Possible engine swap, 318 to 360 in 1990 3/4 ton 4X4 ram

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doghouse95

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Mad River Ca.
Ram Year
1990
Engine
318
I'm restoring the truck and will be using mostly as a local driver and for chores around the place to include pulling a 13' 2400 lb stock trailer. I won't be hauling livestock but will be hauling about everything else, construction material and that occasional move to help a buddy, but nothing too heavy. It will replace a truck that I usually put 5,500 county road/state highway miles on each year.

We reside in a steep rugged mountain range far from civilization are not close to anyone or anything. Fedex and amazon are my best friends.

The truck is in great shape with no rust problems. I'm putting a standard bed size aluminum flat bed on it and I need to replace the speedometer. The odometer does not work on mine. This truck has been in the family and I know that there is about 80,000 miles on it.

Am I thinking about taking on a nightmare?

I need thoughts and lessons learned from experience on this one and make it easy for me start me from the beginning.

Thanks for all the help I can get.
 

turkeybird56

Military Vet 1976-1996 Retired US Army
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2019 Bighorn, 4 X 4, 3.21 rear, Bright Flame Red Pearl Coat, Mopar tonneau cover,Westin Bed rug
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Hemi 5.7
1st thought is moving engine mounts. It has been forever since I looked at a 318 (Mom had one in a 75 Fury III station wagon). Not sure where the mounts line up as opposed to 360. Trans should mount up, but you are going to have to check specs, because if trans does not mate up, U may have to change trans and drive shaft. All these ideas off the top of my head... If you go for it, good luck on all.....

Added: Take this as no recommendation either way. U do what works for U. Heck, I haven't pulled a motor and replaced since I yanked a 396 L4 out of an Impala and put in a 327 bored out. Had to move mounts for that beast, just saying....
 
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crazzywolfie

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5.2
if the 318 and TBI setup are working best to leave it alone unless you plan on throwing a lot more money at something like a hemi swap. a 360 swap is not really worth the effort unless something in the stock setup isn't working
 

reek

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Sacramento
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2015 RAM 2500 CC 4x4, 72 D100, 73 D100, 01 RAM 2500 field truck
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agree with Crazzywolfie. Unless you're willing to throw some money at the swap, leave the 318. I believe the swap is actually pretty straight forward from engine mount/trans swap stand point. But gains vs work ratio is not that great. Now if you get a crate motor like a 408 stroker, we may be getting into some worthwhile time spent....
 

DustyDog99

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1985 D250, 1986 W150
Engine
1985:318-2bbl 1986:318-4bbl
Ah just listen to those two. On and on about efi and hemis. The 360 is a great torque motor from the factory and it's nearly a bolt in swap. The things that have to be changed are your flywheel or torque converter. Give it a good rebuild and it will run forever.

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DustyDog99

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1985:318-2bbl 1986:318-4bbl
Oh one other thing. Being a 1990, the mounts are magnum style and not the earlier version. Make sure you get a similar year motor.

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crazzywolfie

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The truck came from the factory with fuel injection so it works best to leave. A 360 can be a good motor but how much will you have to spend to get it there? In stock form is it really worth all the work of swapping it in and then getting the computer to work with it for a tiny bit of a power difference? To do almost anything fun to a 88-93 requires either going carbed or aftermarket efi because the stock computer is dumb as a brick and I personally would never recommend carbs because the fuel at most gas station is junk and will just clog up the carb eventually. Plus converting a 88-93 to aftermarket efi would be super easy and cheap since they are already setup with a fuel pump in the tank.
 

DustyDog99

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Good points wolfie. I did not think of that. I apologize for the jab.

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