ORIGINAL: Chris Barnett

This if for the complete swap, entire motor, etc. This is assuming you are swapping into a SOHC car. DOHC will be very similar, just different radiator hoses, wiring harness, etc. For a 95, you will need to drill and tap the active intake manifold for an additional sensor.


First of all, here is the parts list:

1. 2001-02 Magnum motor. Obviously.
2. 2000 starter assembly, preferably from cable clutch tranny, although I'm not 100% sure there is a difference.
3. Injen, AEM, or custom intake. The Iceman won't work, sorry.
4. Battery relocation kit, or custom battery tray.
5. MSD RPM switch with pill kit.
6. MSD, Crane, or Autometer DIS tach feed box...
7. first gen crank pulley, prefeably UDP.
8. Misc wiring supplies(butt connectors, solder, wire, etc).
9. Either a high flowing first gen header, or an adaptor to the magnum header.
10. Misc vacuum hose and caps.
11. Teflon tape.
12. Zip ties.

First of all, remove the current motor. Save the wiring harness, so don't cut it.

Easy enough. Pull the wiring harness and all sensors except oil pressure, and knock sensor from the first gen motor. Do the same with the magnum motor, but leave the TB sensors on the magnum TB.

Swap all of the sensors. Use teflon tape where needed. Swap the wiring harness, including the injectors and fuel rail. * You could use the magnum rail, but I wouldn't suggest it since its smaller and designed for higher PSI.

Swap the tranny, clutch, flywheel, and misc brackets to the magnum motor. Feel free to use the 2k1 or the 95-99 brackets, either way it works out ok. I used a mix of the two.

Pull the stock crank pulley off of the 2k1 motor.

Next, pull the passenger mount bracket from the 1g motor. Pull the outer timing belt cover off. Do the same on the magnum motor, and then put the 1g timing belt cover and mount bracket on the magnum motor.

Now, install the 1g pulley onto the magnum motor.

Go ahead and install the starter onto the new motor. You will need to change the connector for the ground wire. I used a small female push on connector, it works fine.

Install the FMM bracket, misc bolts holding the motor/tranny together.

Now, you have a choice. Use the 1g valve cover(heavier, but less likely to puke oil), or use the 2g one(lighter, but can puke oil on right turns).

If you are using the 1g one, great. Swap them, use your current coilpack and whichever plug wires look/are better.

Time to connect the PCV system. The hose on the magnum starts on the side of the intake manifold, on the top of the neck. I used the first gen breather hose, and ran from there to the 1g PCV valve, and then from the valve to the fitting on the 1g valve cover. If using the 2g valve cover, your setup will be different, as the PCV valve is on the valvecover itself. Basically run a line from the manifold to there. You should have the 2k1 line with the motor.

Next, swap the alternator and its bracket, and PS bracket from the 1g motor onto the magnum motor. Remove the lower AC/mount bracket from the magnum motor. **

Now, if using a header, install it. If using the stock manifold, skip this step.

Now, time to lengthen the TPS sensor wires. I added 5", you may only need 3-4". The IAC motor wire does not need to be lengthened. Just leave the 2k1 sensor unplugged, and plug your 1g sensor into the harness. Zip tie it somewhere. We'll fix the idle once the motor is installed... The 1g PCM won't control the 2k1 IAC motor, and this prevents a CEL while letting the engine idle.

Now, double check everything.

Install the motor and transmission, connecting everything like normal(I suggest FSM or Haynes manual for help).

Connect the 2k1 bellows tube, TB, and intake. You will need to measure and cut the aftermarket intake to fit within the 1g engine bay. I cut about 2.5" out of the bellows tube, and almost 7" out of the top of the main intake tube. Basically just eyeball it and cut, then test and recut as needed.

Now, time to adapt the 1g Evap purge system. Grab the plastic line from the old motor that ran under the intake manifold. Connect it to the purge solenoid. Route it to the TB, and you'll need a few inches of vacuum hose to adapt it to the 2k1 TB. I used about 4" of the 2k1 purge hose as the adaptor, it works fine.

