Found a nice new gen chally with blown engine
Is there a conversion to go to old gen sm block ?
Too many small blocks on my shelves -
Thought itd be cool to go six pack 340 ..

I think you'd be cheaper and easier off rebuilding the blown 5.7. To get the SB to work, you're going to need to gut basically all the electronics out of the thing.

One of the few times I agree with Daytona 100%. There is way too much stuff dependent on the computer. Sell your smallblock stuff while you still can and go GIII. You'll be better off in the long run.

R.

I have to agree with the above.. Cheapest route would be to find a used engine somewhere and put in it, at least here it would be, not sure about where you are..If the block is good a stroker kit would be a good option for increased performance, and would still be cheaper than installing an old school engine with all the changes that would have to be made..

Just tryin to be difficult and deviate from norm
It would be cool .
I just need a steering wheel and turn signals ! And 12 v for spark
I doubt shumaker or anyone thought of the backwards
swap.

No different than buying a factory Drag Pak Challenger...

I can't see it being that bad.
just a lot of stuff won't work.

and nothing says the computer can't be hooked up so you can run the electronics. It just won't understand the car is moving.

I do agree some of it would need to be replaced.
you would need old style gauges, independent shifter, old transmission.
If you had the time, I think it could be done.

Everything runs thru the computer.

Electric windows? computer

radio? computer

rear defrost? computer

etc. Pretty sure the dome light - computer.

i would bet you could do it and you can even use the computer---there are at least 3 guys on the 4btswaps forum that have put cummins 4bt motors with automatic transmissions in 1999 dakota pickups and have got most of all functions working----in fact my son did a 12 valve cummins 5 speed into his 99 dakota and the speedo-tach and other gauges work----right now he is doing a 2000 4 door dakota with a 2000 24 valve motor.....check the builds on 4bt swaps and they will tell you how to make make (or fool) your engine sensors into working.....

Lets go the other direction. You would need to ADD the electronics to the LA engine. Would probably be easier to add the injectors, a crank trigger, coil packs, O2's, etc to the LA and get the computer tuned than to gut the newer Challenger electronics.

It would be easier to simply install another Gen III, but that wasn't the question

on a 2000 ram 5.2 the cam sensor is the distributor and the crank sensor is the flywheel----on the cummins setups the crank sensor is simulated with notches in the crank damper----not looking like brain surgery yet---and more surprising yet the guys found the 5.2 computer has the same transmission shift points as the cummins computer so they didnt even sweat changing those out.....

Not sure how relevant putting a Cummins - even an electronic 24v - into a 2000ish truck really relates to the original post of putting a LA engine in place of a Gen III Hemi. Both the Gen III and the Chally have far more electronics to deal with - not only the engine controls, but also all the other accessories that are controlled by the computer.

And I would really find it surprising that a stock Cummins computer tune shifts them at the 4800 +/- rpm (WOT) that a typical 5.2 shifts at. FYI a 2002 Cummins factory ECM governed RPM is 3200.

i mention it because the 4bt has no electronics at all----and the builds pitting them against an RE tranny are there for you to read if you like (i havent done one)yes the computers have all those redundant systems built in like idle compensators with the AC on and others---but even with that i have a friend that has plugged those new motors into old cars by cleaning out those pesky programs---and there is a legion of guys here doing the same thing with gen III into old cudas and such----so yeah----i think it can be done---and sorry for being the only cheerleader here....

If the Feds catch you, it's jail.

New motors into old cars is a totally different scenario. You only need to deal with the engine/transmission controls and you don't have to worry about all the accessories the ECM controls. IMO putting an LA into a Gem III car could run into a lot of accessories dead from the ECM not seeing the proper inputs from the engine. IMO the key would be to make the ECM think it is still running the Gen III engine by adding the engine controls to the LA engine - the injectors, coil packs, crank triggers, IAC motors, etc.

Not trying to buzzkill here - I think it would be a neat PROJECT - but a complicated and probably an expensive one. Simply getting the LA ENGINE to run is easy - keeping all the functions of the newer Chally package is the issue.

If I was going to do this, I would probably start with a stolen recovery car that had been stripped of the engine and electronics. Probably be an easier platform to install fresh from scratch than to convert. IMO I wouldn't do this to a functioning car that simply needed a new engine.

Good luck to the O/P on whatever path he chooses. At least he didn't mention an LS swap!

Ditto. In the late 80's and into the 90's most mopars started getting body control modules. These took over functions like power locks, lighting, windshield wipers, gauges etc. Now the BCM communicates much more with the engine computer and also controls your abs, traction control, power windows and all your interior goodies.

You would either have to trick the PCM into thinking the engine is running, which even if you can get the cam and crank sensors to work, you'll never hook up the drive by wire throttle. Without the engine working properly, there goes your transmission controls. At that point you might as well gut every wire out of the car and install an aftermarket hot rod type wiring harness. I bet the expense and hassle would exceed that of rebuilding the 5.7.

You will essentially need to rewire the entire car. Windows, locks, ignition, lights, switches, and most everything else with a wire attached.