318 2-barrel
1967 onwardApplication/year dependent
High-volume passenger-car and truck version
Mopar 318 LA V8 enginePhoto: Dariomutu · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mopar · LA Small-Block
Mopar 318 LA V8
The high-volume LA workhorse that powered Mopar cars and trucks for decades.
318
Cubic inches
The 318 became Chrysler's bread-and-butter small-block, valued more for durability, availability and swap practicality than headline factory horsepower.
Key variants
All variants318 2-barrel318 4-barrel / police-performance applications
Displacement
318 ci
Bore
3.91"
Stroke
3.31"
Years
1967–1991 LA-family production era
Key Takeaway
The 318 used the LA family's 3.31-inch stroke with a larger 3.91-inch bore, creating a durable small-block tuned for broad everyday use rather than maximum factory performance. Its simple cast-iron OHV construction made it adaptable across cars, vans, trucks, and utility vehicles.
Technical Specifications
- Compression
- Varied by year; representative late-1960s/early-1970s production around 8.6–9.2:1
- Horsepower
- Varies by year/application; see documented variants
- Torque
- Representative 1967–71 318 2-barrel: about 320 lb-ft
- Architecture
- 90-degree OHV V8
- Block
- Cast iron
- Cylinder heads
- Cast iron
- Valvetrain
- Pushrod OHV, 2 valves per cylinder
- Aspiration
- Naturally aspirated
- Fuel delivery
- Carbureted; later electronic fuel injection in selected applications
- Firing order
- 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
The 318 used the LA family's 3.31-inch stroke with a larger 3.91-inch bore, creating a durable small-block tuned for broad everyday use rather than maximum factory performance. Its simple cast-iron OHV construction made it adaptable across cars, vans, trucks, and utility vehicles.
Internal Specifications
Variant-specific values are labeled. Engine families that span multiple years or RPOs can have different heads, cams, induction and rotating parts, so the exact code/year always takes priority.
Identification & Output
- Engine codes / RPO
- E44 (318 2-barrel body-data-tag code, representative 1969–71), E45 (318 2-barrel high-performance code, representative 1973–74)
- Casting numbers
- 2536030 (1967–75 318 LA reference), 2806030 (shared 273/318 LA reference), 4104230 (Mopar race-block reference; verify exact application)
- Power rating
- SAE gross through 1971; SAE net from 1972 depending application
- Horsepower RPM
- Representative 1967–71 318 2-barrel: 230 hp @ 4400 rpm (SAE gross)
- Torque RPM
- Representative 1967–71 318 2-barrel: about 320 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Operating Specs
- Production notes
- The LA 318 entered production for 1967 and became one of Chrysler’s longest-lived small-blocks, spanning passenger cars, vans and trucks before the 5.2 Magnum redesign.
Compatibility Notes
- Do not confuse the LA 318 with the earlier polyspherical-head A-series 318; top-end parts are not directly interchangeable.
- Later roller-cam, balance, oil-pan, accessory and emissions hardware varies by application, so identify the exact year before ordering swap or rebuild parts.
Notable Applications
Dodge DartPlymouth DusterDodge DiplomatDodge RamDodge Ramcharger
Strengths
- Huge production base and broad parts availability
- Durable street and truck foundation
- Shares core LA-family architecture with 273/340/360
Weaknesses / Watch-outs
- Small bore and economy-oriented factory combinations limit stock airflow
- Factory output varied widely across emissions-era applications
Common Upgrades
- Four-barrel intake
- Cylinder-head upgrade
- Camshaft and dual exhaust
Racing History & Legacy
The LA 318 was primarily a high-volume production engine rather than one of Chrysler’s purpose-built Max Wedge or Hemi package-car engines. Its competition relevance is mainly production-based Stock/Super Stock and grassroots racing, where NHRA classes retain the correct production engine family while permitting controlled performance modifications.
Its durability and availability made the 318 one of Mopar's most familiar small-blocks.
References & Image Credit
Engine image: Dariomutu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Ram / Dodge V8 heritage
manufacturer history
MaxWedge — Chrysler/Mopar engine bore and stroke reference
specialist technical reference
Mopar Enthusiast Network — 1966–1974 engine specification chart
historical specification
Mopar Performance electronic ignition instructions — Chrysler V8 firing order
manufacturer instruction
Mopar engine block casting-number reference
specialist reference
1969–1974 Mopar body-data-tag engine code reference
historical code reference
Stellantis — Mopar package-car and racing heritage
manufacturer motorsport history
NHRA — Stock and Super Stock class structure
sanctioning body reference
Key Factory / Build Variants
318 4-barrel / police-performance applications
variousApplication/year dependent
Higher-output factory variants before the Magnum era
Engineering Notes Worth Knowing
01
318 cu in / 5.2 L with 3.91 x 3.31-inch bore and stroke.
02
90-degree OHV LA-family V8 with cast-iron block and heads.
03
Carbureted through most of its classic production life; later electronic fuel injection appeared in selected applications.
04
Shared core LA architecture with the 273, 340, and 360.
History · context · related reading
The Story Behind Mopar 318 LA V8
The 318 became one of Chrysler's most familiar V8s because it was everywhere. It was not the halo engine of the family, but its durability and huge production base made it one of the most practical classic Mopar engines.
TorqueList Garage Reference Series
See this engine inside the full Mopar reference catalog.
The same Engine Library data now powers a more detailed mobile-friendly catalog with technical specs, variants, engineering notes, history and related stories.