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318 to a 360

23K views 206 replies 18 participants last post by  ramchargerkate 
#1 ·
I have previously been posting about my husband and I's 1986 W150 Power Ram.... Long story short, our 318 took a poo so we were on the hunt for a new engine!  Couldn't decide on whether to rebuild, repair, or replace, etc.  We stumbled across a 1976 RV with a 360 and low miles.  In the process of dismantling it now.  We're grabbing the torque converter, but is there anything we are forgetting?  Pics below of the truck for a reminder. 

Fellow RCC users, please advise! :) And thank you!

 

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#3 ·
engine mounts, are slightly different between the two, double check the radiators, if the 318 was "factory" the ignition harness, voltage regulator (charging harness) , dizzy, all accessory brackets (motorhome likely has an upgraded alternator and the "factory" base brackets are different than the high output ones), essentially everything that connects the engine to anything else from the radiator to the trans and from the chassis up.
 
#4 ·
you just need the torque converter for the 360.  you may be lucking with a 76 having a drain plug on the face of the TC.

the 1 driver side motor mount is a little narrower than a 318 motor mount.  depends on what chassis the RV is based on but it should already have truck motor mounts and the rear sump 360 oil pan.

not sure what exhasust manifolds you have on the 318, but i would run the 76 center dump mannys as they will not have the egr/tube ports that need pluged when removing the emissions crap.

everything pretty much swaps from 318 to 360, you just need the correct oil pan/torque converter/drive side MM

thats another thing.. I was wondering how much emission stuff was still on your truck and how much did you plan on keeping?

I myself strip the truck wireharness by-passing most everything and run a pertronix points conversion in a points dist.

strip all of the emission/egr tubes/checkvalves..ect. of of them to run headers/duels.

what intake do you have to run? a 340/360 head has the large ports so a good intake to match with a 4-v carb is needed.

even more!!! are you going to paint it up nice when it goes in?  you know...put some lipstick and eyeliner on it??  HEMI ORANGE! always works in a truck.

what trans? what xfer? what gears? size tires? on that rig.




 

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#5 ·
#7 ·
Looks like you also have the makings of a great on-board- air system with that AC compressor and brackets as well!
 
#8 ·
Here's what we know: The data plate on the dodge motor home shows the date 6/7/1976.  The odometer shows 85,133 miles.  Here's what's cool.......  Found a detail auto record book for the RV, every gas fill up to oil changes.  Looking through the records indicates in 1993, new engine.  Mileage at that time was 72,898 meaning the difference from the current odometer this motor should have only 12,235 miles.  It was last registered 1999. From 99 to present there has only been 1006 miles added.  So, we looked at the block date and it shoes 5/08/75. Could be a 78, but a little rusty, so my thinking is the engine was rebuilt using the same block but either way since the engine replacement, I've got a heck of a low mile 360 with a little over 12K miles.

The engine number is 4006830-360-4.  We took EVERYTHING.  Wiring harness, torque converter, engine mounts, starter... anything the wiring harness was plugged into, we unbolted that part too. 

440Power:  The 318 that came out of the truck was bolted to a 727.  Pollution was already scrapped.  Running aluminum intake and 4B with stock mani's. And its def getting makeup!

I read that some auto transmissions have the lockup.  I Need more help understanding this. What can I look at?
We have dana 60's, 410 gears, and 37 inch tires.
 
#9 ·
Hey Sls001, thanks for the links. When I get back this evening I'm going to review them. In the meantime, I hope this torque converter I got goes in the current xmsn but won't know until I get more understanding about the lockup-type xmsn's....
 
#10 ·
ramchargerkate said:
Hey Sls001, thanks for the links. When I get back this evening I'm going to review them. In the meantime, I hope this torque converter I got goes in the current xmsn but won't know until I get more understanding about the lockup-type xmsn's....
Personally, I would use the B&M flex plate and not the old RV converter unless you know that there was nothing wrong with the RV trans.

Your Rams trans shouldn't have been lock-up but I wouldn't know for certain about the RV's.
 
#11 ·
Neither trans will be lockup.  Lockup didn't' come out till 78 on some cars.  4x4 pickups didn't get it till early 90's.

The engine is black which isn't original.  They were originally blue.  Everything else on the engine looks 70's ish.
 
