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NATHANIEL
Dodge Dakota
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5/23/2002
12:21:52

Subject: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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I have a '98 5.2 auto, and at 100,000 miles I am either going to rebuild the motor or get a short block. Can i use the 5.9 mpi short block with my stock fuel system and tranny. If not what changes are needed? The price of the short block is great and the extra cubes would also be nice.

thanks,




Hersbird
Dodge Dakota
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5/23/2002
14:33:48

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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The 360 is externally balanced, and would require a balancing kit on the torque converter and I believe a different balancer on the front. Everything else should just bolt right up but I would make sure the cam in the short block matches what you want the rest of the truck to do, it's only about $120 to fix it while it's apart and new, much harder later.



Wayne
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5/23/2002
21:44:40

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Don't go with the balancing kit(for the flywheel and torque converter). Get a new harmonic balance, flywheel, torque converter, and pcm for the 360. If you have a 5-speed it's even easier.



Hersbird
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5/23/2002
23:32:41

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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If you buy a new torque converter like the MP high stall, and you have a 360 then you have to buy the balancing kit. If you get a regular 360 converter out of the junk yard then it should be good. I would use the stock PCM that came with your truck rather then trying to make a R/T controller work, your computer should be able to compensate for the added cubes. The 98 balancer is just a regular bolt on type right? So just getting a balancer off a 360 would be the easiest there.



kota on 20s
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5/24/2002
16:36:56

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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what would you have to do for a 5 speed?

Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more

jkk
Dodge Dakota
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5/24/2002
17:23:57

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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First off, the PCM's are different between the 5.2 & the 5.9 due to the stroke difference of the engine, it changes some timing characteristics.
Second, if you go with the 5 speed tranny you may have to get a retrofit pilot bearing for the end of the crank if the engine was originally out of an automatic, it will not have the proper size hole in the end of the crank for the standard pilot bearing.
Third, you will need a "balanced" flywheel(for manual tranny), or flex plate( for automatic tanny).
Fourth, the oil pan is different between the 5.2L & 5.9L from '98 and later. It is a special oil pan to fit in the Dakota and not rest on the crossmember.

If you want, I can get you the part numbers and have some parts for sale that you may need.




Hersbird
Dodge Dakota
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5/24/2002
20:12:15

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Whatever oil pan that is on your Dakota right now will work on the crate motor and not have any problems. I would just be leary of changing the PCM to something that wan't made for the truck because sometimes even PCM that are the correct part number for a particular truck won't work once they are flashed with another truck's vin. It's sort of hit and miss. The one that came in the truck is sure to work. On a 98 just send it out for a custom flash based on what you are running, there are lots of people doing the 98 and 99 PCMs custom for about what the MP PCM costs. I would think that the MP short blocks are already set up with a big enough hole in the crank for a pilot bearing, as Dodge doesn't know weather or not they will be going into a manual or automatic when they sell them.



moparjoe20
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2002
00:52:58

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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The oil pans are different between 318's and 360's , the opening in the back of the pan is larger on the 360's , 273's , 318's and 340's share the same pan and 360's are the oddball.



Hersbird
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5/27/2002
00:32:12

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Oh, right, because of the different crank journal size. I hadn't thought of that!



Tex
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5/29/2002
00:22:48

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Does all of this apply to the 2nd Gen's?




jkk
Dodge Dakota
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5/30/2002
12:42:36

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Tex,
Yes, it applies to the GenII's also.



slt
Dodge Dakota
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7/10/2002
00:21:00

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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I have a `91 Dak w/5.2TBI/auto and 200K miles. I know that I'll need the different PCM if I switch in a 360MPI/518 but is the wiring harness the same? I know about the motor mounts and can handle any changes in the tranny xmember but I don't want to have to rewire the whole truck!

Thanks in advance!

SLT



Brad
Dodge Dakota
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7/10/2002
08:29:14

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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Pretty sure you will need a whole new wiring harness too. Have to account for 8 injectors instead of just 2 with the TBI



slt
Dodge Dakota
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7/10/2002
13:41:11

RE: 5.2 swap to 5.9
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I didn't even think about he different injector
count! Thanks for the slap upside the head. It
looks like I'll be looking for a `94 or `95 sooner
than I thought, between the difference in the
steering and the pain of rewiring the whole engine
compartment! It it were one of my classics, it
would be worth it but when the later model has the
characteristics I want and is available for a
reasonable price it's a joke. Thanks for saving me
a load of unnecessary trouble! :-)
slt




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