Just curious. Can either of these engines bolt up to an old Mopar and just swap to an old intake and carb and electronic ignition conversion kit or is it a big hassle? I see a lot of 1990s Rams in junk yards rotted out but with good motors.
Ram 5.2 and 5.9
- Thread starter Timmayy
- Start date
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
5.9 and 5.2 can be swapped in. However, both use a beer barrel intake and fuel injectors unless its pre beer barrel with a throttle body which would be mid 80's magnums I think. You can buy a 4bbl intake for the magnum engines. Hughes Performance used to sell them but Im sure summit may have them as well.
70Polara440
Well-Known Member
Easy swap! 5.2 magnum is an internally balanced engine so no fancy converters or flex plates needed. 5.9 magnum is externally balanced and requires weighted converter or balanced flex plate.
Hughes sells a cam snout extension to run a mechanical fuel pump with LA timing cover.
Theres a cheap air gap knock off intake available on ebay, or the edelbrock air gap intake is also available.
I did this swap in my 318 69 Polara wagon. Replaced it with a 5.2 Magnum and dressed it with LA parts and cheap Ram/Dakota/Durango shorty headers. Car is noticeably quicker and more fun.
Hughes sells a cam snout extension to run a mechanical fuel pump with LA timing cover.
Theres a cheap air gap knock off intake available on ebay, or the edelbrock air gap intake is also available.
I did this swap in my 318 69 Polara wagon. Replaced it with a 5.2 Magnum and dressed it with LA parts and cheap Ram/Dakota/Durango shorty headers. Car is noticeably quicker and more fun.
The intake mounting bolt holes in the 5.2 and 5.9 cylinder heads are drilled at a different angle. There are 4 bbl intake manifolds available for the them I believe the ignition system can be swapped to electronic without issue.
WOW! Looks great. Yeah I've done 318 to 360 swaps in the past. I know about the different balancing. What carb did you use? Also, I remember reading that the magnum heads flow better than the 340 X heads. Is this true?
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
When I had my Dakota RT I used a Mopar Performance M1 intake for the magnum engine.. It was very expensive and now elusive. But it still used the throttle body. Mancini had it for under 500.00 They had a 4bbl version too.
Wow this guy on ebay is smoking crack... 1499.00 for this nasty *** intake.
Wow this guy on ebay is smoking crack... 1499.00 for this nasty *** intake.
So you basically rip out all the extra wires and hoses and go back to the old school wiring?
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
I think hes saying he used LA heads on a magnum engine. Thus retaining the original look of the LA.
Lelo 500
Well-Known Member
I was referring to your question about swapping an old intake and carb. The 5.2 and 5.9 engines have a crank sensor to handle the proper distribution of spark. They do have what appears to be a distributor in the traditional location. You have to confirm with others who are more knowledgeable on the electronic ignition swap.
70Polara440
Well-Known Member
I dropped my points dizzy into the magnum motor. Fired right up.
70Polara440
Well-Known Member
I think magnum heads are good, but prone to cracking between the seats. Mine didn't appear to be cracked and so far so good.
Just a 600cfm edelbrock.
WAYNES WORLD
Well-Known Member
Please tell us more about the headers. How was the fit on the drivers side? What did you do for the down pipes? I was looking at those headers for my 66 Coronet.
rumblefish360
Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I swapped a 318 out for a ‘00 - 5.9 in my ‘79 Magnum. I quoted some posts below to address a few things. Some corrections and comments to each quote.
The Hughes snout extension I have not used but I have read complaints about it, but it works. The Hughes intake is only available through Hughes and is cast by Edelbrock exclusively for Hughes and only Hughes.
Currently, there are only 3 intake manifolds being made for the 5.2 & the 5.9. Those are the aforementioned Hughes FI intake, but he Chink knock off and the Edelbrock.
Beep beep RR posted a racing intake known to make excellent power (550+) and is no longer made.
While the rockers are a little pricey, they are a good strong rocker that has an accurate ratio unlike the OE stamped rockers the LA has.
You can get good units from Mancini Racing or Don @ FBO (4secondsflat.com) etc
A 600 cfm carb makes for an excellent drivers carb. I use a Edelbrock 600 myself. The engine could also use a 750 & I suggest it if you use a upgraded camshaft with the normal bolt on parts. The extra power the engine makes will appreciate the bigger carb all over the place.
