318 "A" or "LA" ?

[Fishfan]

For 10 years I've owned a 1966 Polara with a 318 engine. I was always under the impression that it was an "A" engine and not the later "LA" 318. I was looking at a VIN decoder on a website that claims the 5th digit as an "E" signifies a "318 1-2BBL 8 Cylinder "LA" engine".

I believe 1966 was right around the switch from the "A" to the "LA". Does anyone have a definitive answer to which power plant is in my 1966 Polara 318.

 

[1978 NYB]

The LA engines are a family of pushrod OHV 90° V gasoline engines built by Chrysler Corporation. It was factory-installed in passenger vehicles, trucks and vans, commercial vehicles, marine and industrial applications from 1964½ through 2003. The combustion chambers are wedge-shaped, rather than the polyspherical combustion chambers in the predecessor A engine or the hemispherical chambers in the Chrysler Hemi engine. All are cast iron, except for the Viper V10 which is aluminum. LA engines have the same 4.46-inch (113 mm) bore spacing as the A engines.
LA engines were made at Chrysler's Mound Road Engine plant in Detroit, Michigan as well as plants in Canada and Mexico. The "L" in "LA" stands for light, as the older "A" engine was nearly 50 pounds heavier.[SUP][1][/SUP] Willem Weertman, who later became Chief Engineer – Engine Design and Development, was in charge of the conversion.[SUP][2][/SUP] The basic design of the LA engine would go unchanged through the development of the Magnum upgrade (1992-'93) and into the 21st Century, although the finer details were changed to create a more powerful, efficient and modern powerplant.[SUP][1]

[/SUP]The most clearly visible differences is in the heads: the LA engines used wedge heads, while the A-engines used much wider, heavier polyspherical heads.

 

[1978 NYB]

318 LA Valve Cover

318 Poly

 

[patrick66]

The "LA" engine debut was in the 1964 model year, with the 273. The 1966 model year was the last year of the "A"318 engine in the US (MY1967 in Canada). Unless the engine has been swapped out at some time, you have a Poly 318; aka "A"318 engine. The "LA"318 debuted in MY1967 in the US.

 

[mr. fix it]

318 LA Valve Cover

318 Poly

Can I buy those poly covers??? Please pretty please? ??

 

[1978 NYB]

Can I buy those poly covers??? Please pretty please? ??

Sorry...I pulled the picture off the internet.

 

[mr. fix it]

no worries, I couldn't afford them anyways! LOL!!

 

[Fishfan]

Thanks guys. BTW I had my stock valve covers chromed.

 

[commando1]

Thanks guys. BTW I had my stock valve covers chromed.

May I ask how much that set you back.
Chroming down here has now gone through the roof and I see you're in Miami (sorry to hear that )
Especially in the last two years.
It has gotten absurd.

 

[Fishfan]

The truth is I don't remember. I went through my stack of receipts and paperwork and can't find anything. I want to say it was like $80 for both but I may be wildly off. I remember the vendor I used was American Bumper Corporation in Miami. https://plus.google.com/112576661144992533321/about?gl=us&hl=en

Maybe you can call them and send them a pic of your covers and have them quote it for you.

 

[Fishfan]

Continuing on the theme of this thread I found another site that claims my 66 Polara 318 has an "LA" engine. I know this is wrong.

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1966/623705/dodge_polara_318_4-door_sedan_torqueflite.html

 

[kmccabe56]

Continuing on the theme of this thread I found another site that claims my 66 Polara 318 has an "LA" engine. I know this is wrong.

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1966/623705/dodge_polara_318_4-door_sedan_torqueflite.html

Agree, but what a site ! Somebody has put a HUGE amount of work into this. Makes me really feel like the slacker I am........

 

[Fishfan]

Agree, but what a site ! Somebody has put a HUGE amount of work into this. Makes me really feel like the slacker I am........

Yeap but makes me wonder if I can trust the info on there.

 

[commando1]

Yeap but makes me wonder if I can trust the info on there.

I utilize that site a lot. It's very good.
All the specs and facts are taken directly from manufacturers' literature.
Factory literature is not always 1,000% accurate.

 

[Fishfan]

I utilize that site a lot. It's very good.
All the specs and facts are taken directly from manufacturers' literature.
Factory literature is not always 1,000% accurate.

Yeap. That's what I'm figuring. The owners manual in the mystery knob thread is a good example. Perhaps the manufacturer had intended the 1966 Polara to come out with the LA engine but for whatever reason they couldn't and went with the older A engine but the literature had already been sent to print. Of course that would affect the weight of the vehicle (50lbs) and perhaps other specs.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I utilize that site a lot. It's very good.
All the specs and facts are taken directly from manufacturers' literature.
Factory literature is not always 1,000% accurate.

Keep in mind some of the factory literature is preproduction, often you will see pictures of cars in sales lit that have parts from the previous years, man can that start a conversation. But in general I need factory lit (parts book at the top) to show me weather something is or isn't factory.


Alan

 

[polara71]

Even parts books were printed pre production. If there were no changes, that page may still be in there, incorrect

 

[kmccabe56]

Even parts books were printed pre production. If there were no changes, that page may still be in there, incorrect

"Even parts books were printed pre production." Well.... the Preliminary Parts catalogs are likely pre-production, but the intermediate PCs were usually printed about February of the model year and the Final editions were usually printed in the following October, so those will have the fewest mistakes in them. But I don't think Chrysler prints PCs any more. Everything is online at the dealer, so 30 years from now when we're all dead and gone, the poor bastards who are trying to restore a 2010 300 are going to have one hell of a time doing it.

 

[commando1]

Go into a dealer today and the only brochures you see out on the floor are for the Dart II and 2012 Sprinters....

 

[Fratzog]

Around here Chrysler does Zero advertising for Challengers or Chargers.