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| | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 | Making head way...last weekend my son Adam spent the weekend helping me with the swap. And yes...we ran into a couple of "snags". The V6 and tranny came out easy as one could hope. Then we discovered the cross members were different where the engine mounts are. Damn!! So we spent at least 6 hours swapping cross members. Now if this was a 318, I would have avoided this extra step. But no...I had to have a 360!! LOL, Still haven't finished putting the donor van lower suspension back on to the cross member. Will need to so I can pull it to the metal recycling. Don't think I'd get squat from Pick N Pull or others with No engine. Rolling shell doesn't get their interest. Last time I did metal recycling I got 70 cents per hundred pounds. Wonder what the rolling shell weighs? Putting the word about the V6 drive train, engine and tranny both for $800, with harness and ECM. Both run fine. Tranny has about 60k on a rebuild. The engine may have 240k, but it's clean inside and the compression is 140 to 150 in all cylinders. Hope I can recoup my investment between recycling the shell and selling the other drive train. I'd be happy if it works out that way. Then it would be a free swap ion the end.
My time to work on it, got cut short this week and next. Mandatory staff meeting yesterday at the main office, but at time and a half, plus mileage for the drive, so there's the silver lining on that. This week is another 6 day work week, but it means more OT at least. So, I was left with today and next Sunday to do anything on the van. Best i can hope for at this point, is 2 weekends later it's running.
Any way...I have the 360 and A518 tranny in place! Made sure everything is properly bolted in place. The drive shaft will be ready the end of the week, and will run me around $200 or so. I swapped in the fuel lines, got tranny lines in, started on the wiring harness swap. Got the main one in at the fire wall. Another snag was routing the wiring harness. It's routed partially BEHIND the power booster. Ok, should be easy..."SNAG!" Just have to loosen the 4 bolts from the inside, nuts to the end of the threads, enough to pull it forward to pull the V6 harness, and let the V8 harness run behind, then push it back in place and tighten the 4 bolts. Now, If any of you have ever replaced a booster on a Dodge, you know there that one bolt that is a Bitch to get to. The one at the top, right side, where the brake pedal interferes with? I tried extensions and a swivel joint. No damned luck. I had to go old school... One 9/16 box end ratchet wrench, with just enough room to get one click. So there I was... 1/8th of a turn at a time kind of fun. Oh did I mention I had be a bit of a contortionist to get to it? I suppose I could have just removed the brake pedal long enough to get the bolts loose. But I wasn't ready to risk another snag. More fun next weekend, I'll keep y'all posted. | | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,397 Likes: 64 veteran | veteran Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,397 Likes: 64 | Under dash work will turn you into a pretzel..yep a 5.9 is a big step up from 3.9. It will be worth your hard work and effort. Keep on Truckin
When in doubt..get the sawzall out..
| | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 | Looks like 6 days a week for a couple more weeks and less time to devote to finishing the 360 swap. Drive shaft done, with a $197 tab. Funny part is, it fits in the trunk of wife's Mitsubishi Lance practically sideways...yep it's that short. I will have some help tomorrow so hopefully make decent progress on getting my van closer to being back on the road. Hope to get the intake on, and most of the accessories, and the last of the wiring harness on top of the engine, why the intake needs to be next. | | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,007 Likes: 46 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,007 Likes: 46 | Good luck on it, hope you quit hitting snags. My 67 Dodge I did that I changed from a standard to an automatic transmission ended up having a 13 inch long drive shaft...ha ha, damn near direct drive.
2005 E350 Turbo Diesel Why is it that when I press 1 for English, I still can not understand the person on the other end????
| | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 2,290 Likes: 137 veteran | veteran Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 2,290 Likes: 137 | Cool deal man, glad you're getting her done. I'm hoping to get back on mine soon. | | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 | Wish more of us lived closer to be more direct help on our collective projects. Besides I have a 30x40 garage to play in. Have everything but a lift. ( saving up for one..but you know how that goes). Would relish the camaraderie and seeing what our collective talents would produce. Always do when the couple of friends I have here come over to work on what we drive.
Lately my work schedule is what has been slowing me down. Health issues under control thankfully. Now we're seriously short handed at work, since one guy quit by not showing up for work, then 2 co-workers are taking their vacation time before they lose it, understandably. I work 5 days this week, Off today, and then off Sunday to hopefully get it running. Then back to working 6 days the next couple weeks... But, have today off. Making the time to work on my van even though I would love a day to just rest and veg. But, I NEED to get my rig back on the road. ( y'all know that feeling) I've only been working on this since early fall, and Spring Break is just around the corner.
