I'm doing a v8 swap and just found this. I'm putting in a 5.2 out of a 97 ram. I have a 5 speed but will the PCM out of an automatic work? And also should I get a harness from a Dakota or Durango rather than a ram?

 

your better off finding an engine harness out of a Durango or Dakota with the same engine. I picked mine up for around 50 bucks and as for the shroud just trim the v6. It's a lot easier

 

Crazy, I have 32 inch Dick Cepek Fun Country II's. I'll never be racing it and only occassionally off-roading it. But I definitely don't want to be stranded anywhere when I am "out there". If I get a 9.25 rear with 3.92's, does the IFS have to match the size or just the gear ratio? I assume that getting a 9.25 IFS is impossible or at least expensive, unless I want it custom fabricated. If anything will be customized, it will be an SAS for the front.

 

Now about the harness. since I'm putting in a 5.9 into my '97 Dakota 4x4, would it work if I took the V8 harness from an Dakota R/T, even though the R/T wasnt a 4x4 nor even available in 1997? would simply adding the connectors for the 2 additional injectors to the V6 harness work as well? Are there available slots on the V6 harness that will receive the 2 extra injector connectors? Sorry about the redundancy here but the whole electrical thing really confuses me. I need like, pictures, you know? Thanks.

 

The rear end will be fine, it is the front end I would be more concerned about. Yes both have to have the same ratio. Both don't need to be the same size but both axles could use an upgrade if wanted. For the front axle there is no easy upgrade. You will have to do a SAS and 100% custom tons of cutting and welding. Just don't do anything extreme and your stock axles will be fine.


Yes you could just add in the 2 extra wiring for the injectors, get 2 connectors from the junkyard and wire them up to the PCM and add in 2 pins into the PCM connector. As for needing pictures, Mopar magazine did a good article on a 96 (1st gen but OBDII) 3.9 to 5.9 tons of good info, including performance parts reviews.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...swap-pics.html

 

Okay. One last thing about the whole harness thing. I do need to get ahold of a PCM from a 1997 Dakota 4x4 that has the 5.2 in it, right? It wouldn't do me any good to be adding the 2 extra injector wires without the correct PCM to plug it into. I mean, my truck has a stock V6 in it with the corresponding PCM. As soon as I put the 5.9 in, I will need a PCM from a 4wd Dak that had a V8 in it...right? Seems kinda obvious but like I said, I have to draw the schematic in my mind to understand all this. Thanks for your patience.

 

Oh yeah, I do have the wiring harness from the donor truck, a 1997 Ram 1500 2wd. Could I use the whole harness to plug into the engine and then into the PCM from a '97 Dak? Jeez, this can get confusing. I hope someone can help me simplify it.

 

You cannot use the ram harness unless you wanna rewire the whole thing. Best bet is to get a harness out of a Durango or Dakota with the same engine

 

So I need a harness and the PCM from a 1997 Dakota 4x4 with the 5.2L V8, right? simple as that?

 

The 5.2 PCM can run it but it will not run 100% of what it can be. It is best to get a 5.9 Ram PCM, even better get a Mopar Performance PCM if they make them for your years, I would imagine they do. Or get a custom tune, B&G can do it their link is in the FAQ.

Just for fun see what they did in that link I gave you earlier.

Also since this is going WAY off topic per the OP go ahead and start a new Thread of your own.