I have a 1988 Dakota with a 3.9L-TBI (LA) and auto transmission. I want a 5.2L Magnum with a manual transmission, Dakota's had them 92-96 but I'm not sure if the 97+ had the same 5.2L Magnum?

Now I know the second generation Ram PICKUPS had the 5.2L Magnum from 94-01, and the third generation Ram VANS had the 5.2L Magnum from 94-03...only thing is the vans did not come with a 5-speed manual transmission?

I figure the smartest thing to do is get the newest motor I have available to me in this case not out of a Dakota (a 5.2L Magnum newer than 96) If I want an 02 or 03 motor I will have to pull it from a van with an auto transmission. I heard the torque converters are all the same between 3.9L and 5.2L engines, what about the transmissions? Will a Dakota transmission bolt right onto a Ram pick or van engine? Did they make any improvements after 1996 on the 5.2L Magnum? Or anything worth getting a 2002 or 2003 from a van instead of a pickup?

 

Bell housing bolt pattern should be the same, I don't know if the magnums ever came with TB injection......

I think the 5.2 Magnum started in 93?? Or some such.

 

Good because I know where there is a 5.2L Ram van AND a pickup, but I'm not sure which one I would want and they are both automatic. I also know where there is a 3.9L Magnum Dakota with a 5-speed manual transmission I could get for almost nothing but ONLY if they are the same...if a 5.2L Ram pickup has a beefier tranny I would rather hunt one down then use the 3.9L Dakota's.

I would be taking whatever form of intake the new motor has, wiring and all.

 

You will want the PCM as well.

 

Get the 5spd Dakota, it will be much easier and cheaper to buy a parts car than to source all the parts to convert it to a 5spd piece by piece. That's if it's the same trans as the rams that is.

 

PCM only in Magnums or?

No I was not going to build a manual transmission, but I think the Dakota has an AX-15 and if I look around I could probably find a Ram pickup with an NV3500 even if it's a 3.9L Ram. Not 100% sure if the NV3500 is even a better transmission than the AX-15 anyway?

What about problems using a manual transmission with a computer from the automatic engine?

I also read that Ram oil pans are different than Dakotas?

 

The magnums are all port fuel injection, your TB injection PCM won't have a clue how to run it, and you will be short several connectors......

 

I don't understand what you mean? I'm taking the new 318 WITH all the wiring, computers, the intake that is already on the 318 is being moved too, EVERYTHING. I'm not trying to put my TBI from my 88' onto this new 318 it will have the new port injection on it along with whatever is needed to control it (PCM) which should be included in the wiring harness I take with it.

 

That should do ya then. Stick with 97 and older though, as the newer trucks, the wiring inside for the cluster got really weird...... and you would need all that stuff as well.... (such fun.)

 

Well my cluster has to go anyway, I have a manual cable driven speedometer with no tach so I'm guna need to swap that stuff too anyway. One solid weekend and some brews should get all the new wiring swapped, I'm very electrical inclined. I'm going to look around and see what I can find for a 318 Ram pickup with a 5-speed instead of messing with putting manual transmissions on van engines and such.