so I just picked up a 96 1 ton ram van with a 318. for $250. the only thing that is wrong with it is the engine. It has a really bad knock in it. it sounds like a sledge hammer. so I was wondering how hard it is to pull the motors on these things. I know you have to take the front clip off to get it out. and I have a 318 outta my 87 fith ave. its an LA motor though and not a magnum. and since the van is fuel injected could I just switch it over to carburated.

I havent decided if I wanna keep it yetm or just scrap it. the body is mint on it. it's just the motor.

 

Once the grill and radiator are out the engine is easy to pull. The only part that becomes slightly difficult is fitting the engine hoist boom in there and getting it chained down.

Stay with the fuel injection, otherwise you'll never pass a state emission test. Plus if you ever want to sell the van in the future, it's highly unlikely that you will be able to. Just swap the intake and fuel rails over to the motor that you're dropping in.

 

ya I will just stay with the fuel injection. will I have to change the heads over too? I dont know alot about fuel injection. I know more about carbed engines.

 

The heads and block are the same. Mechanically speaking, on the engine your biggest difference between a carb and FIis the intake. Of course there's alsothe van's engine control computer which controls the FI, sensor inputs, spark, distributor timing, etc. that would be useless for a carbed engine.

 

ok thanks, I'll start doing the engine swap next month when I get abit more money saved up.