UPDATE; I got the 46 RH out today and measured it against the NV 3500; it's 5+ inches shorter than the RH; the driveshafts I got from a 93 CC w/a 6 cyl and a AX 15 in the local yard, and it is 7" longr than the one from my truck with the 46RH; but there is over 3" of yoke that can slide deeper onto the splines; the truck has a 2 pc driveshaft all the difference is taken up in the front half; the slip yoke is on the back behind the carrier bearing to take up the slack of suspension flex.
I got my MagnaFlow and new tailpipe a couple weeks ago, the Flowbomb met the Sawzall today... I could not stand that "muffler". had to cut it to get exh out of the way further up. that Flowbomb will NOT be going back on.

The PO of the donor motor and tranny bolted the pressure plate back onto the flywheel so as to not lose any bolts; I disassembled it to find the clutch shot; I was hoping to run that setup til I verified I had the bugs out of the system; but if I run it i will be pulling it apart by the end of summer (again) to replace the clutch; so I may be on a lil bit of a hold. I hate re do's....

still to order remflex gaskets anyone got a line on a better price for them? I have this engine and (2) Jeeps with inline 6s that need manifold gaskets....)
I got all Napa top of the line tuneup parts to go on as well.

gotta get my SEM spray dye tomorrow, so I can spray my new column jackets tan as well as the replacement dash pad before I put it all in. I would not mind finding tan buckets and console to match. I may nave a lead on them though.

What to do with the 93 Reg cab SB.... its trans died a week ago, it's a 3.9 truck; the 518 is the same length as the 500, i am thinking of rebuilding the 518 and putting behind the 3.9.

 

Well a 93 V6 stick truck came in the local yard with a tilt and cruise column; so far I just pirated the cruise buttons may go back for the rest of it

Tranny is in, gotta swap pedals yet, I am at a standstill on the driveshaft situation til at least Tues. I got the D/S from said 93 CC in the yard;
that truck is an AX 15 NOT an NV 3500; yoke smaller, and the NV 3500 must be 2" longer than a AX 15; the D/S that came from the junkyard truck is a full 7" longer than the one that came from my truck with its original 518.
yet the NV 3500 only measures 5" longer than the 518/46RH....

 

the driveshaft from the V6/AX 15 truck did not work; smaller front yoke and U joint smaller tube. so $267 later I had the front half of the A/T driveshaft re tubed (lengthened) balanced both halves, and new U joints and carrier bearing. THAT, I was not expecting to have to spend! New U joints and carrier were definitely anticipated; but not the $$ to have a new shaft made and balanced...

 

another update; I cut part of the wiring harness from the JY 93 truck to graft into mine, mainly the b/u light switch wires and such, I put my M/T crank sensor in too; I went to plug it into my harness and it seems not to wanna plug in; I didn't get that pigtail with the part of the harness I cut wasn't expecting that; gonna hafta hit the yard again for that crank sensor pigtail... (wire harness side) other choice; cut the plug from teh new crank sensor, and do the same from the old A/T one and put the A/T pigtail on the new M/T sensor..... I dont like that idea for future reference

Newly lengthened driveshaft is in, as is the new tranny mount; the old one that came with the tranny busted, when the truck that it was in originally, rolled. and diffent from an A./T mount. Rock Auto $15, Local Useless Zone and Advance $29. I wish I would have checked Rockauto before buying my new clutch..... it woulda been alot cheaper than locally.
That came from a "Federated" parts store.

 

IT RUNS AND MOVES ON ITS OWN!
I drove it for the 1st time today, it definitely needs the cobs burned out of it... it's bucking and coughing back thru the intake but getting less as I drive it; I have about 20 mi on it, truck has at least some gas in it (Lo fuel lite was on but it ran so obviously wasnt empty, IDK how much was in there, typical Dakota dead gauge... ) I added 6 gallons of fresh gas, new plugs, cap rotor and wires all top line Napa/Echlin stuff, #1 sparkplug came out dripping wet so I swapped that injector; that makes 2 now. I think I will hafta run the set in and have them flushed and new screens put in.

It seemed like it was holding back, and had a dead spot at 2800-3000 and then took off again above that level... the dead spot was goin away as I drove it...

