I have a 4cyl in my Dakota It's 2wd. I have 3 options for the engine swap. I have a 318. A 350 small block And a 400 small block. Both the small blocks have a turbo tranny. The 318 has none so I need to find one. I don't have much money to spend. What's the best engine for it?

 

What are you trying to do with the truck, do you need to pass smog, do you have facilities to do it yourself, what is wrong with the existing 4cyl, how is the rest of the truck... I can keep going, but that's a good start...

A V8 Dakota is about $1000 here in CA... Doesn't make sense to spend a lot of time and effort on a swap when you can just sell your truck and buy a new one.

 

I agree.

Never met Dylan, and really have no opinion about him. But this is a fairly ambitious and complicated project with lots of unforeseeable expense. Not just a matter of slapping an engine in and turning the key. Stuff won't readily fit, you'll probably have to have a driveline converted, and you'll probably run out of money or interest before the project is completed. I know I've been there on another car/engine project.

I would vote for keeping the truck with the little engine until you can afford the truck you want. V8 power is nice but not necessary. Makes getting away from lights a bit more fun. But otoh, you're gas mileage is gonna be crappy and tune ups cost twice as much.

 

I second what Brian said. A V8 in that year Dakota is going to suck to do because it has the shorter engine bay. Even worse if you try to put a Chevy engine in it. You already answered everything I need to know when you stated you don't have much money. It's better to put the money you have in what you have to keep you running than to start a project and get half way and you run out of money. I converted my 94 Dakota from a 5.2 to a 5.9 and that cost me $1100 to get it to the point where I could get it emissions and it registered. Your best bet is to keep driving what you have, save your money, and buy a V8 Dakota. Even if you buy one with a bad engine like I did and want to upgrade it, you're already starting with a V8 truck.

 

Well I live in New York and there is like 2 87dakotas here. I go to school for it and will be puttin it in myself. I don't need to pass any smog laws or what ever. The EGR is taken out and it's straight piped. I live in central New York and were all country so it passes with ease. It has room for almost another engine to go in it alone, there's so much space under the hood it crazy, I just want to get a little more power out of it. Ill keep the 4cyl and do I rebuild on it and bore it out and store it but I just want something that has a little more power.

 

You may think there's a lot of room in there now but really there's not once a V8 is in there. In '92 they redesigned the front end of the Dakota to accept a V8. Do some research on the Shelby Dakota so you can see what they did to get a V8 in there. When you say you don't have a lot of money to do this, how much are you talking? When I say it took me $1100 to do my swap, that was all parts. I'm a professional auto technician with my own shop. I didn't pay for labor either. I already had the trans, wiring harness, and computer. It's a fairly easy swap to go from 5.2 to 5.9. You're going to have to get all that stuff. You're basically redesigning the truck.

 

It occurs to me I didn't answer your question, I just gave you a reasonable lecture, sorry.

I would probably go with the 318. The reason is that the transmission that bolts on to the back of the V6 might have a better chance to bolt on to the back of the V8.

The problem you may have is that the V8 sticks out the front a bit, so that there's not much room for a radiator & cooling fan. Dodge really did redesign the engine compartment for the V8.

If you wanted an upgrade that would work, set your sights on a V6. Much easier to shoehorn in the smaller engine compartment, and you can almost double your displacement and even (tho it may be hard to track down an intake) install a 4 barrel carb. With headers and a more open exhaust, you'll see some real performance improvement. I think you're still talking a coupla grand, tho, before you're done.

Or you could put the coupla grand towards a newer truck with a V8.

Dylan, I'm not suggesting a road trip or anything, just posting this listing as an example. Our local trucks are mostly very rust free, too. http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/4179778014.html

 

well you will definitely need a transmission because the 4cyl and the v6 trans have different bolt patterns(dont ask me how i know, lol) and with the other motors you'll be nickle and dimed to death with the custom fabrication for mounts and such.

imo the mopar driveline will be the cheapest and easiest to swap in.