Motor Swap

[stem860]

I'm thinking ablout swaping my motor out for something with a little more kick. I have an 87 mighty max 4x4 spx with the 2.6 in it. Any ideas on what motor I should go with? Im looking at edelbrock motors.

[92bluemax]

502 Big Block:worship:720+ hp What more could you ask for:lmao: I have seen on the forum that a few members have put it small block V8'S

[Fordubishi]

you can stick anything in you want just have to take your time to do the fab work. If you wanted to do another 4 cyl look at a wrecked 2.3L EFI ranger then get the turbo system off an 83-88 Tbird/Cougar (or the complete wreck) and you have the full wiring you need. If you get a Ranger you will only need to repin 3 wires on the computer plug to run the turbo computer. The 2.3L can easily handle up to 31 ft/lbs of boost and can run over 300hp.

But this is your project so what you install it totally up to you. There are a number of us freaks with V-8's in our trucks so if you need help with a swap just ask how we solved a problem and most of us should be able to answer you how we did our swap.

[92bluemax]

Good luck with any engine you pick, just keep us updated with pics:thumbup:

[recian]

They make kits to install chevy V8s but that defeats the purpose. Drop in a mopar 360. More than doubles your hp output now and it'll bring the truck to life. I'm in the process of doing the 2.3L TD swap in a first gen. It'll be about 130tq stock after rebuild and just by running a FMIC and 2.5" exhaust can push 160-170tq on the stock turbo and can be built over 125hp/200tq easily and cheaply which is more than enough to move the truck. But pushing that engine past 200tq will require internal upgrades and mods. I'm building a scrapper truck / mpg hog to see how good of mpg I can get.

[74Dusted]

I agree with Recian. The Mopar Small Block (IE the 360) is a great way to put some power to a small truck.

I swapped a modified 273 (4.5L) Mopar Small Block into my '84 D50. That little monster will lay me back in the seat and burn all 4 tires (Full Time 4WD). It gets about 17 - 19mpg on average

With a Mopar Small Block you can use a factory "Car" Oil Pan (273, 318 and 340 all use the same Car oil pan, 360's require a 360 car oil pan) to fit the V8 in the truck. I may have that backwards though. I used a Car Pan in my trucks (Solid Front Axle), It may require a Truck Pan in a mostly stock D50 with IFS (anybody who's done the swap with the factory front suspension care to chime in?) and a set of Car Exhaust Manifolds (or Dodge Dakota V8 Manifolds for a slight boost in flow). I ended up using 360 Truck Manifolds on my truck, because of the amount of modifications I had made to my truck made it impossible for me to use better flowing manifolds (like 340 Manifolds or Dakota Manifolds)

I used to have an '86 D50 that I had swapped a 400HP (budget build) 318 Mopar into. Man that was a fun truck. And I have a '79 Plymouth Arrow that has a Supercharged 340 Small Block in it (Engine came from a Dodge GSS Demon). That's a long term project that I pushed to the back burner. When it's done it'll be a Supercharged 340 / 4-Speed AWD Truck with Front & Rear Independent suspension (with 8.75" Chrysler differentials)

My next D50 project (whenever that is) will be getting a 1st Generation 392 Hemi

[pennyman1]

There is a friend of mine out of Columbus that took an 85 Ram 50 and stretched the front end 12" and installed a blown 392 Hemi using an Isuzu chassis for the front steering. He beat Geronimo with it at the last Mopar show we were both competing at in the same class - can't beat a real Hemi!

[recian]

If a 360 fits in these trucks why would he need to stretch it to make the hemi fit? Theyre the same size roughly, even bolt to the same trans. Or did he do it just for fun? Also if you plan to swap a new model hemi don't get a first gen, get a 2nd gen (COP style not the cross-fire style) The first gens are bad for breaking valve springs and chunking rods. I've replaced a few of em at the dealer already for these conscerns.

[pennyman1]

He likes to do things differently - he also has a 75 full size dodge truck with a blown 392 hemi and the bed is so short it barely covers the M/T sportsmans 33s he runs in the rear - that truck he named Casper as the truck is pure white inside and out. Geronimo lost to him with that truck also. But at least his trucks are legitimate show vehicles, not some friend of the judges that wins by who he knows.

[camoit]

Chevy 4.3 V6. There a dime a dozen and easy to find. But I don't know about the 4X4. You will need to swap out the trans. With a small amount of money you can put out 350HP at the crank and not worry about blowing it up to quick. I have a hole tech write up in my build thread.

[74Dusted]

If a 360 fits in these trucks why would he need to stretch it to make the hemi fit? Theyre the same size roughly, even bolt to the same trans. Or did he do it just for fun? Also if you plan to swap a new model hemi don't get a first gen, get a 2nd gen (COP style not the cross-fire style) The first gens are bad for breaking valve springs and chunking rods. I've replaced a few of em at the dealer already for these conscerns.

The 392 Hemi (great choice for a Blower engine) is a 1st Gen Hemi, not to be confused with the 3rd Gen 392 Hemi from today

1st Gens have a bottom end known to withstand upwards of 1,500 HP. 1st Gen Hemis came out in the 50's, the commonly known sizes are 331, 354 and 392 but there are also half a million other 1st gen Hemi sizes out there too. 2nd Gen Hemi's came out in 1964, as the Elephant Engine...aka the infamous 426 Hemi. 3rd Gen Hemis (what you find in newer cars and trucks), such as the 5.7, 6.1 and 392 do have some issues.

I'm building a Blown 540 Hemi (2nd Gen) for my '71 Demon. And I wish I would have waited a little longer before I started building the Blown R3 Race 340 engine for my '74 Duster. If I would have waited (and saved a little more money up) I could have built a Blown R5 Race 340 Hemi engine instead (Mopar Performance sells Hemi heads that will only fit the R5 Race blocks.) The R5 Hemi engines don't fall into any of the known categories, they're not a 1st Gen, 2nd Gen or 3rd Gen Hemi. They're a variation of the LA Small Block, so I guess they could be considered a brother to the 1st Gen (Since the 1st Gen Hemis were based on the A / Poly Small Block and the LA was a lighter/more compact variation of the A block)

[mopar_ja]

I know this is older post but 74Dusted AMEN!! BROTHER!! and the only thing going to add is if they want to stick with 4 cylinder, could always use the mini sprint 340 block cut in half.