New to the DodgeForum! I am on my 3rd dodge! bought an old RAM 2 door Waggon from my Brother in Law in 2001. Bought an old 318 out of a junk yard to put in it, ran it hot 4 times and it still ran when I traded it in on my first 1500 Laramie. DODGE RED quad cab called it "MO" 5.9 magnum. In 2010 I traded off a 1999 GMC Z71 for my "BIG MO" 2001 RAM SPORT 1500 5.2 L (318). ADDICTED to MOPAR!
One Week ago "BIG MO" started heating up, cooling down, heating up cooling down then "BAM" blew head gasket. THink the Plenum was already blown, cause it only got 13 MPG and power was in the "pooper"!
what plenum do you guys recommend? I am thinking of rebuilding the 318 from the bottom up! Looking for performance suggestions and previous experiences! LOOKING forward to ideas and sharing the rebirth of "BIG MO"! thanks

South Alabama born and raised!

 

EGAD!! Its the attack of the monster TONGUE!!! Cool dog.

13 mpg really isn't bad for these trucks.... especially the 4x4's.....

How much do you want to spend on your rebuild??

 

Well I would like a good Intake, performance cam (nothing too Lopey), Headers with Walker Exhaust, Spark Enhancement! Nothing too Spunky just something fun! It did not knock or rattle before the BLOW! but we are dealing with 154,000 of unknown mileage before I got it. It Currently has 165000. Don't think it is hurt too bad, BUT I much rather tear it all the way down, "mic" the crank, check the cylinders replace wrist pins and rings bearings, oil pump seals, water pump, manual gauges, "AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!"

 

LOLOLOL.

I have a pear tree, but, it still doesn't bear any fruit. (just like the damn money tree I planted. dammit.)

Hughes Air Gap is the most common manifold. Mopar M1 is another you can take a look at. Torque/power curves for them are pretty similar. M1 is single plane though, and is more designed for upper RPM power.

Match your cam to the RPM range you want your power in. What do you do with the truck? Tow/haul? Off-Road (and what KIND of off-roading....)? Drag Race? That's gonna be the major decider in what cam you want.

Better heads would be in order as well. There are some low-cost alternatives from Clearwater, or, Odessa cylinder heads in florida. Better than stock replacements for under 300, bigger valve heads for around 450 or so. Buy two for the price of one 'performance' head anywhere else..... (stock heads have too thin deck, and are prone to cracking. If you have overheated them, don't even bother having them checked, just replace them.)

If it doesn't make rude noises, most of the rotating assembly can be re-used. Expect to have to bore the cylinders, and replace pistons though. Get pistons with good valve reliefs, 318 doesn't have a lot of piston to valve clearance from the factory. Don't get to berserk on compression ratio either.

Free flowing exhaust.

Double roller timing set. (this one gave my 165000 mile motor a nice bump in power, the original was stretched pretty bad)

Probably won't need larger injectors..... probably......

Stock coil/ignition system is fine for the above mods. The multispark boxes don't really get you any more power, just wear parts out faster.

Custom tune from hemifever to make it all play nice together.

 

GEARS!!!!!!! LOL Nice dog btw,

 

Mudding, when hunting!

Don't Dragg but I am a Country Boy Who Want's to Be Country Wide! Have a 6X12 enclosed trailer that I pull and hope to juice it up enough to pull My 1976 Massey 235. Just like to Chill on the Dirt Roads Laid Back Like George Jones!

Simple Rebuild with improved heads, Plentum and Timing Gear and Roller Chain I Guess?

 

Gears, LOL

 

I Reviewed your Recommendations and they seem to be right on track to get "Big MO" back on the ROAD AGAIN Are there web sites for Clearwater Heads or the other one you mentioned? I forget so easily.

Thanks Again!

 

You can find them on Ebay. Clearwater has a website, but, their online store seems to be having issues at the moment, otherwise, I would just give you a direct link to your choices.....

Clearwater.

Odessa on Ebay.

Since you want to tow, you don't want a really lumpy cam, you want something designed for low end grunt. You also want to say with the small valve heads (1.92 intake)

I think you would like the huges intake manifold as well. (not just the plenum plate, the Air gap manifold. albeit, it ain't precisely cheap.....)

 

Checked out Hughes today. If I use the Manifold HUG5409

HUGHES / EDELBROCK FI AIRGAP KIT WILL IT BE NECESSARY TO PURCHASE THE PLENUM PLATE OR DOES THIS KIT TAKE CARE OF THE PLENUM PROBLEM.

I also like the HUG4670
MAGNUM IRON RAMS W/ 1.92' VLVS & SPRNGS
YOU THINK THESE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT? FOR THE COST DIFFERENCE AND KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE, I THINK I WILL JUST ORDER IT ALL FROM HUGHES?