EGR time. The 2k1 motor won't have it I left the solenoid plugged into the harness, and just capped all of the vacuum fittings. This works fine for me, you may want to get a resistor. I do not know the proper size, sorry.

Connect the brake booster hose like normal, use the 1g radiator hoses, etc. The heater hose, coolant recovery line, etc all bolt up just like your old motor.

Depending on the intake used, you may have cut off the breather hose fitting. If so, get a breather filter or catch can, or whatnot. Some filters have nipples for a breather hose.

If you are using stock radiator fans, you will notice once you go to install the radiator bracket that they no longer work right. I drilled new holes in mine, they work fine now.

Time to connect the throttle cable. Any first gen cable WILL work on the 2k1 TB. It just needs to be slid into the 2k1 throttle cable bracket. The first gen bracket will not work, as it will allow the butterfly to open to almost 3/4 of the way back around. Way past 90 degrees. I slid it in(it took some manpower), and then zip tied it to the bracket since it doesn't lock like the first gens do. I do not know if a 2k+ throttle cable will work at all with the first gen gas pedal assembly.

Fill the motor, tranny, and cooling system with fluids. Double check everything done so far. Great.

Now, check the intake piping for play, and make sure it won't come apart. If you cut it just right, it won't move at all, but you may want to zip tie it or fabricate a bracket to hold it in place.

Time to make sure it runs. Start the car. You'll need to hold the throttle down a little. Once it starts, let off the throttle, see if it idles. If it stalls, go and adjust the TB stop up some. Test it and adjust as needed until you have a desirable idle. I chose 1100ish rpms.

Now, turn off the car. Time to wire up the MTV(active intake manifold) solenoid. Connect the positive wire to an ignition switched source. Connect the ground to the yellow wire in the MSD rpm switch kit. Connect the red wire in the MSD switch to an ignition source, and the black wire to ground. Use relays and fuses as you see fit.

Now, you have the tach signal wire, which is white. Hold off on it for a second. Take your DIS tach driver, and wire it as the instructions say. The RPM feed will come from the positive wire going to the coilpack. Usually, you have to connect a ground, a positive, the coilpack source, and the tach signal wire. Connect the white wire from the RPM switch to the tach signal wire from the tach driver. Plug in your desired pill(4500-4900 is best for most setups), and test it out.

You can forget about the DIS tach driver if you have an aftermarket ignition with an external tach feed wire, or if you don't care if you have a tach. Wiring the RPM switch to the stock tach feed wire renders the stock tach useless, and adding a tach splitting diode(400k 1w) inline with the RPM switch renders the switch useless, while the tach works.

If you want to, you could wire the MTV to a push button switch, a rocker switch, a microthrottle switch, etc. Up to you.

Basically it's an easy swap, just several misc 'details' that need to be done.

My total cost will end up being $1225ish, including freight, tax, etc. That does NOT include an aftermarket computer. Basically, for the cost of a good head port job, an aftermarket cam, and a bigger TB, you can have this entire swap, and make more power/torque reliably! With an aftermarket PCM, and various bolt ons, 150+ whp will not be a problem.


I am running this on my stock 96 SOHC computer for now, and it runs fine.

I am running on 91 octane(super unleaded here), and seeing about 33 mpg in the city, up about 4 mpg over my 96 SOHC motor with the same bolt ons. I have also added Redline Water Wetter to the cooling system, and the intake manifold seems to stay cooler now.

Your results may vary. This How to is designed to be as accurate as possible, but due to various year to year running changes, obviously some things may be different for you.


*You can use some of the 2k1 sensors if needed, but you'll need to adapt the wiring harness connector to your current harness.
**If you plan to use AC, you will need to install the 1g mounting bracket, as well as either get a custom radiator fan, a custom radiator, or AC condensor. There is not enough room for all 3 with the magnum motor's intake manifold..