Dodge Dakota/Durango Kenne Bell supercharger kit onto ‘72 318?

[happster]

I acted on sort of a crazy idea but I thought maybe some folks here may help me figure out the more complex details. I recently picked up a Kenne Bell supercharger kit with intake and all the wiring and injectors for a dodge durango/dakota with a magnum. I want to figure out a way to use this system on my ‘72 Plymouth Scamp with a 318. I work at a towing shop and we just picked up an ‘01 durango with an overheated 5.9 that I thought may help me fill in the gaps in what I’ll need to make this work. I also have a set of 360 “J” heads I’d like to use, since I think they will offer me a good compression ratio to go with the blower. I’d love to hear some insight from folks that may have experience with this kind of build, or even opinions on the way to make this work on a budget! Thanks in advance!

Biggest question right now: how can I use the supercharger kit’s magnum intake on a 318 with J heads?

 

[Kegan B]

You're using a Shelby SP360 as a parts vehicle? You can use the J heads but have to have a machine shop drill them for the magnum intake bolts.

 

[happster]

You're using a Shelby SP360 as a parts vehicle? You can use the J heads but have to have a machine shop drill them for the magnum intake bolts.

I bought the kit that was on those, but no, it just came off a regular Dakota. I believe it’s the same components though! Thanks for the info, I’ll see if I can find a machine shop willing to do that!

 

[jbc426]

Spray straight methanol into it to drop the air intake temperature up to 70 degrees, and get a good chassis dyno tune.

 

[j par]

Last weekend engines were $299 at the local pick and pull... i think you would be way ahead in every way to get a used magnum three sixty from the wrecking yard...

 

[Professor Fate]

Just rebuild the Durango's 5.9 and drop that into your Scamp- a LOT less work than trying to fit the kit to an LA 318.
To fit that kit to an LA motor, you'd have to have the heads redrilled or swap magnum heads onto it, swap all the front end parts (timing cover, water pump, pulleys and tensioners, PS pump if so equipped, serpentine drive brackets, etc.) to get the kit's bracketry to mount and line up correctly. Using the Magnum timing cover on the LA would mean adding an electric fuel pump to your system, and most likely the need to swap to a short-nose cam to clear the Magnum timing cover. Short nose cams are only hydraulic rollers, incompatible with your HFT LA.
Then you will need to swap in the Magnum wiring harness and all of the various sensors required to make it work as well as the crank sensor, which the LA318 (and your transmission,BTW) is not designed to accommodate.
Then adapt the KB kit's wiring to your adapted Magnum wiring and have the controller reflashed, unless one is included in the KB kit...
The kit appears to be based on a modified factory kegger intake, with an intermediate manifold connecting the kegger with a relocated factory-style throttle body, which means you will have to swap in a Magnum style throttle assembly and cable style kickdown linkage for the transmission...
Sure, it can be done, but what is the final cost in dollars and time to make your "bargain" supercharger fit and work on your 318?

 

[TT5.9mag]

Budget?

Follow the above post by @Professor Fate he nailed it.

 

[happster]

Just rebuild the Durango's 5.9 and drop that into your Scamp- a LOT less work than trying to fit the kit to an LA 318.
To fit that kit to an LA motor, you'd have to have the heads redrilled or swap magnum heads onto it, swap all the front end parts (timing cover, water pump, pulleys and tensioners, PS pump if so equipped, serpentine drive brackets, etc.) to get the kit's bracketry to mount and line up correctly. Using the Magnum timing cover on the LA would mean adding an electric fuel pump to your system, and most likely the need to swap to a short-nose cam to clear the Magnum timing cover. Short nose cams are only hydraulic rollers, incompatible with your HFT LA.
Then you will need to swap in the Magnum wiring harness and all of the various sensors required to make it work as well as the crank sensor, which the LA318 (and your transmission,BTW) is not designed to accommodate.
Then adapt the KB kit's wiring to your adapted Magnum wiring and have the controller reflashed, unless one is included in the KB kit...
The kit appears to be based on a modified factory kegger intake, with an intermediate manifold connecting the kegger with a relocated factory-style throttle body, which means you will have to swap in a Magnum style throttle assembly and cable style kickdown linkage for the transmission...
Sure, it can be done, but what is the final cost in dollars and time to make your "bargain" supercharger fit and work on your 318?

I definitely considered doing that as well! Maybe I’ll dig into this 360 and see how bad it really is. I think that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the info!

 

[67Dart273]

Maybe I'm missin something, but you cannot bolt that blower intake onto LA heads. Magnum heads only. You can mod mag HEADS to take LA intake, but I think it would be tougher to go the opposite direction.

 

[Professor Fate]

Maybe I'm missin something, but you cannot bolt that blower intake onto LA heads. Magnum heads only. You can mod mag HEADS to take LA intake, but I think it would be tougher to go the opposite direction.

