TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
I used to have a 318 and 904 basically stock motor with Edelbrock dual plane, Edelbrock 1406, headers and 2.5 inch dual exhaust along with HEI ignition.
With the above, whenever we went on an out of state trip I averaged 80 mph and got right at 17 mpg and ran about 2,800 rpm's.
I finally had a chance to take it on a multi hour trip with the mild built 5.9 Magnum and the A500 OD trans.
Stock 9.1 bottom end with the 1.92 valved EQ Magnum heads drilled for LA style intakes, a Oregon Cam Grinders regrind 214/224 and .512 lift, 110 LSA with the stock hydraulic roller lifters and Hughes valve gear with stock Magnum 1.6 rockers (around 400hp and 415tq at 3,500rpms)
The cam grind was selected for mid range torque without destroying fuel economy.
Same intake, headers, exhaust, and ignition as the 318 was running and has a slight lope to it at idle.
Now at 80mph in OD with converter lockup it runs at about 1,800 rpms and gets just a tad better than 25mpg.
Twice the horses of the 318, 1,000 less rpm's and 8 miles to the gallon better on gas.
Anyone thinking to do a swap like this on their daily driver I have to say it was worth every penny and every bit of the work.
The guaranteed good trans cost me 125 bucks with the 1,800 stall converter and I opened it up for inspection and to add a stage 2 Transgo shift kit and new filter.
I did all the actual work and mods to the mounts and the required driveline shortening, so in the end the trans swap itself cost me about 250 total.
The Magnum came out of a 96 Ram 1500 truck, and the trans form a 95 Dakota 5.2 so with egging out one hole about 1/8 inch in the original Magnum flex plate they went together like they were made for each other.
95 was the last year of the hydraulic controlled OD trans, so no computer required.
With the above, whenever we went on an out of state trip I averaged 80 mph and got right at 17 mpg and ran about 2,800 rpm's.
I finally had a chance to take it on a multi hour trip with the mild built 5.9 Magnum and the A500 OD trans.
Stock 9.1 bottom end with the 1.92 valved EQ Magnum heads drilled for LA style intakes, a Oregon Cam Grinders regrind 214/224 and .512 lift, 110 LSA with the stock hydraulic roller lifters and Hughes valve gear with stock Magnum 1.6 rockers (around 400hp and 415tq at 3,500rpms)
The cam grind was selected for mid range torque without destroying fuel economy.
Same intake, headers, exhaust, and ignition as the 318 was running and has a slight lope to it at idle.
Now at 80mph in OD with converter lockup it runs at about 1,800 rpms and gets just a tad better than 25mpg.
Twice the horses of the 318, 1,000 less rpm's and 8 miles to the gallon better on gas.
Anyone thinking to do a swap like this on their daily driver I have to say it was worth every penny and every bit of the work.
The guaranteed good trans cost me 125 bucks with the 1,800 stall converter and I opened it up for inspection and to add a stage 2 Transgo shift kit and new filter.
I did all the actual work and mods to the mounts and the required driveline shortening, so in the end the trans swap itself cost me about 250 total.
The Magnum came out of a 96 Ram 1500 truck, and the trans form a 95 Dakota 5.2 so with egging out one hole about 1/8 inch in the original Magnum flex plate they went together like they were made for each other.
95 was the last year of the hydraulic controlled OD trans, so no computer required.
Seriously though - nice stuff!!
