Found a 96 Dodge 318 on Craig's List for a hundred bucks complete runner our of a totaled truck. Planning to stick it in the Desoto, but I don't want to mess with computer controlled fuel injection and the other shtuff. Seller is an ASE certified tech and says that changing the intake is most of what will be necessary. Anybody know anything? If it won't work, it's at least good trading material.
if you can get the whole harness out of the truck, why not run it? They're more efficient. But you'd need an intake for a carb, the carb itself, and probably a distributor too. Plus there's all the emissions and other accessories, so you may need to change the belt setup.. exhaust manifolds may be set up for an O2 sensor if not EGR, so you'll want to swap those out.. a lot of work and money compared to just slipping say an '85 or older motor in there - even the computer control carb cars need a carb and distributor change, though, to lobotomize them.
I have the same engine in my 39 Plymouth, easy swap and reliable motor. You can use a Mopar M-1 intake if your bent on using a carb set up. 96 is a non EGR motor. Call Mopar performance tech line. They can give you the numbers of the distributor and intake. Jegs sells them too. FYI, I get 20 miles to the gallon and have plenty of power running the fuel injection. If you do it right, there is only about six wires to hook up and a few to cap off. You can keep the serpentine system even if you go with a carb set up. Jon
I agree. hook up the computer if you can get good help. You can also buy an intake, carb and an EI kit from the major speed shops. Swap out the exhaust manifolds to fit the car (my 40 Plymouth has 72 Dart manifolds), and the oil pan should fit (rear sump). try to get the driveshaft, motor mounts and front accessories too. This will be a hyd. roller cam magnum motor, pretty nice street motor. Mild manners and set up for low RPM torque, not high RPM HP.
Thank you fellas, you've made me the happiest little gal this side of the Rockies! I had my doubts, but you've eased my mind that this can be done. Any ideas on where to get a computer? I don't think the guy saved it...
I would think there will be some thing to do about a fuel pump. A lot of the EFI motors don't even have a place to put one.
Well, the guy has a totalled truck, get all that stuff out of it with the motor - the harness, computer, and so on.
As far as I can tell, the EFI stuff requires a high-pressure fuel pump, which most frequently are mounted in-tank. I won't touch that with a 10 foot pole, so if I keep it injected I'm going to look for an inline sort of thing and mount it on the frame.
The motor is the only thing left. That's why it's so cheap. Everything else has been sold, and lots of people have called him about it, but nobody seems to want it enough to go look at it. He just wants it out of his garage. I think I'll try the local salvage yards and a low cut shirt...
Check out my thread I just posted some pics. I did this same engine swap in my 52 two door Cranbrook. I kept the EFI and just got rid of the extra stuff on the wiring hareness that I did not use. I bought a wrecked 97 dakota (bent frame) for 3,000 It had a built 318 Magnum in it. I have almost recouped my money by selling all the sheet metal and other parts that I did not use in the swap.
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