Yeah, if you redrill the Magnum manifold to the LA bolt angle, most of the bolts in up inside the keg where you can't get at them, so that only leaves you the option of redrilling the LA heads- which most machine shops ain't gonna touch. Too much setup and too little return on their end.
By the time you sort out all the issues with the swap, you'd be FAR ahead of the game (both money and power-wise) by just dropping in a freshened Magnum and bolt the blower kit to the engine it was designed for.

 

[DionR]

Using the Magnum timing cover on the LA would … most likely the need to swap to a short-nose cam to clear the Magnum timing cover.

Not an issue. Magnum TC has the same clearance for the cam as an LA TC. Can’t use a mechanical fuel pump, but you don’t need a short nose cam to run the Magnum cover.

 

[junkyardhero]

rebuilding the 5.9 and dropping the whole encharito in would be the path of least resistance.

that being said, you could always just snap the mag heads onto your 318 and mate that air squeezy thing to them. not a boat load of work, but you'd be well off to pop for some adjustable roller rockers for ease of the end game.

however, i hear "overheated magnum" and i'm gonna bet the house the heads are waxed. so now you're into it for a grip more dosh.

 

[TT5.9mag]

that being said, you could always just snap the mag heads onto your 318 and mate that air squeezy thing to them. not a boat load of work, but you'd be well off to pop for some adjustable roller rockers for ease of the end

Now you know better than that, how would you run a magnum crank sensor to run the efi on an LA bottom end? At least tell him he’d have to cobble some MSD crank trigger together.

 

[DionR]

Now you know better than that, how would you run a magnum crank sensor to run the efi on an LA bottom end? At least tell him he’d have to cobble some MSD crank trigger together.

I did that so I could run a Magnum EFI system on my LA 360 shortblock with Magnum heads and keep my LA flywheel. There are flywheels with the notches for a Magnum but never got confirmation that they had one with a balance that would be right for my motor. I built a bracket off the lower water pump bolts and welded a tone ring to a Magnum crank pulley and used a G3 Hemi crank sensor. Never used it though so no idea if it really worked.

But that is the hard way and really only necessary for a 4 speed. A piece of angle bolted to the back of the PS head should be easy to work up so a stock Magnum sensor could be used with the Magnum flexplate. I've seen it done once but no idea where to find the thread/post. And it would need to be paired with a 5.2 neutral balance flexplate and have an LA weighted torque converter.

Or he could just buy this:

HiPoTek Crank Sensor Adapter Dodge/Jeep 3.9/5.2/5.9 Magnum EFI/MPI

 

[junkyardhero]

Now you know better than that, how would you run a magnum crank sensor to run the efi on an LA bottom end? At least tell him he’d have to cobble some MSD crank trigger together.

look, pal, 500 clams solves that problem EZ-PZ lemon squeezy with an MSD crank trigger kit.

but since i'm an innovator in my field and a trash monster, why not just grab a AMP/EFI wheel for 30 bones and the MSD hall sensor for 150, quick trip to the 'yard for some "pocket supplies" and bingo-bango you're in the game.

 

[TT5.9mag]

And that generates the same signal the factory crank sensor does so the Jtec can control it? Nevermind I know the answer.

 

[junkyardhero]

And that generates the same signal the factory crank sensor does so the Jtec can control it? Nevermind I know the answer.

look, friend, nobody likes Jtec, and nobody knows how to tune it.

the end game is MSD, so why not just skip ahead a few steps? ;D

 

[TT5.9mag]

look, friend, nobody likes Jtec, and nobody knows how to tune it.

the end game is MSD, so why not just skip ahead a few steps? ;D

I got a friend and a pal. Im special.

 

[junkyardhero]

I got a friend and a pal. Im special.

calm down, guy. we all know you're special.

 

[happster]

Thanks everyone for the info! It’s looking like rebuilding the 360 (if it needs it) is the way to go. Maybe I’ll put a jump pack on it today… see how bad it sounds.

 

[MrFrickinFixit]

Just came across this post while doing a google search, looking for a blower pulley for the same blower. I recently obtained one of these blowers without the original inlet and charge side. I ended up having to design and make both to get it all working. I figured I would share my setup if it were to be of any help to anyone doing the same. I'm also in the hunt for the drive pulley for one of these if anyone happens to know a guy.

 

[Mtrhead]

Git her done

 

[TT5.9mag]

Just came across this post while doing a google search, looking for a blower pulley for the same blower. I recently obtained one of these blowers without the original inlet and charge side. I ended up having to design and make both to get it all working. I figured I would share my setup if it were to be of any help to anyone doing the same. I'm also in the hunt for the drive pulley for one of these if anyone happens to know a guy.

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Tell us more about your setup. I have a friend that is close with the guys at kenne bell. I can ask. Or you can go on the website, I think they still sell those pulleys.

Pulleys - Kenne Bell Superchargers