Hello. I'm very curious if anyone is running either a 390 or 408 as a daily driver in their Rams? I just retired my 93 Dakota that has a 318 and am parting it out and sending the rest to the bone yard. So the 318 out of it can go on the engine stand for now till parts are ordered then it will be sent off. What should I do? Go carbeurated? Stay EFI? Which would be cheaper in the long run to build? Any forseen major issues? If i stayed EFI I know I'm limited with the electronics/tuning aspect. Would the Mopar Performance ECU work and be sufficient? Maybe megasquirt? I was thinking of megasquirting my neon so I can see how that goes before doing the 390. Or would I be better off going carbeurated? How would I shift my transmission? Remember it will still be a DD. Just figured I'd get a conversation going on the subject and I'm sure this has been discussed, sorry to lazy to search at the moment but wanted some fresh information anyways. Thanks!!

 

Megasquirt for sure. MS3X works out of the box with our crank and cam sensors, there's 3 I know of running Magnums on MS3X, and 2 others with modified MS2s (needs a cam input circuit added). I plan to install my MS3X next weekend. It will work with the stock PCM to run the tranny, one of the guys I know with MS3X on his 408 Dakota is running full standalone and controlling the OD shift and TC lockup on his 46RH as well. But if you have an RE you need to keep the PCM.

 

MMMM sounds like fun. I wonder how much tinkering until i could get the ms3x actually up n running and functioning as a DD though...

 

Would the Mopar ECU run a 390?

 

Probably, but poorly, especially with any real cam.

Seriously, MS. I don't understand spending thousands on go fast goodies then skimping on the EFI. You can do MS3X for around $1000, including a wideband.

 

Oh trust me I've always wanted to do a MS whether it be on my neon or now on this. I'm also considering going carbeurated, which i do miss having a carb vehicle and it would be neat to go carb on one of these i think. Has anyone on here went carb and or is currently running one on their 5.2 5.9 or equivalent? How do you get transmission to still shift? Leaving all components hooked up that run transmission?

 

if you swap to carb you pretty much throw the computer out because it becomes useless without the sensors on the throttle body. now depending on what you stick it in depends on how complicated things are. if you are sticking it in a truck that is older than 96 i think the wiring should be simple. now without the computer the transmission would act like a 3speed. now to get 4th gear you would need a kit like this
http://www.transmissioncenter.net/SwapInformation.htm

 

Carb swap is more trouble than it's worth IMO, you already have everything for fuel injection.

FWIW my truck is now running on MS3X as of last weekend. I parked it Saturday evening and began ripping out my old MS2 wiring and started wiring in MS3X, I had it running first try at about 2PM Sunday.

 

i completely missed that you had a 97 ram. i think i agree with Hahns. i think since it is a 97 you should maybe be able to get a tuner to run it. converting to carb can get expensive especially if you have a 46RE. i think just converting a magnum engine to carb would cost you about $1000.

 

If you were to convert it to a carb you might as well throw in a 5-spd behind it.

Besides, a 408 would wreck any of these trannys unless it was beefed up by a shop