I have a /6 auto. 70 Dart swinger that I am about to start rebuilding. It will be my primary vehicle. For now I am just rebuilding the stock type stuff with the exception of the interior and engine/trans and front brakes. I want to drop a fun to drive yet somewhat gas efficient combo in it so I was thinking the 300hp 4.7 with a manual and 3.23 gears with lsd. I will be doing as much of the work as possible with the help and guidance of my father. Here is what I have so far...

Complete and refurbished 73 V8 K-frame with new poly front end kit and refurbished steering and suspension
new Comp. Eng. 3 position shocks
rebuilt power steering box
Willwood Dyna lite Pro disc brake kit(forged calipers, Al hubs, solid/vented rotors, for power brakes)
8 3/4 housing

Does anyone know anyone that has done this swap? Nothing came up when I searched Moparts nor the internet. I am pretty determined to make it work but if there is a Magnum or LA combo that compares to the 300hp 4.7 combo in both power and efficiency, I will definitely consider it.

Thank you in advance for the help.

Jared

I have heard bad things about 4.7 motors. cylinder head issues causing the whole motor to go bad. I would stick with a 5.9 or a 5.2 motor.

Others will disagree, but I think that would be a great swap. I've wanted to use that motor as they tend to be undesireable, fairly cheap, they make great power, and would work nice in a light vehicle like an A body. I would use one from a JTEC controlled vehicle for the simplicity of wiring. What trans were you thinking about?

I am still researching which manual transmissions were used behind that engine. The Getrag 6spd sounds good in theory, but it will probably come down to availability.

hmmm,

deep pockets. nice combo, sure hope your old man knows what he is doing.

good luck

If it will physically fit, it would have to haul a--, and get great mpg. I've had a couple of early 4.7 vehicles and have found them to have some great off idle torque for open car trailer hauling. A dart? should get up and go.

they've been known to kick rockers and blow head gaskets. I still like'em

How much of the 4.7l failures are improper maintenance vs poor design/parts

I like your Idea, but I'd seriously consider keeping the slant six. If you haven't drove the car much, you should. I didn't like the slant six untill I drove my Dads 70 Dart swinger with the 225 slant six, I fell in love with it after just 2 months. Its a great cruising and economy engine. I love its durability. I have as many good things to say (probably more) about it as the 170 6 banger in my dads 65 Ford Falcon.

But remember its your car!

I don't know anything about the swap, but I don't think the 4.7 gets such great mpg. My cousin's Dakota made good power, but sucked gas down like crazy.

I have had a couple coworkers who had dakotas with this engine. Both of them had a cylinder head issue that caused the whole side of the engine to be replaced. Dealer did not tell them exactly what happened because it was under warranty, but said they had seen it before there.
Both engines had less than 20k on the clock.

FWIW..I have 127K on my 4.7 in my Ram quad cab,and it still gets 21.9 unloaded on the highway.That being said,I still think this makes a great swap.The 4.7 makes great power and is easy to maintain.The only problem I see would maybe the oil filter hitting the K-frame area.I'm actually surprised that the 4.7 isn't being swapped into older Jeeps like CJ-7's,that would be a heck of a 4x4.

ok. so here is a list of things that might cause a problem:

oil filter
oil pan
motor mounts
trans mount
exhaust
accessory drives

most of these things can probably be avoided with engine placement, a remote filter can take care of the filter hitting anything, the main question is the oil pan and mounts. They were only put in trucks so there are no center sump pans. I'll work on getting dimensions compared to an LA to see where I am at.

Anything else that I am not thinking of?

the only issue that I know of that the 4.7s had, was a poor PCV design or lack of...I don't remember which, and the motors would sludge up from moisture in the crankcase. but that was fixed with a TSB/recall early on. any of the newer motors will be fine.

you guys complaining about poor mileage? I'd hate to see what you consider GOOD! my 5500lb (empty) 05 Durango (the bigger, newer style) with a 4.7, auto tranny, and 3.92 gears would get up and go pretty darn good, yet was capable of about 20 MPG on the highway at 70 MPH! I'm sure that in a more aerodynamic vehicle that's 2,000 lbs lighter, 25-27 would not be a problem.

for a V8, I'd say that sounds pretty good!

If I was going to do this swap, I would hunt for a wrecked Dakota that had the 4.7, and a 5spd manual. swap the whole thing in--to include engine computer and wire harness, then put a 3.90 or 4.10 gearset in your axle and go have fun!

with the OD of the 5 spd, you'll still be able to keep the RPM down on the highway, no need for a 3.21 gear, you'd be idling down the freeway!

(my Durango, with 3.92s and the 5spd automatic would do 75mph turning 2200 rpm.)

Motor mounts will be your issue, I have no idea what those 4.7's use for mounts compared to a 5.2/5.9.

Also transmission might be a problem for you as well. I hear those truck 5-sp transmissions were huge, non-performance oriented units. You could run the stock truck auto trans but I also hear that requires some floor surgary on an a-body.

I wonder if an a-body/f-body o/d 833 4sp trans would mate up behind a 4.7? That would greatly simplify you availability issues as well as take all the custom fabrication out of the transmission side of things so all you would have to do it either fab or scare up the correct motor mount system, then do the electronics.

yes finding a total loss dakota or ram with the manual is my plan, but I am also considering the possibility that I might have to piece this combo together, which will be "fun" because for some reason no one wants to drive a vehicle with a manual trans anymore making them kind of rare.

Correct me if I am wrong, but in 2000-2003 Dodge trucks were offered with both the 4.7 and the 5.9, therefore the mounts will be different but should mount in the same location?

If this is correct, I figure that if I can come up with a salvaged truck then I should be able to fab a hybrid truck/ A-body trans x member that uses the factory truck mount and find a way to use the factory truck motor mounts as well for maintenance simplicity. Leaving me with just routing the exhaust, coming up with a drive shaft, and the oil pan.

I have a lot of research to do as it seems I am breaking new ground here.

i dont want to talk you out of the 4.7L, but what what about a chevy 350?


seriously, good luck with the project and if it has not already been mentioned, check the trans tunnel clearance...not a whole lot of room where the t-bar x member is.

if your going 5 speed check out turbododge.com the have a whole section on rwd conversion i think the bell housing for 3.7 is the same and you can use a toyota supra tranny the r154 i believe