Potentials of a 5.2 Magnum Motor

-
lilredridinghoo

lilredridinghoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
451
Reaction score
58
Location
lower saxony
hi folks,

again asking the biggest source of mopar knowledge in the western world

i maybe have the opportunity to get a 5.2 magnum engine (out of an 2001 dodge van)
for an reasonable price...

question will be, where are the benefits on this engine, will it be worth to give it a try (change to v-belts, change intake to one of those air-gap-style china-knockoffs, little port job...etc... or maybe building a 390 stroker engine out of it), how much power can be achieved with some budget parts and home grinding

as far as i know the goodies a magnum engine comes with, are
- roller cam
- bigger valves
- better flowing heads
- better combustion chambers

negativs (as far as i heard)
- oil pan has to be changed
- belt drive and pulleys had to be changed
- casted engine mounts for truck application can be an issue with headers

transmission should be a simple bolt one, or ? (TF 904)
 
Have the heads Magnfluxed before putting time or money in them. Check everything, you know the drill. You will probably need to get an adapter to install the small torque convertor hub in the newer crank bore. Good Luck! I have a 5.2 Magnum, but no idea what to put it in at this point...
 
I have one in my 66 valiant with a stock rebuild and a small computer friendly cam ( came out of a friends ram ) its no rocket this way but runs good and makes a nice cruiser. I swapped the front cover & oil pan and put a knock off air gap on it.
put a small convertor behind it.
 
lilredridinghoo said:
hi folks,

again asking the biggest source of mopar knowledge in the western world

i maybe have the opportunity to get a 5.2 magnum engine (out of an 2001 dodge van)
for an reasonable price...

question will be, where are the benefits on this engine, will it be worth to give it a try (change to v-belts, change intake to one of those air-gap-style china-knockoffs, little port job...etc... or maybe building a 390 stroker engine out of it), how much power can be achieved with some budget parts and home grinding
Click to expand...

There is no actual need to change to V belts. Just change the timing cover to an LA for a mechanical fuel pump or install an electric pump. I used a Edelbrock intake and drilled the intake for a heater hose on the passenger side like the LA has it. I just used extra hose for the other line on the water pump and looped it around.

The engine can be stroked easy. In stock form with a small cam change, 350 to 400 HP is easy to get.

as far as i know the goodies a magnum engine comes with, are
- roller cam
- bigger valves
- better flowing heads
- better combustion chambers
Click to expand...

Roller cam, yes
Bigger valves, ehh, yes, @ 1.94, it is an excellent size for the engine stock or performance.
Better flowing heads, catch 22. Comparative checks should shine the light and may have you deciding otherwise. IMO, it is application dependent.
Better chambers, ehh, yes, but again, what is the goal?

negativs (as far as i heard)
- oil pan has to be changed
- belt drive and pulleys had to be changed
- casted engine mounts for truck application can be an issue with headers
Click to expand...
It'll just use a car pan. Not a pricey item
Belt drive & pulleys can stay
True on the truck mount points. Simple fix with a course angle grinder.

transmission should be a simple bolt one, or ? (TF 904)
Click to expand...

Yes. The engine is neutral balanced. Has the same bolt pattern. Can use a stock flex plate. IIRC, the engines flex plate needs minor modification with bolt hole enlargement. A B&M flex plate or a LA stock plate can do the job as well.
Click to expand...
 
Comp Cams suggested I stroke then use the 20-746-9 cam and some EQ or Eddy heads.
KB pistons at 9.5CR

Im running 4.10 gears and a 46RH tranny
 
purple. and two thirds.
 
rumblefish360 said:
There is no actual need to change to V belts. Just change the timing cover to an LA for a mechanical fuel pump or install an electric pump. I used a Edelbrock intake and drilled the intake for a heater hose on the passenger side like the LA has it. I just used extra hose for the other line on the water pump and looped it around.
Click to expand...

