i am looking at buying a truck i spotted a couple years ago. I'm currently waiting on them to harvest the crops around where it is parked so i can go get it. If my memory serves me correctly it is a 1989. The current owner says it has a locked up slant 6 and a manual transmission that he says is "geared really high". i have a 360 out of a second gen ram that was given to my little cousin and i am wanting to let him use it as a play truck.

Just trying to feel out what will be involved in swapping in the 360. i know i have provided very limited details but will provide more as soon as i can.

Thanks in advance!

 

http://www.magnumswap.com/

Allot of useful info. You'll have to change the bell housing, or upgrade the trans. Not sure if the /6 has a removable bell housing, and I'm not sure if it will hold up to the 360, I smoked a 42RH that was behind a 318 in less than a mile with my 360 build in my 91 D150. Upgraded to the 46RH seems to be holding up so far. You'll need V8 engine mounts or fab your own.

 

Thanks for the info. I know I didn’t provide enough details but just making sure it’s possible and I’m not getting in over my head.

 

I don't think it's a slant 6. That would be the 225. I'm pretty sure (I could be wrong though) that when Chrysler went with fuel injection, the slant six was replaced with the 3.9 V-6 in 1988.

Personally, if it's just going to be a play truck, I'd fill the cylinders with transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery oil and let it sit a bit. Usually, those engines lock up by some moisture getting down into an open valve and rusting the rings. After it sits for a few days, refill the cylinders and drain the crank case as the first oil probably percolated past the rings. After about a week, with the plugs out, put a socket on the bolt on the crankshaft and try to move it. If it moves a little then binds, work it back and forth. This may take several days. Remember to keep a thin oil in the cylinders so the rings don't scratch the bores more than necessary. Eventually, the engine may come free. If it does, drain the oil out of it and put some fresh 10W30 in it and start it up. It will smoke a LOT when it starts due to all the oil. If it runs decent (it may be a skeeter beater afterward) why bother to replace the engine?

I've unstuck many engines back through the years. Some ran good for a long time and some were pretty worn out and needed replacement. If you get the truck, try to salvage the engine. If it's good, you're money ahead. If it's not salvageable, then go ahead and see about swapping the engine.

 

if it is a slant 6 it is 87 or older. 88 and newer had the v6 but if it is a 89 and 2wd it is usually a lot more work to stick a v8 in it. even if you find a v8 bell housing for the manual transmission it likely won't be cheap. would likely be easier to swap out transmissions or get the engine that is in it freed up. if you are going to try freeing it up fill the cylinders up with the cheapest atf you can get. i have never tried with big engines but have used it on small engines. shouldn't hurt the engine when it finally seeps into the crankcase. if it is a slant six look it over for any holes in the block if not it might be worth messing with. they are know to be nearly indestructible and super reliable even tho they are no powerhouse.

 

The bell housing should be the same. The 3.9 was a 5.2 with two cylinders removed. The front and back of the block were the same. Brackets, water pumps and all the minutia are expensive to design but don't sell cars. Keeping inventory costs down helps the profit margin too. Basically, on the design page, they cut half of cylinders one and two, and half of cylinders three and four out on the design sheet and put them together. Then the only design work is for a new cam and crank shafts.

 

that is only if it is a 89. if it is a slant 6 and you need to get the correct bell housing to work with a v6/v8. the OP doesn't needs to get more info on the truck so he can decide the best route because even swapping from v6 to v8 on a 2wd truck is not just a simple swap. you need the proper parts or be good at fab work to make the parts needed.

 

Well the 360 was free so why not take advantage of the option of extra horsepower. But depending on what it may cost me to do the swap, trying to free up the engine that’s in it isn’t a bad idea.

I’m glad there’s some people that can give me some guidance. In my local area there isn’t many mopar folk. Thanks guys.

 

Doesn't seem to be many Mopar people anywhere. I'm the only Mopar guy where I work out of about 10 people I got the only Dodge. 2 have them, 1 only because the price was right, and other because of my influence he got a rebel, but he's still a Chevy guy....... Hell everybody I work with is a Chevy guy except for my foreman, and supervisor they are ford guys. They just don't have the following that Chevy and Ford do.

 

the 360 being free really doesn't mean that much unless you got the wiring harness/computer and the patience to make it run. if you don't have that you will have to spend money on a carbed intake/carb and ignition system for a magnum engine. you might be able to find those parts for $2-300 used.