get the good stuff.

I came in late on this one, but I think you have gone the right route. Dogdays idea was good too (318 out of '85 or newer..). I would NEVER have spent the money on the 5.7 route for a sixteen year old. AND, you're having him work on the truck. PERFECT! I like others here was working on cars before I could drive them and had a passion in me. I was born with it because no dad to instill it. Paid for my own '67 D150 ($150), rusted out POS, poly 318, 3 on the tree, sitting rotting in someone's back yard. Anyway, I'd still think that 340 you mentioned is a good buy if it was stored properly.

I'm so glad you didn't scrap the Ramcharger! Any year RC is a collectible. I'm working on getting my '79 Power Wagon short bed 360 back on the road btw. I'm in Melbourne Florida.

P.S. Isn't that just like Scratchinfortraction to offer up something free to help out! Good guy.

make sure that radiator is checked and/or replaced

You can get a new radiator over the counter for a little over a hunert bux. I have one in each of my trucks. They are plastic and aluminum, but so are the modern cars. I see no reason not to use one unless you want a resto deal.

Radiator is brand new - was the first thing we replaced on the truck when he got it. Drove it with the old engine for less than a week before it crapped out. It is the plastic/aluminum version. Seems to be getting the job done.

Too late to talk him into a crate Hemi 392 then?