Engine building

[swiggyjed]

I have built and worked on all my own cars since I could hold a wrench. I am very unfamiliar to engine building outside the stock performance. I have a 74 318 with a 727 that I wanna put into a 89 d50. So I have a great engine however I want to add edelbrock aluminum heads with a tunnel ram and 2 600 cfm carbs, I read that I will lose bottom end torque with the tunnel ram so question is what cam or other cheap mods can I do to just make it run right and be a great little truck to daily drive and fry the rear tires off. Any help or giadance is appreciated thanks.

 

[GTX JOHN]

It will need a loose converter and lower gears to be real
effective with that intake. I myself do not recommend it for your
318.

 

[Professor Fate]

Although you intend to use an LA318 and this member used a 5.9Magnum, they are dimensionally the same and you will need to address all the same problems that he has already sorted through. You might try to get incontact with him via PM.
If nothing else, it makes an interesting read and will let you know a bit of what you're in store for from the perspective of someone who has been through it.
'86 Dodge Ram 50 small block swap
As far as the tunnel ram goes, I agree with GTX John, the changes you will need to make will generally move it out of the realm of a "daily driver". In a light D50 with almost zero weight on the rearend, the "tire fryer" part of the equation will take care of itself with little to no engine mods, even with a 318!

 

[crackedback]

Wade used to run a tunnel ram on a mild 340 in a dart. Worked fine on the street. Took a lot of tuning to get it there

 

[Plymouth 65]

Any decent 4 barrel intake and low end torque RV cam w/headers in that vehicle will meet your goals. Should also get decent MPG's too! 65

 

[Professor Fate]

And a little hint from someone who's been down a similar road (years ago)- if your D50 is an automatic, it already uses a Chrysler 904 transmission, which means if you exchange your 727 for a 904 you'll be able to retain all your existing shift linkage, speedometer drive and even driveshaft (although I wouldn't count on the stock Mitsu rear holding up over the long haul, but it's been done).

 

[mygasser]

i'd use a pair of 390 holley's not 600's on the tunnel ram. from experience in my valiant they'd foul plugs if driven 'normally' round town. replaced the 600's with 390's and it was much better. as above once set up a tunnel ram will provide tons of torque despite what nay sayer's often come out with.
neil.

 

[junkyardhero]

just so we're clear here you're talking about a 89 D50, like the mitsu mighty max not a D150, right?

so beyond a tunnel ram with duals requiring near jedi levels of tuning ability to operate on the street in a mild motor, how in [insert deity of choice] name are you gonna fit that in the engine bay?

but to your point on the motor, yes a tunnel ram gives up some low end in exchange for other benefits, none of which are what i would deem conducive to "daily driver".

can you do it, sure. but that same motor with a good "RV" style cam and a single 4bbl dual plane will absolutely destroy a set of tires without breaking a sweat, and could still be daily driven without a second thought.

 

[Ricks70Duster340]

And a little hint from someone who's been down a similar road (years ago)- if your D50 is an automatic, it already uses a Chrysler 904 transmission, which means if you exchange your 727 for a 904 you'll be able to retain all your existing shift linkage, speedometer drive and even driveshaft (although I wouldn't count on the stock Mitsu rear holding up over the long haul, but it's been done).

The 904 in that truck you mentioned used the same driveshaft length and yoke as the 727?

 

[Scody21]

I have a friend that put a hot 350 Chevy in a Datson king cab. He had the conversion motor mounts and headers that they made for it back in the bay, along with the suspension kit. That truck was a handful…

 

[swiggyjed]

The rear in it now is actually a 8.75 6 lug. I also want to use the tunnel ram 1, because I have it and 2, just because of looks. But I don't want to use it if I'm gonna have a ton of bs making it rn well.

 

[swiggyjed]

Yes it is a 89 mighty max, 2 wheel drive. The 2.0 4cyl now is about to go but I picked the truck up from down south and it's super clean, almost no rust. I am for certain engine will go in with little effort. I want people to look at and and say why?

