Just brain farting, but I have an '03 Durango with the 4.7 engine. It runs great and I plan to hang onto it for a while. So, two thoughts come out of those farts:

1. I have no experience swapping late model (Post computer) engines. In the event the engine does eventually wear out I would probably opt for the 318/5.2 option. Does that require the 5.2 computer and related components or would the 4.7 electronics work. Is it a drop-in plug and play or is there more to it?

2. On the other hand, if the opportunity would arise, the thought of dropping an older non computer 318 in intrigues me. What hurdles would I have to jump? Could I not simply tap into the wire harness upstream of the computer (bypass) and wire in a conventional charging and ignition system or even a GM HEI conversion? What other obstacles would I encounter?

Thanks,
Scott

Lots of legal obstacles, best check with your local dmv and epa office.

Different computer, probably harness changes. Like previously stated, state emissions inspection program will come into play. If you don't have an inspection program in your state, there is a lot of talk about using 4.7 computers with Gen III Hemi's. Might be a straight drop in for your Durango.

If you swap to a LA engine, you will need to swap over the computer and engine wiring harness, which will have to match your year and be dakota/durango. Since the 5.2 wasn't available in 03, such an ecu may not exist. I suppose a 5.9 ECU with smaller than stock injectors may work fine, or stock injectors with a recalibration.

You could drop in a carbed of aftermarket EFI'd engine, however your transmission would't shift, your gauges wouldn't work and it would be useless. You could send your computer out to be reprogrammed to compensate for this, however you would at a minimum need to hook up a throttle position sensor to get your transmission to shift.

Alternatively, you could gut ALL the electronics out, run aftermarket gauges, run a manual transmission or pre-electronic transmission (1995 and earlier) and eliminate the computer system all together.

This of course all assumes you have no emissions testing or inspection.

Think I made a mistake. The 4.7 trans apparently will bolt up to a 5.2/5.9 engine. Here's a thread from when I was looking for a Durango.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbt...tml#Post1860249


Tim

The 4.7 computer in that durango will run a 5.7 hemi but not an 5.2 or 5.9 just sayin...

A 5.9 computer runs a 5.2 just fine.

If you have a grey key it gets harder swapping engines from one family to another as there is a chip in the key and all the confusers have to agree to let the engine run based on that chip matching all the computers.

The title says dreaming, sounds more like a nightmare.

The big reason the 4.7 computer won't work is the eight coils vs. one coil...

LOL Yeah, I think you're right. When the time come, probably just look for late model stuff to replace. Thanks for the replies

Scott