I'm about 3/4 done. Today I'll be working on finishing hooking up wiring harness, the rest of the fluid lines and hoses, then tackle vacuum lines. That's where I will have some "fun" fixing 2 vacuum parts that broke ( old hard plastic lines). One at a 3 way junction going into connector that goes directly into a solenoid, with nothing to splice on one end. Gotta get creative on this fix, or make a run to Pick N Pull again. Resized drive shaft fits. Hoping to get it running next weekend at the latest. I miss driving my van, also everyone who knows me, even regular customers at the Auto Zone where I work, are constantly asking "Where's your van?" Makes me miss driving it all the more.
Taking lots of pics along the way. But having issues uploading to this site, and some difficulty with my Photobucket page. That's one area I wish the admin guys on this page could fix. Then we can all post pics like on our FB groups. Make it easier. Or maybe I am just on of those electronically challenged people.. | | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,007 Likes: 46 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,007 Likes: 46 | Good luck with it. Hope everything works out and you get back on the road soon.
2005 E350 Turbo Diesel Why is it that when I press 1 for English, I still can not understand the person on the other end????
| | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 | Today's fun was mostly the vacuum line issues. At least I have the pics I took, the shop manual and diagrams to work with. 4 hard lines are broken so I have to get creative with the fixes. One already fixed with a short piece of tubing and some heat shrink. The other 3 come together on a connector ( obsolete part) so I will see what I can find at work to create a connector of sorts. G0ot as far as I could on that. Got the exhaust manifolds on, and now get to figure out the exhaust. But the donor van pieces might work, but I'll have to replace the muffler ( has holes) and shorten the pipe after by a few inches, make a temporary system for now. The donor van has 2 1/4 inch pipes, while my van had 3" for the V6. Weird. Was thinking I might just use the donor van pipes up to the muffler then 3" the rest of the way out. Test my theory about the larger out giving more rumble. Fewer mods that way. Just get out the sawzall and buy a couple of pipe unions and some clamps. Thinking a Turbo muffler for a little bit of rumble till I can save up for some proper duals. Trying to keep the final stuff on the cheap for now, just get it running. Have a supposed buyer for the rebuilt tranny from the V6. Another vanner with a V6 van that needs a tranny. Mine was rebuilt 60k ago. Just waiting to hear when she has the bucks together. Then decide if I get the duals or buy the materials to do the body work and paint. Really want to pull the running boards and run side pipes. But the wife said no, the running boards are the only way she can get in....lol. So I'm thinking duals out to in front of the rear wheel, at least sound like pipes. I still can't find the ignition coil, frustrating. Coulda sworn I put it with the rest of the parts I pulled from the donor van..but I may just have to get a new one. Looked thru both vans...3 times, and my mess of a garage with no luck. ( with my luck I find it while cleaning up after it's done). Sunday the do the rest of the exhaust, compressor, alternator, power steering and smog pump will go on. Then finish the vacuum lines. Hoping the wiring harness from the firewall to the dash is the same on both vans, and the stuff in the engine compartment is all I need to change. Should be ready to fire it up next weekend if all goes well. Finally....only started in the engine swap in October...and this has been an 8 year rolling project... sound familiar? Maybe I can get to paint and interior to finish my van by the summer. | | | Re: Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon. | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 345 Likes: 9 | My 92 Dodge is officially on the road!!! Today I took a 100 mile shake down cruise. No leaks, and running strong. Have a few minor issues to deal with... Heat blowing out the dash vents, thing it's a vacuum issue. A bit hesitant on take off, maybe timing, and the Overdrive isn't kicking in, so get to chase down some electrical gremlins. Still haven't hooked up the A/C. Will be working on an "article" to detail the swap,and see how I can post on here so others read and get informed. It was definitely more work that I anticipated! Hardest swap I ever attempted, took 3 months worth of weekends to complete, and hit a fair share of snags along the way, but worth the results. I also need to thank my son, and my best bud Brian for their help. If anyone wants to swap in a V8 to replace their V6, I can offer advice, based on experience and the school of hard knocks. | | |
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