Originally Posted By: thorromig
Always luv when you put your touch/feedback on things pertaining to Mopar products 440Magnum!!
Well, I've got >3/4 of a million miles on them... almost half of that on a 318.
When I was much more active in the car hobby and swapped wrenching weekends with friends, I've worked on Fords, Chevies, a magnificent Caddy 472, Buicks, a Pontiacs, an Olds, and a a Mazda or two. I love everything mechanical.
They each have their own good points- I love the initial oil flow into the distribution galleries on the small-block Chevy more than just about anything... the Mopars (big and small) would benefit enormously from that central equivalent of the human aorta that the SBC has. Its why the SBC doesn't have to waste nearly as much power turning its own oil pump. But I always thanked the Mopar gods that I didn't have to live with the small-diameter SBC lifters or short conrods. But once you're behind the wheel? Meh. They both run great most of the time, and are tougher to kill than cockroaches. Throw the Windsor and FE Ford blocks in that category too.
I just happen to be pretty familiar with what realistically goes right/wrong with the 318/5.2, as well as a lot of misconceptions about it. Example- its NOT "sludge prone" as is often claimed, its prone to that lower intake plenum failure that can, under the right conditions, create a metric poopload of sludge. But its not something inherent in the engine, the way it was with the later POS 2.7L v6 or the more problematic of the Toyotas from the early 2000's.
But I digress... ;-)
