first off i have been doing a lot of reading and i can not seem to find the info i need i have a 88 dakota 4x4 auto with a very rattly 3.9(second one so far) and i cant find a solid engine anywhere
so ive begun thinking that a upgrade is in order but am unsure of the requirements or time and knowledge involved any info would be very much appr..

 

Well a couple of trucks here in a full range of years have been converted. If you use a magnum you should have no trouble finding all the info here.But if there is something that you need more detail on post a few questions. Its a easy swap using all factory parts.

 

hey tofer76;

Saw your post and thought I'd give you a little heads up. I just transplanted a 5.2 magnum into my 90 kota replacing the 3.9 t.b. injected wimp. I went through the trouble cause I've always loved the way the truck handled and drove on the road, (not a 4x4), I'm a street freak.The original set up was the 3.9 witha 5 speed stick. Ibought a 92 donor extended cab with the auto overdrive slush boxand swapped the entire drive line and of course had tohave the drive shaft modified.

I was always told that the 3.9 was the same as the 318 exept the front two cylinders were missing and that is basicly true, same bore and stroke, motor mounts, transmission bolt pattern, ect... And they did put the 318 into early Kota's called Shelbys. So I thought it would be a shoe in, as in factory fit. It went pretty smooth till I put the donor radiator in and noticed that I only had about 2 inches left for the clutch fan assembly, not enough.

I thought I was screwed but started measuring and found I had just enough frame sticking out that I could take a hole saw and cut holes to mount the92 radiator support which has the properclearance. This of course means you need the proper grill, head lights and bezels, hood,bumper andspoiler, (Kotas look like crap withoutone). So now my 90 looks like a 92.

I also got aanti-sway bar off the donor and was amazed at theimproved cornering. Had to do a bit of modifiying for that too, drilling holes in the mounting bracketsto match the frame.

I thought I could use the originalthird member butnoticed that the donors axeltubes were larger in diameter on one end and the drive shaft yoke was larger. No big deal there, just unbolt the leafs, shocks, ect. and swapped right in.

Lucky all the wiring connectors for the body were the same, of course I swapped the ecm, and the instrument panel since it had a tach. instead of the giant fuel gauge, and the entire wiring harness. Now I have intermittant wipers, tilt wheel and cruise control.

I thought I would give up several miles/gallon but, where I was getting close to 20/gal now I get just over 19, if I don't get throttle happy. I think this is due to the greater efficiency of port fuel inj. over the throttle body type.

Future plans are to build a satchell link rear suspension cause I gotta get rid of the leaf springs and make room for the steam rollers I want on the rear.

Good luck!

 

thanx for the info im collecting as much as i can before making my decision

will any year magnum work if not up to what?
is there any clearance issues with the 4x4
my tranny was rebuilt just before i got the truck will it work w v8
it is not a overdrive tho what overdrive will go in
i take it i need to replace front clip up to what year
will elect fans work instead

 

Electric fans will work. That is how the shelbys were made.

 

Electric fan sure would not work for me. All the ones I looked up specs on were to deep, would interfere with the P.S. pump on the inside and the space between the grill and ac condenser was to narrow for a pusher fan. I'm not sure how the Shelbys were set up but I have a friend that did what I did and he said that the Shelby also has a different radiator support than stock through 90. As far as the grill goes I think you can use92up to 96, where they changed the body style. As long as the fenders are the same.

Don't think I'd try the V6 running gear behind a V8 either but your gonna have to have a tranny case that excepts a crank position sensor for the Magnum anyway, so you can see your best bet is gonna be finding a donor truck and either fix that up or transfer all to your truck.Including wiring harness.The fuel pump is different and won't fit in your existing tank and the fuel lines will have to cross over too, they're different; higher pressure for the port f.i. and different clips install to the differentfuel pump. The tank is a bolt in to your truck though.

 

Oh yeah I forgot you can use any magnum but every year had differences in the electronics so the pcm needs to come with the drive line.

 

screw it i think ill sell it and start a jeep build anyone want a 88 dakota?

 

Didn't mean to discourage you, thought you would want to know before a dive-in. I'm pretty sentimental about my truck. It saved my life along with a 9mm S&W when a nut tried to attack me with a machete one night. The inside door panel still carries a cut, (character). I won't give up either the truck or the gun, but Iwill modify.