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Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission #1593912 03/16/14 04:03 PM 03/16/14 04:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 Posts: 8 Charlotte County, Florida F Floridamtbiker99 OP member
Floridamtbiker99 OP member F Joined: Feb 2014 Posts: 8 Charlotte County, Florida	I just bought an used Engine Lift (cherry picker). Soon to maybe buy a engine stand. I am bit confused about Mopar. I was a Big Chevy guy. Then find a engine. More I try to do research, more questions come up. First I have 1989 Dodge Dakota Convertible with an LA V6 3.9 engine. I am on a budget. I am a teacher at a group home for foster kids with behavior problems. I am having them help me so that they can learn. Now for the questions. 1. What is my transmission? A500 A518 or 46RE 2. Engine...360 is the best for parts and horse power on a budget. What type of engine LA or Magnum? 3. I understand the 3.9 V6 is based off a 318 LA engine. IF I go to an V8 will I need to change motor mounts. 4. are the motor mounts bolt on? 5. Buy an engine and install it or buy it, rebuild it, and install it. 6. Most important question are the questions and information that I am not asking or not know to ask? 7. Information That need to know. 8. Websites to help me. Thank you very much.

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: Floridamtbiker99] #1593913 03/16/14 04:10 PM 03/16/14 04:10 PM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog Striving for excellence
Kern Dog Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	If this is to be a street driven, insured and registered vehicle, the very first thing I'd do is check the emission laws in Florida. It would be a pity to spend all the time and effort to find that a NON stock engine isn't allowed. In some cases an engine swap is allowed only if that very engine was a factory option. Even then you may be required to install every matching part that an original 5.2 or 5.9 Dakota came with. By this I mean the fuel injection and computer, maybe even the transmission. Catalytic converter and exhaust system too.

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: Kern Dog] #1593914 03/16/14 04:46 PM 03/16/14 04:46 PM
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5,112 Western Md. skicker "The Champ"
skicker "The Champ" Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5,112 Western Md.	Quote: If this is to be a street driven, insured and registered vehicle, the very first thing I'd do is check the emission laws in Florida. It would be a pity to spend all the time and effort to find that a NON stock engine isn't allowed. In some cases an engine swap is allowed only if that very engine was a factory option. Even then you may be required to install every matching part that an original 5.2 or 5.9 Dakota came with. By this I mean the fuel injection and computer, maybe even the transmission. Catalytic converter and exhaust system too. Dunno about Florida, but for something in an 89 vintage it is already too old to have to conform to that criteria in Maryland. Most around here have already put historic plates on them to avoid the general inspection process. ...FAFO...

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: skicker] #1593915 03/16/14 05:37 PM 03/16/14 05:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md 3 383man Too Many Posts
383man Too Many Posts 3 Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md	If your trans is a 4-speed auto it should be an A-500 I believe as I have not used that phrase for years as we call all of them behind the 3.9 42RH's and if a three speed auto it should be a 32RH. As for the best eng and your other questions I would find one of the truck sites as them guys who race them know more about them. I have not raced a smallblock since 1982 so I am not up on the best for a smallblock Dakota. You can Google truck websites and should find some. Good luck , Ron Last edited by 383man; 03/16/14 05:40 PM.

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: 383man] #1593916 03/16/14 05:52 PM 03/16/14 05:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,985 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,985 Grand Prairie,Texas	Plenty of good info in answers to your other post. https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...rue#Post8070683

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: skicker] #1593917 03/16/14 06:02 PM 03/16/14 06:02 PM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog Striving for excellence
Kern Dog Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	Quote: Dunno about Florida, but for something in an 89 vintage it is already too old to have to conform to that criteria in Maryland. Most around here have already put historic plates on them to avoid the general inspection process. Out here in California, we have the strictest smog/emission laws in the nation and in many cases, other states follow. Every gasoline powered car fom the 1976 to present model year is required to pass an emission test. One annoying thing is that you can take a smoking worn out original engine and replace it with a clean running NON stock engine and it still might not be legal. We have several specific requirements for engine swaps. In theory, you actually can install a 2014 6.4 HEMI in a 77 Dodge truck and be legal as long as the 77 has every component of the 2014 "package". You technically cannot use an engine that is older than the model year of the vehicle. That isn't sensible to me. If the block is a '68, what difference does that make if the cam, compression, carburetion and such match the requirements of the current vehicle model year? Here we have a 2 part test. First is the Visual portion. If any part is missing, damaged or inoperable, the vehicle fails inspection. If the car passes visual, the actual emissions are tested from the exhaust pipe. In many cases, a car can run clean and still fail if it fails a visual test. Flip the air cleaner lid over and it fails. Remove the heat riser/stovepipe and it fails. replace the exhaust manifolds with headers and it might also fail. The car can run cleaner than the standards by a mile but still fail. THIS is annoying because the whole point of testing should be to have clean running vehicles. it shouldn't matter how you get there.

Re: Help with info about Mopar engines and transmission [Re: Kern Dog] #1593918 03/16/14 06:30 PM 03/16/14 06:30 PM
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 3,124 N.W. Florida F Fat_Mike master
Fat_Mike master F Joined: May 2003 Posts: 3,124 N.W. Florida	No vehicle inspections/emission requirements in Florida. As suggested in your other thread, get yourself a running magnum motor (preferably a 5.9 for the cubes, but 5.2's are cheaper and more plentiful). Also, forget about the goal of getting 22 MPG. You MIGHT figure out a way to achieve that, but it's not realistic.

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