#12 ·
chrysler300le said:
Neither trans will be lockup. Lockup didn't' come out till 78 on some cars. 4x4 pickups didn't get it till early 90's.

The engine is black which isn't original. They were originally blue. Everything else on the engine looks 70's ish.
yep, no lockup convertors on truck 727's.
additionally - if the rv engine mounts are different for some reason, you can use your 318 mounts - the pass side is a direct boltup the driver's side will need several washers. I ran one like this for years with NO ISSUES.

as mentioned - you'll need a 360 specific rear sump pan (probably have one on there I didn't look at the photo)
 
#13 ·
Almost looks like it will bolt it. Correct pan, look to be correct motor mount brackets but hard to tell from side. Wiring really wont do you any good because yours isnt a 70s camper. They could have purchased a reman motor which I believe they try to get you the same yr motor as being replaced. That could be reson for being black. Looks like you wont have much trouble if any.
 
#16 ·
my 85 727 2x truck was a lock up trans. but will wager it was a 2x truck thing not 4x4 trucks.

with the TC removed from the trans, look at the end of the input shaft...if the end is milled smooth about 1" to 1.5 " it is a lock up trans. the valve body will have the lock up valve/port with a small tube running across the top of VB to another port..hydro lock-up.  VB with a noid came later to work the lock-up valve.

if the input shaft has splines all the way to tip of shaft it is a non lock up, the 4x4 truck and the RV will have a stock low stall TC for lowend torque/pulling.

you can upgrade the TC non lock up or lock up to a stock Highstall TC with about 1800-2300 rpm stall depending on engine torque.

on lock up trans I have used a blocker rod to block the LU valve in the VB and run a stock high stall lock up TC..never locks up so it stays a 3 speed auto with a stock highstall.

keeping it to a stock stall specs with a remaned TC lets it have just enuff stall to torque up just off idle. I get mine from a local trans shop around 120$ and are well worth the $ for the upgrade with a 318 engine and even better for a 360 engine.  even better turning 4.10s scratching with 35-40 inch tires.

great score!! on a low milage 360.  well done shoping for low budget sales.







 
#19 ·
440 POWER:  Just pulled the TC out of the dodge to look at the splines and it reveals I have a non lockup xmsn.  Splines go all the way to the end of the shaft, awesome.

Now, how can I tell exactly if I have a 727 or a 904 xmsn?  I've always assumed it was a 727 but now that I'm getting more personal with it, my guess is I need to look at the oil pan but idk, still a newbie here, and a girl  ::) :p

But it's safe to assume the 360 and TC I pulled from the 76 RV is a non lockup.
 
#20 ·
Going back out there soon but the current intake on my 318 is an aluminum edlerbrock with 4BBL.
 
#22 ·
340SHORTY said:
You will need a set of 360 motor mount brackets and IIRC the van 1s are different...
A Driver's Side 318 Motor Mount Bracket can be used on a 340 / 360, by shimming the mount back (IIRC its back, not forward?) about 1/4"

3 (or 4, depending on if its a 360 or 340) 1/4" thick Washers between the block ears and bracket are a popular and common method of using a 273/318 on a 340/360, especially in the muscle car crowd where 340/360 mounts are hard to find and highly sought after.
 
#24 ·
ramchargerkate said:
Quick question.... what is this?
Cruise Control Servo/Motor. If your truck has Cruise Control it would be mounted to the Driver's Side Fenderwell. Since the motor came from an RV, they mounted the Cruise Control servo right to the motor, due to a lack of space to bolt stuff anywhere else.
 
#25 ·
Chris...my truck doesn't have cruise control and the part is ugly.  So I guess I should remove it :).  And could you tell me what type of dipstick this is?  It came from the 76 RV and has wires going to it.
 

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#26 ·
ramchargerkate said:
Chris...y truck doesn't have cruise control and the part is ugly. So I guess I should remove it :). And could you tell me what type of dipstick this is? It came from the 76 RV and has wires going to it.
I have never seen a Dodge Small Block use one of those before, but I do recognize it (it is commonly found on Mitsubishi Diesels, which I know like the back of my hand)

Its a Dipstick with an Oil Level Sensor built in. It turns on an indicator light, should the oil fall below a safe level.

EDIT : Looking closer (had to turn my head to the side, lol) You're holding the Transmission Dipstick (with a fluid level sensor), notice it says "Check Idling in Neutral"
 
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