My 1982 Dodge Ram 50

[Kurt751990]

Hi everybody i'm new to this forum. I recently bought a 1982 Dodge Ram 50 aka Mighty Max! It has the G52B timing chain driven 2.0. My cylinder head is no good, full of cracks up and down the valve seats, so I am now searching for a way to make my truck run. After much researching so far I have come to a few options and would like feedback. I want to first say before I begin I do not have $10,000 to spend on this truck nor am I trying to build a race car. I am a Mitsubishi Mechanic/Auto Technician. I like Mitsubishis that is why I want to fix it and drive it everyday. Now with that out of the way.

My understanding of what I have is a narrow block engine and I have the 4 speed manual i'm assuming it is the one from that year and would appreciate someone telling me which transmission that is as no one really talks about the 4 speed manuals. Maybe later I will swap to a 5 speed but for now I just want to get it running and driving. I also have found, if this isnt true or correct just tell me so I know better, the G54B 2.6 engines have similar heads and blocks but are all wide block which means they are not going to bolt up to my 4 speed unless someone knows of an adapter I can use to make it accommodate the flywheel and bolt onto my 4 speeds bellhousing. Something else I read and am curious about is the fact a 4G63 is a narrow block engine which leads me to this question. Will the 4G63 bolt straight onto my 4 speed without fabrication or is the bolt pattern different at the bellhousing? Even if it is the same pattern and can bolt right in and use the same mounts as my G52B I would think I would need a different exhaust manifold as well as a different intake manifold and unless they make a intake manifold for that engine that will accommodate a carburetor i'm looking at a can of worms that right now I probably dont want to open i.e. fuel injection, a ecm/pcm/computer, fuel pump, wiring, fuel lines, injectors, etc. I at one point will probably add fuel injection but at the moment I just want my truck to run and I drive it.

Now something else I see is the fact that G54B heads can be bought brand new nonjet heads online. While they will bolt right on they will drop my compression and then open a can of worms in the form of an intake manifold that will accommodate a carburetor that I dont have to search for i.e. an intake that I can just buy brand new online and install.

So this is what I see as my course of action in getting my truck up and running and driving. Obtain an adapter and find a G54B engine to swap in(probably buy a remanufactured one) if an intake manifold which can accommodate the weber carburetor I already have can be found brand new instantly. Buy a G52B head and have the machine shop shave it the best they can to offset the compression loss but this isnt viable unless I can find the intake manifold. If the 4G63 engine is a narrow block that will bolt onto my 4 speed manual transmission this is an option.

So guys i'm reaching out to yall in hopes that someone can help me figure this out.

[Kurt751990]

Buy a G52B head and have the machine shop shave it the best they can to offset the compression loss but this isnt viable unless I can find the intake manifold.

Sorry I meant G54B not G52B.

[geezer101]

The G63B 2.0 is a belt driven narrow block (designated from the 'Sirius' generation of SOHC 8v) They have a paired port head and the intake/exhaust manifolds are not interchangeable with the 4G54/G54B/G52B engine so keep that in mind. The related 5 speeds are a nut and bolt swap. All Mitsubishi engines have the same carb mounting pattern. That aside, there are kits specifically made to adapt Webers to these intakes. Look up K610 Weber conversion kits - they come with a manifold adapter plate, mounting studs and linkages etc. What I think is the biggest risk of shaving down a 2.6 head is the loss of deck material could seriously weaken the head. The non jet valve heads are more resilient/less prone to cracking inside the combustion chamber but reducing the combustion chamber volume 'may' introduce another issue.

My here are what I think are viable options -

#1 Get the 2.6 head and weld up the combustion chambers and have them reshaped. If you aren't in a rush you can go all in and port + polish the head and sculpt the combustion chambers to remove all sharp edges and improve the air/fuel charge flow across the spark plugs (if you are adding a Weber carb and a set of exhaust headers this will really improve efficiency) Not a cheap route.

#2 shelve the G52B and find a G63B. The G63B is a slightly lighter engine, is forgiving to work on, likes to rev + parts are easier to source (as you've discovered with the G52B head) If you've found a donor truck then chances are it'll also have the 5 speed hanging off it - 2 birds in one bush or... something

#3 full drivetrain swap from a 2.6 truck. Bear in mind that all drivetrain parts are interchangeable between Gen 1 and Gen 2 RWD trucks.

*You can swap the solid front rotors and sliding shim calipers for vented discs and floating calipers from the Gen 2 just by taking the whole steering hub assemblies and unbolting them. Depending on what load capacity your truck has you can swap the front stabiliser bar from a Gen 2 as an upgrade as well.

No matter what engine and trans combo you choose, do the Weber swap. Worth the effort - easier to rebuild, all round improvement in performance (both in economy and HP once you've got it running right)