gutless ram charger?

Question

just picked up a 1985 ram charger 4x4. 318 auto. royal se prospector. tried to back up a hill in 4 hi. had accelerator to the bourds and barely made it. then had to pull an extremely loaded truck/trailer outta the mud. had the charger in 4 hi again, just drive gear. would NOT break the tires loose, has 31 inch coopers on it. are all these trucks this gutless? or is there something that needs fixing?

Answer 1

Truck has maybe 150 HP in those mid-eighties years with all the pollution controls....4 high is the standard gear ratio---have to use 4 low to double the axle ratio for more torque or check what gears you've got---you'd have to swap out both front and rear axle gears to new sets if you wanted to go with a lower ratio for more pulling power but you're better off getting a more powerful engine like a 360 that's slightly built...could build the 318 but not much for cubic inches. 440 would be the hot ticket.

Answer 2

With the 31 inch tire's you have modified the gearing to be higher than it was stock. If you had the higher road gears, with the bigger tires, and the low horse-power of the mid-80's 318's, I am not surprised you are seeing problems.

There are a few things you can do to get this truck to perform better. The least invasive would getting the timing set for torque and hp, instead of fuel economy.

Next might be having a mechanic "Degree" the cam and get the engine to optimum advance and performance. If replacing chain and gears, have the cam degree'd as well. It can "Wake-Up" the engine.

Next More invasive would include shaving the heads and putting an RV type cam designed for torque onto the truck.

My 77 Ramcharger With 360 would break the tires loose on pavement with 32's no problem.

I hope this '76 I'm putting on the road will perform as that one did. We'll see in a couple months after I get the engine finished.

Answer 3

I agree with both dodgeman and chewy.First thing I would look at is the timing chain and timing.When replacing timing chains in stock 318's I always go with a double roller if you go to autozone or any other major autoparts store and tell them you have an 85 diplomat with the police 318 they will hand you a double roller timing chain and it will work in any la 318 without modification.Another thing to do is add an rv cam which chewy recomended as well.One thing I would add is to check the band adjustments in the transmission and to add a new filter and fluid.I disagree with the answerer who recomended going with a 360 yes it has more cubic inches but the tow rating is the same for both motors and there is barely a difference in torque.Good luck and I hope you come to a point where your ramcharger grows on you.

Answer 4

Well you made it in any case. The thing with towing is the less tire spin the better. If you're spinning you are gonna get stuck, or out of shape... If you wanted more power you should have stopped put it in 4Low and set the transmission in L2 or second gear...

Just look in tractor pulling. Back in the day when I was real young I would see them rev the engine way high and drop the clutch just trying to get tire spin off the line. Later in the days of the sport they started getting the sled taken off some 30 foot, then laying like heck on the gas after everything was rolling... They still got some tire spin but it was bound to happen with 2500HP...

Answer 5

the mid 80's 318 was a very low torque motor and coupled with to high of gear rotios and the smog equiptment of the day they were basically gutless but over all good trucks. if you change the gear ratios and the cam grind they do much better. I have owned 4 dodges from 84 to87, enjoyed them very much

Answer 6

it sounds like it might be in need of a timing chain and gears,when they get worn down a lot they will cause the 318,s to loose a lot of power,i have owned a few of those trucks,and they all ran pretty good,but in almost every one of them i had to put new chains and gears in for the timing,that's part of owning a dodge,it should pull extremely good,check the play in the timing chain and gears,also check it tune up wise,it should run a lot better than that,good luck with it.