hi i have an 1989 dodge dakota v6 4x4 and i would like to put a 360 magnum. I am gonna keep the fuel injection system and my IFS. any pointers?

 

try to get a 4x4 with a 360 to use for parts. itll be a lot easier to swap everything over then. and unless you want a lowrider get v8 torsion bars. and youll need an electric fan because the clutch fan will hit the rad

 

I agree.

Vir-tually nothing on your 89 will work for this conversion. Even the engine compartment is smaller. Which is why you will need an E fan. And my experience with an electric fan on my 96, was that it's still really tight in there.

You also need all the wiring, the proper transmission for the year of engine you choose, a transfer case to go with that trannie, all the linkages and throttle cables, and you'll need to change out the axles (the 5.9 makes more horsies than the 3.9) and drive lines. Probably the suspension is all wrong too.

Life would be easier if you found a 5.2 truck, btw. All the parts from a Ram are really the wrong size for a Dakota. 5.2 Dakotas are plentiful.

Have you considered just selling your 89 and buying something closer to what you want? Like a 4wd Ram or a newer Dakota?

 

The problem with that is that the only Dakotas with 5.9 engines are much newer and the Gen 2 & 3 are totally different, not even made by the same Chrysler Corp.

 

a ram 5.9 will work. just need a shoe horn. you can use a 5.2l harness and the axles will be ok as will the wiring inside the cab. but everything else will need to be changed. the magnum and la mounts are the same but v6 mounts might be larger for the smaller motor. I almost forgot the teansfer case will be okay also.

so basically you need the engine/trans/underhood wiring/radiator/electric/shoe horn/lot of time.

and the newer dakota 5.9s were mostly(if not all) 2wd(hence the r/t)

try to find something obdi as it will be less of a hassle(up to 96)