 

[swiggyjed]

This is the truck

 

[junkyardhero]

also want to use the tunnel ram 1, because I have it and 2, just because of looks. But I don't want to use it if I'm gonna have a ton of bs making it rn well.

will it be a bunch of BS to make it run well?

let us consult the all knowing and wise informational assistant:

*shakes magic 8 ball*

"you may rely on it"

I am for certain engine will go in with little effort.

i don't know you from the man in the moon, so don't take offense to this: but have you ever done a motor swap such as this (not involving a chevy) and what is your level of fabrication skill?

it's likely the motor will physically fit but it's everything else that's the "gotcha"... starting with oil pan and exhaust and just rolling from there.

 

[Professor Fate]

The 904 in that truck you mentioned used the same driveshaft length and yoke as the 727?

Reread the post- I said if he swapped the 727 for a 904, he'd be able to use the original shift linkage, speedo drive and driveshaft since Mitsu used a version of the Chrysler 904 in the D50 (and in the Plymouth Arrow and Sapporo, and Dodge Colt and Challenger; by the way).

 

[Professor Fate]

The rear in it now is actually a 8.75 6 lug. I also want to use the tunnel ram 1, because I have it and 2, just because of looks. But I don't want to use it if I'm gonna have a ton of bs making it rn well.

It may be a rear with a removeable center section, but that doesn't make it an 8.75- which it ain't.

But being a truck rear, it may stand a chance of survival- although finding gears or a limited slip unit for it could prove to be a challenge.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

I have built and worked on all my own cars since I could hold a wrench. I am very unfamiliar to engine building outside the stock performance. I have a 74 318 with a 727 that I wanna put into a 89 d50. So I have a great engine however I want to add edelbrock aluminum heads with a tunnel ram and 2 600 cfm carbs, I read that I will lose bottom end torque with the tunnel ram so question is what cam or other cheap mods can I do to just make it run right and be a great little truck to daily drive and fry the rear tires off. Any help or giadance is appreciated thanks.

The tunnel ram will make more power everywhere. Over any other manifold.

Don’t buy any bullshit otherwise.

If you aren’t good with carbs and you have no desire to get into one, use two 625 Carterbrocks.

If you don’t mind simple jets changes and tuning secondary opening rates, use two 1850 Holley 600 CFM carbs. You can mount them in line but I detest that.

I mount them sideways so you can easily get to the fuel bowls and such. The linkage is a bit more money and a bit more complicated but if you can read and play with legos you can do it.

I would be careful using the Weiand 1995 TR. The runners are a bit in the short side for what you want.

Do it.

In 1995 I bought a Chevy pick up, sight unseen. It was a good deal but he wasn’t giving it away. I had a buddy give him the 2500 cash and a month later I grabbed the trailer to drive 5 hours to get it.

Prior to that I was stacking up parts for the engine.

400 block
AFR heads (I think)
An Edelbrock TR1Y TR.
A Isky SFT cam
Nice rockers
Moroso deep pan
Two 650 double pumpers

I was machining everything up after work and the boss asked what I was doing.

I said building this 400 for my soon to be new tow rig.

He flipped his lid telling me you can’t do it, it wouldn’t pull a hat off your head blah blah blah.

Several other guys found out and questioned my sanity.

I had everything ready to go on the dyno when I went to get the truck. My buddy never actually looked at it when he paid the dude. He just happened to be going by this guy so he stopped and paid him and went oh his way.

I had seen several pictures and I told the guy if it looks like that in person I’d pay straight cash and give him what he wanted. He said it’s just like that but a bit dirty from sitting.

I know how to wash a car so no sweat on that.

We get there and I don’t see the truck. I say where is it? And says it’s sitting in the field. I ran out of shop space.

It was a roach. He sent me 6 year old pictures.

I got my money back but not before we came close to throwing punches.

