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Chris Rice
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2003
14:25:12

Subject: 92 318MPI to 360
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I'm confussed. What are my options? Whould I be better off rebuilding my 318? I will be driving daily and will need A/C. Help?



Jason Teague
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2003
22:29:49

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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No need to be confused, The 360 will physically bolt in perfect. The only problem will be the external balancing of the engine. If you have an auto trans you can either purchase a 98-up wieghted flexplate or add balancing wieghts to your torque converter. Mopar performance has a kit with instructions p/n P5249843. Manual trans will be alittle more tricky. You will have to have your flywheel rebalanced for the 360 or find another flywheel balanced already. Your 318 PCm will work fine but one for a 360 fullsize pickup would be better; either stock or a performance version. You will also need a Durango oilpan and pickup tube because a Ram or van pan will not work especially on a 4X4 also.



nathaniel
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2003
16:24:30

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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I am npot really familure with the ballancing issues. I am considering this also. Would you not have to have the crank, rods, pistons, pins, and flexplate ballanced together? Then add the weights to the flexplate at the necessary points to ballance the rotating assembly out? This would involve tearing down a perfectly good shortblock, which is what i am trying to get away from.

Can you use the "magnum" short blocks in the place of the "MPI" short blocks. the "magnum" shortblocks have hyperuetectic pistons the "MPI" short blocks do not.

Thanks,

Nathaniel

'98 5.2 CC



Jason Teague
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2003
21:36:07

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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The balancing I refered to with the wieghted flexplate will only balance a MPI 360 Magnum. You can just bolt it on any 93-up Mag 360 and go. You can not bolt in a pre-93 360 in your truck and use your factory fuel injection. The intake manifold will not fit and there is no place to mount your crank sensor to make it fire. The alt, p/s, and a/c won't bolt up either without some major modifcations. All of MPs 360 shortblocks accept for P/N P5007549 are balanced as Pre magnum motors. I don't see why you cant use P/N P4876913 or P4876906 as for they are built off of a Magnum block and they will have provision to mount your crank sensor. Use your 318s heads, intake, front cover, flexplate, and all other accesories. You will have to get a wieght kit for the torque converter p/n P4120241 and a harmonic balancer p/n P5007301 to use either P4876906 or P4876913. Hope this helps.



nathan
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2003
22:01:09

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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Jason,
Those are the two short blocks i have been eyeing! So P/N P4876913 or P4876906 will switch out with my 318 if i use the ballancing kit for the converter? I have the 44re trans. The difference in deck heights will not affect my intake manifold sealing? If this is the truth you have made my day.
I am planning on using the Mopar performance converter. Will I still need the ballancing kit if i use this converter?

Thanks,

I may have a really busy, fun summer!

Nathaniel



Jason Teague
Dodge Dakota
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1/08/2003
22:44:30

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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Nathan, I don't mean to be misleading, but your factory beer barrel intake will not work on the 913 and 906 crate motors.They use the P5249501 intake which will have to be drilled to use fuel injectors and use a 4 barrel throttle body. These motors will have a hard time working with your factory computer also with thier aggressive camshafts. Your best bet would be to find a rebuildable 93-up 360 to build to your liking and be able to use the parts from your 318. The hypereutectic pistons are not that great in my opinion. If I were going to put a hot 360 in a Dak, I would go ahead and bite the bullet and go for forged pistons ,especially if a blower and/or nitrous are in the future. On the otherhand, the P5007549 would be a drop in and go option.



victor
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2003
20:59:58

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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Since I am getting ready to this exact thing I have one question. The engine I am using has 3 miles on it and is from a damaged 01 Ram and comes with the flexplate. I will assume the flexplate is weighted so then I can use my stock 92 converter without the weights?? So the weights go on either or the converter or the flex plate right. My truck is a 92 4x4 Dakota 5.2 soon to be 5.9

Thanks

Vic



b1llyw
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1/14/2003
21:07:06

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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Victor, that should be correct. If you have the '01 flexplate then you can use your '92 converter without any weights.

Bill White
2002 QC 4x4, SLT , 4.7, 5 spd, 3.92 LSD
1995 CC 4x2, SLT, 318, 5 spd, 3.55 LSD

tbirdkiri
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2003
22:01:23

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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i would personally rebuild the 318, and stroke it at the same time. you can reach a similar if not greater displacment, but without the hassles of external balancing.



Jason Teague
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2003
23:21:50

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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A stroked 318 will never be as big as a stroked 360. The 318 gives up .090 in the bore to the 360 right off the bat. You will hit water trying to make the 318 the same c.i., a 340 is the only thing your giong to make bigger than a 360 without stepping up to a big block.



tbirdkiri
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2003
00:01:37

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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i meant then a stock 360 not a stroked one, keep in mind that the 318 kit is cheaper then the 360 one, and you would still have to buy the 360 block, have the machine work done as well.



R.J.
Dodge Dakota
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8/20/2003
14:57:55

RE: 92 318MPI to 360
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Hi i may be new to this stuff. but my dad, a well respected mechanic and dodge guy always said that a 318 and a 360 were the exact same block but different bore and stroke. just what i have always hear, and not just from my dad either.



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