2002 Ram Down !! For a little while, parts wanted

[Skatulaki]

My 2002 Ram 1500, dont know if its second or 3rd Gen, but I think second, is blowing coolant out of the timing chain gasket.

I got this truck when I bought my house a year and a half ago, and its in quite nice shape for its age. Took me some work to get it rolling, and it runs strong, though I haven't put much money in it as I've been test driving it for the last year or so.

Since this gasket blew, I decided its time to spend some green on it. I Plan to replace:

1. Radiator : The one in it had a hole, that I plugged with plumbers putty.
2. New hoses
3. Water pump
4. Timing chain cover gaskets and seals, water pump gasket, oil pan gaskets.

In addition: For some time The Transmission has not gone into Park, so Ive been driving it and leaving it in nuetral and using the EM brake. So I figure I might as well take car of this problem as well. However here is the thing. I want to change from auto to manual. However we all know how hard it is to find a Dodge with a manual shift. Finding used parts has to be equally as difficult.

I have a 5.9L ( hate the metric numbers ) 360 CI ! one question I have is, is the crankshaft made to hold a pilot bearing? My dad had a 73 3/4 ton Power Wagon with an automatic, after the second trans puked, he asked for the dealer to put a manual in it, but they couldn't, the crank couldn't hold a pilot bearing. So a week after they put the 3rd trans in, he swapped it for an F150.

Untill I pull the trans, I won't know that answer, unless someone here does.

I'm mostly going to want new parts. I do like to save a buck as much as the next guy, so I'm just putting it out there that if somebody has some of this stuff hanging around their shop or garage that they don't think they will use, I might be interested.

Thanks in advance

Skatu

 

[Skatulaki]

Did some pricing today, and the coolant issue I can repair with about $260 using Mopar water pump and mid range pricing. The cheap stuff would save me about $70. so this is not going to be bad at all.

The Trans is another ball game. About $200 for a master rebuild kit, and another $200 for a shift improvement kit. Ive never rebuilt an AT before, and they look to me like something that you have to be trained in doing, or have step by step instructions if a beginner.

However, I would prefer an MT and these do not scare me, I've changed out MT's and done my own clutch jobs before, as well as swapped Transfer cases.

For about $2500, I can get everything I need to put a Reman NV 3500 in it, maybe $3000 for an NV 4500. I find this acceptable, a lot more so than a truck payment! Since I didn't pay a dime for it, and the body and frame are in great shape. I think its going to be well worth it to MAKE this truck the way I want, instead of trying to buy one.