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Whoopsie -daisy --- low oil...

74Slant6Charger

74Slant6Charger

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We got all excited to have the 74 all running and driving well, and so the kid took off to a buddies, maybe 50 miles away. Well, anyway apparently the ol 318 was a couple quarts low (Dumb mistake I know) and now we've got some noticeable lifter rattle. DANG.

Do we get away with a cam/lifter replacement? something simpler, or something harder?

Darnit...
 
Fill it up and drive it. The damage, if any, is done so see how long it will last.
Mike
 
you could try replacing the lifters and go thru the brake in steps and say a pray.
 
I always liked the fact that all my old Mopars told me (with lifter noise) when I was low on oil or needed to change it.

It should have clattered on startup well before it was at the point of being damaged if driven.
 
YY1 said:
I always liked the fact that all my old Mopars told me (with lifter noise) when I was low on oil or needed to change it.

It should have clattered on startup well before it was at the point of being damaged if driven.
Click to expand...
Yeah - me too. It sounded perfect, until it didn't. He came home and I heard it down the street.
 
Before I leaned how to work on my own cars I remember getting the charger's oil changed and the tech had forgotten to refill the crankcase with any oil. As soon as I started up the engine the most god awful clattering chorus started. I was PISSED and vowed to learn how to do that stuff myself...
 
Welp, we moped for a couple days, then fired it up tonight... sounded quieter, so I said - take it for a mild cruise. He came back and glory be - it's quiet like it used to be! Woo!
 
Last edited:
If the lifters tick on startup, check the oil.

If it's low, add.

If it's not low, change the oil.

They really do tell you.

Never had any other brand of car do that.
 
If it was 2 qts low there is more of a problem than noisy lifters.
But I think ya know that.
 
Oh come on...This is a Slant Six. THose engines can take abuse and neglect and come right back.
 
/6 car with a 318
 
Yeah - 318 was swapped in a long time ago by who knows... Car has sat largely unused for a good couple decades, valve seals are shot, burns and leaks oil, largely neglected. Gonna change the oil and keep an eye on it. It's a throwaway engine but we'll nurse it along till he's rich and famous and can afford something better.
 
My old 75 Fury with its 125,000 mile 318 smoked a bit..... used some oil too, and had really poor colder weather manners.

I replaced the valve seals, most of which had long been crumbled up and were living in the pan.
I also pulled the intake manifold and hammer n chiseled the rock hard carbon deposits out of the heat crossover in the heads and intake manifold.

No more smoke, essentially stopped the need to add oil, and with the heat crossover clear, the colder weather operation was greatly improved along with the proper choke function being restored.

Well worth the minimal expense and time to fix it in my case.
 
YY1 said:
I always liked the fact that all my old Mopars told me (with lifter noise) when I was low on oil or needed to change it.

It should have clattered on startup well before it was at the point of being damaged if driven.
Click to expand...
That's funny. I got a '75 Cordoba with a 360 when I was 18. I didn't know anything about cars. One thing I did notice was the lifters clattered when it was low on oil. That's how I knew. I didn't check the oil much back then. I drove that car for 14 years, and could still be driving it today, but I got rid of it when I got a '73 Charger. That Cordoba sold me on Chrysler. Very tough car. You couldn't kill it.
I doubt any serious damage was done to the OP's 318, especially after reading about people running them with no oil and they survived.
It ain't a Chevy. And I don't think a 318 is a throwaway engine. I own one and am sold on them.
 
I'm on my eighth 318 car.

Guess I'm kinda sweet on them as well.
 
I don't understand this. Can someone explain how lifters can clatter if the oil level is low? The oil pick up is below the oil level, so unless it is empty and sucking air, what's the difference between 5 qts. and 4 qts, and if the lifters are clattering, why aren't the bearings affected?
 
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