I recently finished up my lift and motor swap in my 97 3/4 ton. It's a 360 5 speed 4x4. Not much out there for info on how to do this so I figured I'd do a write up on it.

First off, I started out with a worn out 360 with 255k miles on it. I was going to rebuild it but then ran across a deal on a parts truck with a remanned motor in it with 10k on it. Bought the parts truck for the lift and motor and sold the rest.

Pulled the intake and heads off the new motor, had the heads checked for cracks and minor porting and polishing done. New head gaskets and arp bolts installed. I put a new water pump on it while it was out also.

Here's the list of parts I'm using -MOPAR M1 intake ($310 from summit)
-quickfuel hr600 carb ($389 from summit)
-HEI ignition ($140) I bought a kit for an la 360 off of ebay that came with the distributor, plug wires and external coil because I wasn't sure if the big cap would clear the firewall, but after getting it I think it would clear.
-pace setter shorty headers ($200 from summit)
-off brand of a Holley blue fuel pump ($80 from scp)
-Holley billet fuel pressure regulator ($79 from scp)
-trick flow canister style fuel filter ($60 from summit)
-external voltage regulator and pigtail ($30 from o Reilly's)
-relay from napa part # AR272 $13 each
-relay plug from napa part # EC23 $12 each

To get power to your new stuff (ignition, voltage reg, electric choke and fuel pump) you will need to run them off of relays. To do so you have to run 2 wires into the cab to an ignition on source. (Which is the solid blue wire in the harness that goes up the steering column under the dash) use a quick splice connector for each one. One will go to each of your relays (one powering the fuel pump and one powering the distributor, coil, voltage regulator and electric choke).
Relay wiring-
Green wire gets grounded
Blue wire goes to the ignition on
Red wire goes to the battery with an inline fuse
Yellow wire goes to whatever you are powering with the relay.
These relays are rated at 20 amps each

Voltage regulator wiring-
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen-ram-tech/303000-diy-external-voltage-regulator-conversion.html
This worked for me on my 97, the newer alternators are a bit different. The only other thing on the factory black box that goes on the back of the alternator that needs to be connected is the short ground cable in it's factory location.

Fuel system-
It is possible to run the factory fuel pump with the carb but I found it to be more of a pain than it's worth to me, to do it you have to run new fuel line, with a regulator on it, and taking 45 psi down to 7 isn't the easiest, you also have to find the hot wire to the pump and run it to your relay. Also the pump for fuel injection flows roughly 23-25 gph, a carb motor needs upward of 60 gph to run like it should.
So I opted to go with an external fuel pump. All you have to do with the factory sending unit is to cut the wires going to the actual pump, and leave the one going to the gauge, silicone the bare ends of the wires up and put it back together. All the rest I had to do was get one straight -6 AN bulkhead fitting, one 90 degree -6 bulkhead fitting, a 90 degree 3/8 fitting for the return and a straight 3/8 fitting for the pickup. While you have the sending unit out, drill a hole in the top of the tank, be sure to catch any big pieces of plastic that fall in. ( I just put my hand in the tank under the spot I drilled and caught what fell thru) put the straight bulkhead fitting in this hole and the 90 degree fuel line fitting on it.
Then drill another hole in the bottom or just on the side of the tank for the pickup. (Drill it from the outside) put the 90 degree bulkhead in that hole and the fuel line fitting on it.
I mounted my pump on the inside of the frame rail just in front of the tank and the filter just after the pump, I used all rubber 3/8 fuel line (about 25 feet in all). I mounted the regulator on the driver side fender well.

The only other thing you have to do is get vacuum to the brakes, transfer case and into the cab for the hvac system. Use the big vacuum port on the carb for the brakes and tee the others into a seperate port.

I couldn't be happier with the way it runs, has a VERY noticeable power gain over the old motor, even with the lift and 35 inch tires, Stomp on it in 2nd and it won't even hesitate to break them loose even with the. 3.55 gears. I can tell a huge difference in throttle response also, much more touchy and pulls much harder up top.

I think that's about it, if I think of anything I missed I'll be sure to add it in.

I'll get some pictures of everything tomorrow and get them posted.

 

Can't wait to see the pictures. Do all your gauges still work? And why does the carb need so much more fuel flow?

 

I didn't get a chance to take any pics today, truck is at the graphics shop getting window tint done. It'll be done tomorrow so I'll take some then. But all of my gauges still work, but on the newer trucks they won't. Don't remember why but aofarrel helped me a lot with this swap and he could explain more about that if he chimes in.

The factory efi pump is high pressure (45 psi) at a low flow rate (20-25 gph). A carb is the exact opposite, needing 4-7 psi and 60+ gph. The efi system basically delivers it faster but not as much fuel, carb system delivers the fuel slower but gets more there if that makes sense

 

Carbs use up a lot more fuel and are less effiecient.


It's more like a controlled flood while fuel injection is controlled pissing.

This post inspired by Vdub

 

Well no pics again today, ended up working late and didn't get to pick it up Til almost dark and it was dark when I got home. But on the bright side the tint looks great, 5% brow and back window and 15% side windows. anybody in the St. Louis area looking for graphics work, wheels, tires, lifts etc definitely give RHR graphics a call.

 

I got some pics but can't upload them from my phone. Is there any way to do it?

 

You have to upload them to photobucket and then post the IMG link in your post.

What was the reason/inspiration for switching to carb, was it for increased power? Pretty cool swap, hope to see some pics. Is your motor EMP resistant now? (and that's a serious question, not trying to be funny)

 

I'd be interested in seeing pics of this too.

Now if only he could find an EMP field to see if it's resistant!

 

I switched it over for a few reasons. One being that I have big plans for this truck (pulling truck in the next year or 2) and I'm going to kind of build it as I go. It's way cheaper to go with the carb, being that a sct with custom tubes is 600 bucks, then have to have it re tuned every time you do something different with it, at 100 bucks per tune, it adds up. And it still may not be tuned the exact way you want it to be. With the carb setup, I have just over 800 in the carb, intake and ignition, and I can tune it any time I want with a screwdriver for free. I can definitely tell a power difference also, even going from 31s with my old motor to 35s now. Next thing on the list is either 4.10 or 4.56 gears

I don't have a photobucket account, could I email them to somebody to post them?

 

Cant wait to see pics as well