No upgrading to a V8. I want to get some real info here.

I'm thinking either going hi compression with some aftermarket 318 pistons, ported heads, and a large custom camshaft. Or turbo'ing it.

What are your thoughts on the subject for something different?

It's in a '94 Dakota so it's SMPI currently, not sure on whether to keep it that way, or fabricate an intake and dizzy for a carb setup...

How hot do you want to go? The V8 throttle body would be a start. A little more compression wouldn't hurt, along with some head porting. You could have the cam reground and shorten the runners in the intake. If you lose the factory system, MP used to make a 4 barrel intake but they're hard to find.

I'd use a V8 TB, cut the runners down on the beer keg, KB167's, a cam ground ~208/212 .050 duration & ~.308 lobe lift, and follow Dulcich's 2005 Mopar Muscle article for porting V8 mag heads....I'd stick with EFI, personally.

Tons of good stuff here:

http://dodgedakotas.com/

I'd use a V8 TB, cut the runners down on the beer keg, KB167's, a cam ground ~208/212 .050 duration & ~.308 lobe lift, and follow Dulcich's 2005 Mopar Muscle article for porting V8 mag heads....I'd stick with EFI, personally.



I would get a bit bigger cam for a motor that small made up about 215/220 @ .050 and get .315 lobe lift. If you can get some headers than run a single pattern 215/215 cam. Follow the porting article, I have not seen it but dulcitch does nice stuff. You could even put in 2.02 valves. Use the valve springs from a gm 3100 V6. Get the beer keg runners cut down and fill in some of the plenum volume. Definately use the V8 TB. Make sure you get about a .040 - .035 deck clearance, I am not sure what head gaskets are out there for it. Get the 5.4 litre ford injectors. You should be able to pump about 350 HP out of it and be 100lbs lighter than a 318.

A lot can be changed around also depending on what you want to do with it.

I'm actually thinking about starting with a Pre-magnum motor, because I have 2 of those just laying around. I realize the heads are a better dessign on the mag, but wouldnt an 87-91 have the 308 type head on it?

I'm interested in being able to run shaft rockers, so that I can run a solid roller cam, and not have to p/r oil. Running the older heads should make valve/spring/lock/ret options easier as well as hopefully finding a MP 4bbl intake.

Thoughts?

I would still run the mag head. They're the better flowing right out of the box. You can run the GM 3100 springs IIRC for some extra capacity.

Your engine is perfect for a small centrifugal supercharger. Go on ebay and get a used centrifugal off an 80's mustang. Size would work great on a 3.9, which from the factory doesn't have much compression anyway. Could keep the stock cam, intake, tb at first, boost would make up for that. Then hp would be enhanced even more once you upgrade those components later on down the road.

The heads are NOT like the 308. They are a 302 head with 1 les cylinder. Some guys have put 2.02 valves in them but usually end up cracking, there just isn't enough meat. The 1.88 valves from a 360 are about the most practicle. With a max port effort and 1.88s you end up about as good as a stock unported magnum.

PM me if you want, I have a V8 tb around somewhere, if I can find it and you pay shipping it's yours.

If it is bringing in more air and fuel...bigger unrestricted tubing out of it would be good.