One glaring issue; I smelled 90 wt as I drove it slung its load out as I drove, I am gonna try to fix that w/a little silicone RTV on taht gasket which is nearly the thickness of some old school carb base gaskets. I picked up some 75W90 semi synthetic to replenish the tranny fluid...

 

well I solved the slinging 90 wt issue I had the shifter gasket upside down. there are recesses arouns the screw holes on the gasket and corresponding "bosses" on the shift housing that are supposed to fit in the recesses; with the gasket upside down those bosses become stand offs to hold the shifter up about 1/16" from the gasket.

 

Well today I soldered a new pigtail onto the stubs the PO left me for a radio harness, and discovered that they also robbed every speaker out of it as well.... also swapped out the other 6 injectors the popping and farting is all but gone now; a little blub-blub-blub when I let off the gas and coast down esp when I push in the clutch is all that remains of that.....

 

Getting better; still running the plates that are legal for the 94 RC on it, just driving among cornfields close to home, as I continue to de-bug everything; gotta transfer plates and insurance this week, since it's running better all the time;
I decided that the fuel pump must be weak, so I went this morning up to the truck that donated its column and pedals to my CC, and got its gas tank, as the owner of that truck said that he had just put a fuel pump into it like 2 months before he parked it; and I really dont have $160 at the moment to go get one from the parts store... may be starting a new job in a week so i gotta get this truck situation squared away this week.

Noticeably better yet, as to how it runs, the dead spot and "popcorn popper" effect is getting less with each thing I do to it; it is all but gone now, still feels like it is "holding back" about 2600-3000 RPM then starts to pull hard past that, again.... I haven't looked into the intake bellypan yet though I have everything needed (gaskets etc) on hand to change that, should I wind up needing to.

Once the money situation improves, I will take the orig injectors in and have flushed/tested/rebuilt if they are able to be; I have my doubts all 8 will be good/// I'm bettin' on probably5 or 6 of the original 8 probably being OK... the CC sat at least 2 years/ maybe 3, before I got it.
the last of the poppin and fartin has to be one of 2 things; either the unknown used injectors I pulled out of the attic may be partly plugged (definite improvement over the originals) OR the coil is breaking down at certain load/RPMs... it does "feel", electrical in nature to me, now.

It starts much more instantly with this other pump for sure; but as with the original, the gas gauge still don't work and the light is goofy-acting now (low fuel light) as compared to how it acted with the orig pump.

Yes; this is a replacement pump, but its a brand I have never heard of; (fuel pumps, anyway); I have bought radiators from this company before... "SPI"... I have a feeling I am gonna have to break down and spend the $160 on a new carter (just like OE) pump to get my gauge back operational.
for now, I am gonna run on the trip meter, doubling as a gas gauge....

On the old pump (original to the truck, I am sure) the strainer sock was nass-t-y dirty amost "muddy" looking...I am wondering if I just clean or replace that screen, if it'll run at least as well as it does now, with this other tank I put in with the original one back in there..... I don't feel bad with the money I spent on this other tank and pump, because the 1/2 a tank of fuel the guy left me in the tank out of the parts truck, would have cost me dang near what I paid for that tank and fuel pump....

the other issue is that when I bought the club cab truck, and started working on the auto to stick conversion in that one, I had no job in sight;
I know that my '94 reg cab short bed with its 3.9/auto, would get me 17-18 MPG pretty consistently, as I have since landed a job that's 30 miles of straight 65- 70MPH highway, away.... I am hoping the 318 CC will do likewise. I have heard anywhere between 10, and 20+ out of this gen 318 Dakota, among the forums.... i have not yet decided, whether to actually take the job//// as the pay ain't great, and not really what I wanna do... but if an opening elsewhere within the place comes open, it could become one of the things I'd want to do; (and, actually what I interviewed there for, in the 1st place)
but shortly after I got the CC truck, the tranny died in the RC truck again; I have another tranny to plop in that truck, but can't afford to license/insure both; so one will sit, even once both are running again (no neither is gonna be for sale) I do also have my 97 Wrangler with its inline 6, too. so if I dont get this thing the rest of the way debugged and legally licensed, I'm not "stranded".
and oh BTW; the cruise control even works now that I have unbroken cruise buttons on the steering wheel again.