So after getting the harmonic balancer after we broke it. Removed the head to find what i didnt want a ruined block




so I've been on the look-out for another motor. My cousin called me and told me that he had a 318 out of a 97 Dodge Ram everything there for it except for the interior which i dont care about. I'm wondering if I can pull the motor and transmission out of the 97 Ram and put it in my 02 Durango I know I'll have to change the ECU what else will I have to change and how hard of a job is it going to be for me???

 

I think you would spend less finding the correct motor to go back in there...... even if you got the 318 for free......

 

Ok. Im trying to go the cheapest way possible and so far complete motor is $1200 and the entire truck.for $600

 

You may be able to use the PCM from the truck as well... but, I wouldn't hold my breath on the wiring harness.... And then you run into the fun of trying to figure out what is wrong, when something goes bad, but, nothing is stock any more..... You can spend less now, maybe..... but, in the long term, it'll be a nightmare.

 

Thats what im afriad of

 

You got a choice. Spend it now, or spend it later.

Just dropping in another correct engine will also get you back on the road faster...... Doing the major change is going to be time consuming.... just the electrical will be several days of work.

 

Yeah you guys have already talked me out of what sounds like it would have been a huge mistake appreciate it

 

That's what we are here for.

 

Do u think i could salvage the block thats in it???

 

In one of your pics, with the piston all the way down in the hole, it looks like there are cracks in the cylinder wall....... If you can get a whole motor for 1200, that is definitely going to be the better route. You would spend close to that in machining, and the new parts to go with it..... (pistons, rings, etc.) Not to mention that one of your heads is trashed. (the one that got beat to death by bits of piston bouncing around in the cylinder......)