This is my first engine build its a 5.2 Magnum that im going to be putting in my sing cab 2wd ram and am just curious on some thoughts of what setup is gonna end up like, some things I might be missing or something that doesn't quite fit. I also have a few questions forward for me going forward. ill be posting pics of the porting and such as I go but right now this is what I've got planned:

MSD street fire plugs
MSD blast ignition coil
Pacesetter shorty headers
going to run NGK plugs
180 degree thermostat
GMB high performance water pump
Melling high volume oil pump
Cloyes timing chain kit
full felpro gaskets
I've got an sct tuner and will get a custom tune
back faced valves
home valve job
ill be porting the stock magnum heads
throttle body spacer and a 52mm throttle body
ill be modding the stock kegger
might go for towing/ rv style cam from comp cams but not sure yet

Now where I've got the questions are:
1: what's a good mid range distributer? don't want to go cheap but going all out on one is a little tough right now.

2: I need new injectors as the old ones are bad, I've heard the ford motorsport #19 are the best stock fit but I can't find a decent set, would I see any benefit from #24? or would that be to much or does anyone have any other suggestions

3. im going to eventually go 3.9 or 4.1 lsd rear end. I was leaning towards 3.9 because this truck will be daily driven and might be driving highway speeds, does anyone run the 4.10 fine on highways and such? how was the mpg

4.

is it worth cleaning this up a bit while im working on the heads anyways? without touching the seats of course

5. Is and Underdrive pulley kit worth it? I know vacuum can be a concern but strictly performance wise


what are some things im missing or something I should do? im trying to keep the engine torquey, I don't want too much high end power
What do you think ill be getting out of my setup currently minus the cam? cause I haven't quite specked that out yet
Thanks for any insight

 

Since you're doing a rebuild, have you given any thought about using a 5.9 magnum block instead? It's a lot easier to make more power & torque with the greater displacement that the 5.9 offers. In addition, all of the parts you listed interchange with the 5.9.

As for running 4.10 gears, I've recently installed them in my '96 Ram 2500 4x4 instead of the 3.54 gears. The truck is much more responsive with the 4.10 gears, but I'm also running tall 285-75-16 tires. It runs great on the highway in overdrive, but RPMs are up a bit in 3rd gear/non-overdrive. Fuel mileage is right at the EPA spec of 12MPG, which is OK with me for this heavy truck running cheap regular gas.

 

If you are looking for power low in the rpm range(rv cam) you want to keep the kegger. Or are you looking for more power in the upper rpm range? It wouldn't hurt to remove the rough casting marks on the head.

 

Skip the throttle body spacer, they do absolutely nothing on a port injected engine. (aside from lighten your wallet..... that should be worth a couple thousandths off your quarter mile time......)

 

Aha alright I’ll skip the throttle body spacer then. I am going to be running the stock kegger with some runner work and the egr plate removed.
also I would love to do the 5.9 but there fairly hard to come by around where I am. Price and Kilometres are a little to high as well so I’ll stick with the 318 but thanks for the insight on the 4.10 gears i run a very similar tire and rim setup

 

What year is your truck?

 

2000, but the engine is a 97 that I’m working on

 

Shouldn't have EGR then. If you have an EGR manifold, check out the local junkyards for a newer one. Either that, or use the intake off of your 2000. No egr, no china wall in the center, etc.

 

I thought the newer ones have the China Wall but the older ones didn't

 

EGR went away in 96, which was the whole purpose of that china wall, to support the egr 'dispenser', or whatever it's called. I think the china wall went away in 98???