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1985 5.2 into 1996 Dodge Ram 1500

3K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  chizzle1 
#1 ·
My Engine in my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Has went south.
Water In Oil.
Oil light flicker's at idle.
Still have plenty of power from the engine.
My question is?
I have a Fresh Rebuilt 318 (5.2) Engine out of a 1985 Dodge ram Pickup.
Can I transfer that engine over to the 1996?
Of course I know that I would have to transfer the throttle body and all Acc, over to the 85 engine.
Can anyone tell me if it will woirk?
Thank's :help:
 
#2 ·
I think the intake bolts aren't cut the same...can't remember which, but one is cut at an angle, and the other is cut straight. You might be able to machine the block to accept the newer intake, but I'n not sure about that.
I was looking at an LA style long block for dirt cheap but passed on it since I don't want to deal with any extra headaches when i swap the motor.

If you are able to have the truck down for a week or so, you may be able to diagnose what the problem with the magnum block is.
Sounds like a head gasket / cracked head.
How many miles on the magnum engine?
What engine is in the truck now 5.2 or 5.9?
 
#3 ·
Thank you for the answer. I did not know if the Head's were the same or not.
I really want to change the Engine out! It has 282,000 on this Engine and I did not want to put a whole lot of money into it. having that many mile's on it.
Let me ask you this?
Whay can't I just drop the engine in the Truck and use the Carburator?
would that work?
 
#4 ·
I think you would run into some other issues, including the fact that your old old pcm manages many non-engine related components. For example, your 46re (same year as my truck so probably same tranny) is electronically controlled. If I am not mistaken, used to link up to a hydraulically controlled tranny, so I think it would take a lot of other work to make it happen.
 
#5 ·
To elaborate on what was said above: the ignition system is also controlled by the PCM, this means you would need to have the complete ignition system from the 85 motor, then you could start splicing. In short, it would take more work that it's worth to try and make the 2 systems work.

And the tranny is 46RE(lectronic), the 46RH(ydraulic) was in the 94 (and maybe 95) model.

There would not be much involved in swapping components though. If the engines are the same size, and you can bore the newer block the same amount to clear the cylinders, then you could swap the new components into the magnum block. It would involve pulling the rebuilt 5.2 apart, having the magnum block completely apart & machined, then installing the new parts...minus the cam, intake, and carb.

In my opinion, it would be easier (and more simple) to sell the rebuilt engine and rebuild the magnum with a basic kit.

You have 250k+ miles on the original motor, don't you think it's worth the investment if you get the same service from a rebuild?
 
#6 ·
you bet it is worth rebuilding.
That is what I am gonna do. Get me a Master engine kit and go to it.
I just thought that seeing as how I already had this other engine if it was a simple swap just transfering a few item's I would use it.
Thank's for all the advise.
Now, Where can I get a Master Kit Reasonably?
Thank's
 
#9 ·
why because you don't have the imagination?

Magnum 5.9l = 230hp
HEMI 5.7l = 345hp
HEMI 6.1l = 425hp
do you see where this is going?

the cheapest way to gain HP in any car is to find an engine to swap into place of an old one, why not pay $3500 to buy a junk yard 5.7L hemi with 35,000 miles or less and swap in place of a Magnum motor. you'd spend $5000 on a supercharger kit an still barley break past 300hp then the reliability goes down on the motor its self. plus i know you didn't really think about the "what if i really saw this 94-01 dodge with a new hemi in it?"... I'm sure you think those jeep rubicon with the hemi swapped in is retarded too.

getting off track cloise just wants to know if that 1985 motor will work. i say no.

~Zack
 
#10 ·
^ you would be a retard to swap in a 5.7 or 6.1.
:stu:

barnettzack: Even if you could find a junkyard Hemi for that amount, the amount of funding for the swap does not justify the gains...$3500 (cheap) for a junkyard Hemi, $400-$500 fabrication/adapters/etc to get it working.
So on the cheap side, he could swap in a Hemi for about $4500, that's not even bothering about swapping the tranny, lengthening the driveshaft, bell housing adapter, etc...that would add another $500 easily.
Take a look at what RM_Indy has done with his ride.

cloise could stroke the motor he has out to 408 cid for about $1600, rebuild the top end nicely for another $1200, all the other odds & ends would bring it up to about $3000 for a complete rebuild.
The 408 would make more torque, probably about the same horsepower as a Hemi, and it would be reliable.

Having driven several Hemi Rams, they aren't that spectacular. They make all their power in the higher RPM range, not good if you go off roading.

It would be different, but not practical.
 
#11 ·
Ok! Then the final answer is.
Will the 1985 318 engine work in the 1996 Truck?
From what I have gotten out of all the answer's.
NO!!!!
Should I rebuild the 5.2? Best Maybe!!
But I am still left with the Tranny which has the same mileage on it (282,000) Mile's
Now let me ask Y'all this?
I can get a Engine 360 (5.9) I belive and Tranny with 82,000 mile's for $800.00 will that be a Direct drop in? for my truck.
Would I need to change anything? Computer, wire's and such?
 
#12 ·
computer, since it's already assembled, it should have the correct harmonic balancer & flywheel.
So yes, it should drop in, assuming the tranny's are the same, which they should be (46RE).
With 82,000 miles on the tranny, you could still be looking at a rebuild around 100,000 depending on how it was driven previously.
 
#13 ·
Ok! I did a Dry Compression check on the 5.2 engine that is getting coolant into the oil. I did not find Not a single clean plug that is evident with a blown head gasket. here is the check
(1)120
(2)150
(3)120
(4)150
(5)130
(6)140
(7)130
(8)150
Next I am gonna pull the Throttle body off and see if that gasket is disrupted.
Anyone have any idea's of how the water (coolant) is getting into the oil?
I think that I will leave the engine in the truck and just rebuild the bottom end with a head job. :mad:
 
#14 ·
I think that I will leave the engine in the truck and just rebuild the bottom end with a head job.
good luck on rebuilding it in the truck, it would be easier to drop the driveshaft and pull the engine & tranny as an assembly.

If all you have is a blown head gasket(s), that's an easy fix.
 
#15 ·
nope, you'd have better luck going the other direction. Any cost saving you'd get by using that engine would be negated by all the work you'd have to do to get it to run in the new FI setting. Anything can be done, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it.
 
#16 ·
Ok! Update on the compression. Look's like I did it wrong.
I checked it one plug at a time each time reinstalling the spark plug.
So I went out to the Dodge dealership and talked with the lead mechanic and I told him what I did and he said I did the Compression check wrong.
He told me to take all the plug's out and lay them aside. then redo the check and I did what he told me and Now I am getting 160 on all 8 cyl.
Look's like it may not be a Head gasket all plug's are smutty. (Black)
Next he told me to Drain the oil and fill the Rad. up with water and Pressurize it to 17 Pound's and Look for water coming from the Drain Plug, If so Blown Intake gasket. If no water coming from Drain plug Then spin the engine Look for water out the Spark plug hole's if so Then Blown Head gasket.
Does that sound about right?
 
#17 ·
sounds like good advice. I'd follow what he said and see what you come up with.
With good compression, I wouldn't give any more thought to replacing or rebuilding that motor.
 
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