Moral of the story??

Tunnel rams make more power everywhere.

And ask how old the pictures are and then don’t believe them.

 

[swiggyjed]

will it be a bunch of BS to make it run well?

let us consult the all knowing and wise informational assistant:

*shakes magic 8 ball*

"you may rely on it"



i don't know you from the man in the moon, so don't take offense to this: but have you ever done a motor swap such as this (not involving a chevy) and what is your level of fabrication skill?

it's likely the motor will physically fit but it's everything else that's the "gotcha"... starting with oil pan and exhaust and just rolling from there.

I have done swaps before, 318 into a gremlin, 302 into a ranger, 350 into a s10 so on and so forth. Making it fit and run is in my wheel house. Tuning with the tunnel ram and understanding torque converter problems is not. I can tune and time a single 4bbl engine as I have 3 cars that are all v8 cars. My real question was should I change the factory 318 cam out and what should I use with the tunnel ram if I do change it? Right now it's a bone stock 318 with 70k on it. I have long tube headers, 2 600 cfm edelbrock carbs, a tunnel ram and a set of edelbrock performer aluminum heads. I want it all to work together and run well. I am not building a track truck or anything. It's a throw together build just to burn tire and look obnoxious. But that really only works if it runs well for sure.

 

[junkyardhero]

I have done swaps before, 318 into a gremlin, 302 into a ranger, 350 into a s10 so on and so forth. Making it fit and run is in my wheel house. Tuning with the tunnel ram and understanding torque converter problems is not. I can tune and time a single 4bbl engine as I have 3 cars that are all v8 cars. My real question was should I change the factory 318 cam out and what should I use with the tunnel ram if I do change it? Right now it's a bone stock 318 with 70k on it. I have long tube headers, 2 600 cfm edelbrock carbs, a tunnel ram and a set of edelbrock performer aluminum heads. I want it all to work together and run well. I am not building a track truck or anything. It's a throw together build just to burn tire and look obnoxious. But that really only works if it runs well for sure.

good that you have some experience on motor swaps.

well, i would certainly change out the cam from a stock 2bbl

it's an interesting exercise for sure. with the right cam and converter/gears it might half work.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I have built and worked on all my own cars since I could hold a wrench. I am very unfamiliar to engine building outside the stock performance. I have a 74 318 with a 727 that I wanna put into a 89 d50. So I have a great engine however I want to add edelbrock aluminum heads with a tunnel ram and 2 600 cfm carbs, I read that I will lose bottom end torque with the tunnel ram so question is what cam or other cheap mods can I do to just make it run right and be a great little truck to daily drive and fry the rear tires off. Any help or giadance is appreciated thanks.

With the right tunnel ram and carburetors, it'll be a ball of fire. Don't fall for the bull crap. This is the one you need. The Edelbrock TR5. Don't settle for anything else. They are THE best tunnel ram for the street ever made. This and two Edelbrock 650 AVS carburetors with properly adjusted progressive linkage will be a barn burner.

 

[swiggyjed]

good that you have some experience on motor swaps.

well, i would certainly change out the cam from a stock 2bbl

it's an interesting exercise for sure. with the right cam and converter/gears it might half work.

Could you steer me into the right cam?

 

[RustyRatRod]

I left out the part about compression. You're gonna need more for a tunnel ram. Or forget it.

 

[Desoto291hemi]

The 904 in that truck you mentioned used the same driveshaft length and yoke as the 727?

The driveshaft yoke is the same ?
Was the 904 in that model the same spline count as the 727 ?

Tommy

 

[Professor Fate]

The driveshaft yoke is the same ?
Was the 904 in that model the same spline count as the 727 ?

Tommy

See my previous reply- I said if he swapped the 727 for a 904 then it would be the same, since the Mitsus already used a 904...

 

[Desoto291hemi]

Sorry man,,,,I wasn’t quoting you,,,it was Ricks70 Duster340 I was asking .

Tommy