The Magnum and LA timing coves are different, though, because of the water pump rotation being opposite from each other. (LA = Clockwise, Magnum = CCW)

I am running LA accessories on my Magnum in the Dart.
 
www.Magnum swap.com,a member here started it. Good information. 325 -340 horsepower no problem with a good cam ,4 barrel ,carb & headers. If you have a camshaft grinder over there,you can have that factory cam reground( keep cam lift to .520" or less lift, hits valve guides). New good valve springs needed,reuse the roller lifters. As for the truck mount bosses hitting headers,mock the engine assembly on a engine stand,mock the headers up & grind as needed.
 
What ^bomber said. Hughes engines springs (#1110 iirc) fit the bill, quality and a good value. And if it were me I'd keep the serpentine setup. And say no to Chinese intakes!

crosswind problems
 
rnaz said:
The Magnum and LA timing coves are different, though, because of the water pump rotation being opposite from each other. (LA = Clockwise, Magnum = CCW)

I am running LA accessories on my Magnum in the Dart.
Click to expand...

Correct! Thanks for the save. I guess I should have also added running a LA and the serpentine belts ain't gonna work ether.

I just left the serpentine set up on. Works for me and it works well.
 
thank you all, for your comments.

so i guess i will try to catch that motor

i will definitly change timing cover, water pump and belts because, i will try to keep the LA-look (as far as i can) and use as much parts from my LA engine as possible (Timing cover, water pump, carb, headers, distributor)

- what about the balancer, guess i also have to change this to LA-style, due to mounting holes for the crank pulley ?

conc. regrinding of cam... eeh...looking bad over here ....

@PoisonDart, i would do that. But you will have only a very very small little chance to get a 5.9 magnum engine here in Germany. And if one approach on the market you have to pay about 1800 - 2000 Euro (2300 - 2600 USD) for an engine with over 200K miles on it. this 5.2 i cld get for 500-600 Euros (~700 USD) which is okay i guess


so now it´s time to talk my wife into that plan
 
Hi Timo,

afaik the 5.2 Mag is internally balanced like the 318 LA, you can use the 318 LA damper. The 5.9 is a different story, external balanced like the 360, but different weights....and different dampers.

Michael
 
Timo, it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. ;)

The LA balancer can be used, no worries.
You can also use the valve covers.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Correct! Thanks for the save. I guess I should have also added running a LA and the serpentine belts ain't gonna work ether.

I just left the serpentine set up on. Works for me and it works well.
Click to expand...

No problem!

I ran into that whole debacle when I did the swap. I had all the LA accessories for the Dart, and swapping it to a Magnum presented a few unique issues.

I had to get rid of the Maggy timing cover, water pump, and accessory cradle, then I bought a March billet pulley and bracket kit to make it all bolt up right.

So, as the car sits now, I'm running an LA water pump, Alternator, and PS pump on a Magnum engine.

It was a complete bolt on setup once I figured out what needed to be done.
 
lilredridinghoo said:
thank you all, for your comments.

so i guess i will try to catch that motor

i will definitly change timing cover, water pump and belts because, i will try to keep the LA-look (as far as i can) and use as much parts from my LA engine as possible (Timing cover, water pump, carb, headers, distributor)

- what about the balancer, guess i also have to change this to LA-style, due to mounting holes for the crank pulley ?

conc. regrinding of cam... eeh...looking bad over here ....

@PoisonDart, i would do that. But you will have only a very very small little chance to get a 5.9 magnum engine here in Germany. And if one approach on the market you have to pay about 1800 - 2000 Euro (2300 - 2600 USD) for an engine with over 200K miles on it. this 5.2 i cld get for 500-600 Euros (~700 USD) which is okay i guess


so now it´s time to talk my wife into that plan
Click to expand...


The crank pulleys are the same bolt pattern for the Magnum and LA.
 
Sure you're not talking about a "poly" 318? That's not an LA.
 
conc. regrinding of cam... eeh...looking bad over here ..
Check out Oregon cam grinders,or Bullitt Cams U.S. stateside.
 
thank you all for your input and suggestions....

just finished the deal with the guy selling the engine incl. delivery to my house/garage

therefore don´t stop ... i´m open minded for new ideas....:burnout:
 
The 5.2 has just as much potential as any other engine. It can make as much or as little power as you want. Strap two turbos on it and associated hardware and you can make 1500 HP. Speed costs money. How fast you wanna go?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top