OK I get it ....fuel mileage is going to suck regardless. What about swapping to a 5.9 with and " RV" cam? Would I see a night and day difference in towing and power or should I drop a cam in the existing 5.2 engine and buy a SCT.
I've been told buy local Mopar drag racers not to waste a dime on the 318, put your money in a 360.
Your thoughts.

 

Well, there is the old adage: "nothing beats the almighty cubic inch."

The 318 IS a capable motor, but, dollar for dollar, you get more power from more cubes. That's just the way it is. The funniest part is.... fuel economy is pretty similar between the two engines.

 

There are a few guys here that will tell you the 318 responds to engine mod's better then the 360......

 

I think stock, the 318 is higher compression, or some such.

 

I have a 98 360 4 X 4, and had an 01 318 2wd work truck. The 360 truck can get 14 mpg if all hwy. I never got over 11 mpg with the 318 2wd 01. I don't know if it was geared lower, had the deathflash, was just a lemon, or all of the above.

 

The '01 came with death flash from the factory, and if the '98 ever went the dealer for any work it was re-programmed with the death flash too.

 

Which I'm gonna point out again is exaggerated to be worse than it is... Beeker did multiple runs on a dyno comparing death flash to the different canned sct tunes...maxumim difference was 4hp and 20lbs of torgue and an almost identical power curve... I believe that was also a 318...
It depends on driving style but 3.55 gears can hurt mpg with 33" tires (although not as much with a stick again depending on driving style) and certianly isnt helping in the power dept....

 

My dad always said, "There's no replacement for displacement!"

That being said, I'm running a 318, and getting around 13 - 13.5 on average. Just went back to a smaller tire, and I'm curious to see what that does for me.