Also! The header primary pipes do not interfere with the steering linkages at all. No need to disassemble the steering linkages!
The headers will fit with a 904, 727 or a factory manual transmission. I finished the exhaust with dual 2-1/2 pipes. Lakewood bells need a tube mildly dented on the passenger side, just like TTI headers do. In which these currently (last seen) are priced cheaper by a tad.
I highly recommend the Hooker SC headers over the TTI. They have less bends and a better collector. I do recommend the TTI exhaust though and what ever muffler you choose. TTI can supply Dynomax turbo mufflers.
Magnum engines came out is ‘92 - 318 (5.2), ‘93 -360 (5.9) so the last run of “LA” engine that had FI were also roller cam engine. Early Magnum engines still have the oil holes drilled in the block so swapping LA heads is easy and possible.
The 5.9 uses the stock flex plate for use with a zero balance converter. Keep the flexplate for the swap. If you don’t have it, B&M has a flex plate for this.
The Hughes snout extension I have not used but I have read complaints about it, but it works. The Hughes intake is only available through Hughes and is cast by Edelbrock exclusively for Hughes and only Hughes.
Currently, there are only 3 intake manifolds being made for the 5.2 & the 5.9. Those are the aforementioned Hughes FI intake, but he Chink knock off and the Edelbrock.
Beep beep RR posted a racing intake known to make excellent power (550+) and is no longer made.
That thing actually makes great power.
The use of LA heads on a Magnum is possible. Here is the catch! IF the Magnum block has oiling holes in the block rod the heads, this equals a simple bolt on swap. IF there is no oiling holes in the block to feed the cylinder heads, you now have to get oil to the rockers another way. Pushrod oiling is needed. Off the top of my head, I can only remember for certain that the Comp Pro Magnum roller rockers do indeed accept pushrod oiling.
While the rockers are a little pricey, they are a good strong rocker that has an accurate ratio unlike the OE stamped rockers the LA has.
Yep! When I did my engine swap, I used a LA junkyard distributor, orange box & plug wires. EZ - PZ. I highly recommend the chrome box and not the orange unless it is a very old unit. Other copycat ignition boxes as of this writing have been proven to be good a substitute for the orange box if not equal to or exceeding the original chrome box from Chrysler’s MP division.
You can get good units from Mancini Racing or Don @ FBO (4secondsflat.com) etc
The way these heads crack are not an issue and very rarely cause a problem. It is the in between the seats that is mostly happens.
A 600 cfm carb makes for an excellent drivers carb. I use a Edelbrock 600 myself. The engine could also use a 750 & I suggest it if you use a upgraded camshaft with the normal bolt on parts. The extra power the engine makes will appreciate the bigger carb all over the place.
My ‘79 B body uses the same parts almost everywhere like a older B body does. I used the Hooker Super Comp headers that have a 1-3/4 primary pipe. They work with the floor shifter, PS & PB of my car. Clearance is great!
Also! The header primary pipes do not interfere with the steering linkages at all. No need to disassemble the steering linkages!
The headers will fit with a 904, 727 or a factory manual transmission. I finished the exhaust with dual 2-1/2 pipes. Lakewood bells need a tube mildly dented on the passenger side, just like TTI headers do. In which these currently (last seen) are priced cheaper by a tad.
I highly recommend the Hooker SC headers over the TTI. They have less bends and a better collector. I do recommend the TTI exhaust though and what ever muffler you choose. TTI can supply Dynomax turbo mufflers.
rolling_Thunder
Well-Known Member
Did this in my 73 Challenger...
Swapped the following.
-Oil pan / pickup
-Timing cover to "LA" style and used factory V-belt pulleys and water pump
-Added camshaft snout for mechanical pump
-Dual pattern intake manifold for LA or magnum heads
-I kept the A-518 trans but if you went to a 727 or 4-speed keep in mind the external balance of the magnum engines is different than the old 360s
Rusty 72
Well-Known Member
I did a 5.9 in my 72 as well. Runs great!
Although I cannot get the front on the new oil pan to seal. Constant leak there. If anyone has a suggestion I'm all ears.
Although I cannot get the front on the new oil pan to seal. Constant leak there. If anyone has a suggestion I'm all ears.
rumblefish360
Well-Known Member
Yes, lots of sealant. The LA pan bolts on but has gaps. Very minor but leaky.
Similar threads
