zTimbo

This will be my build thread and I will try to keep it half *** updated regularly. This was and will be my daily driver sometime in the near future. I've owned this truck since 2007. The 318 was wore slap out and using lots of oil but was still getting me from A to B. So in the spirit of tearing stuff up that isn't broke I decided to throw a LS motor/4l60 trans and keep AC and power steering. Here's the truck the day I drove it into the shop for tear down.

zTimbo

The new power plant is newly rebuilt 5.3 bored .040 with flat top pistons. Stock heads, cam, and LS1 intake. Transmission is a 4L60E that I'm hoping is good to go. Fluid looked good and didn't smell funny, trans is beleived to have 170K on it.

zTimbo

Engine and trans are bolted in. I built my own adapter plates to adapt the Dodge mounts to the LS block. I was able to use my factory crossmember in the stock location and build an adapter plate for it as well. I used the stock truck oil pan. I have about 1" of clearance between the back of the engine and the fire wall. Transmission tunnel and pinch weld required some moderate massaging with a ball peen hammer to clear the trans lines and bell housing of the trans. Exhaust is a 2 into 1. It was really tight on the passenger side frame rail but it is do-able.

zTimbo

And because I think it's funny that these 2 items cost almost the same as what I paid for the truck.

zTimbo

Spent yesterday afternoon working on modifying the OEM gauge cluster to accept the Speedhut gauges. I'm using the 4" gauges and there will be absolutely no room to spare vertically. I will post some pics when I get it ready for paint.

I'm looking at using the SEM textured black spray paint. Anyone have any experience using the textured paint. I've read lots of mixed reviews about all the different brands?

Jimbo1367

Looks like a nice canidate. Keep us in the loop.

M.BOZZ

iTrader: (14)

Nice, i have a friend that wants to do this with his dakota. Can you post some pics of the under side ?

zTimbo

Here is the only picture of the underside I have right now. It really just shows the exhaust. This was the first time I've ever built an entire exhaust system from scratch. I had originally planned on having the first half of the exhaust ceramic coated but the cited was telling me they were 4 weeks behind.

zTimbo

No pictures to show off but I did get the PSI harness layed out yesterday. It fit very well and seems to be a quality product. I still have to come up with a way to secure my PCM. It's being mounted in the engine compartment. I also was able to get my cluster finished to where I could permanently mount the gauges in it.

zTimbo

Been working on it a few hours here and there. Harness is layed out and pretty much installed minus hooking up a few wires under the dash. I'm waiting on my CEL to come in so I can finish my instrument cluster. I still have to hook my fuel pump up, I'm going to try using the stock Dodge fuel pump, I will use the Chevy pcm to run the Dodge fuel pump. I'm kinda heart broken that the driver side vette coil pack cover doesn't fit right. It looks like I will need to get the Dremel out and trim it around the alternator and fuel line.

zTimbo

I do have a question about the 2 ring terminals that say go to the starter in the PSI manual. Do they go on the same post that the + battery cable goes to? I've tried searching but can't find an answer.

zTimbo

And here is my starter

y5mgisi

iTrader: (2)

They should go to b+. The other big post is only active while the starter is engaged. And

zTimbo

Next question....AC request wire..its the white wire bundled together with the underdash wires in the PSI harness. From my understanding this wire tells the engine to idle up when the compressor kicks on. I'm running a Sanden 508 compressor with the 1 wire coming out of it.

Can I tie this into my factory pressure switch?

I'm just not real sure what to do with it and can't find any decent explanations on what to do with it.

casias

iTrader: (1)

What I did was skip the LS ECU control of the AC system, and wire it directly. Using the original low pressure switch, which should be somewhere near your accumulator, to cycle the compressor. In the case of the 1999 dakota, the ac request switch inside the cabin grounds the system. The engine shouldn't have to idle up for a 508, if your condenser is the right size, and the high side pressure is acceptable.

FWIW.... I would find a good AC shop to do this part. I found a guy on craigslist who really knew his s*)t. AFTER...I burnt two compressors.

casias

iTrader: (1)

I love the little dakota. Lightweight, and should be really fun to drive.

zTimbo

What was causing the compressors to burn up?

casias

iTrader: (1)

The condenser I chose was too small for the system. Since I didn't have a clue about AC systems at the time, I learned the hard way.

The guy I found does custom hot rod AC systems, and knew how to size the system right.

zTimbo

Do you have specs on the condenser you ended up using?

casias

iTrader: (1)

In my setup, the condenser is under the bed in front of the right rear wheel. I ended up with 2-16X18 condensers stacked in series.

But he was also able to set up the fan speed correctly.

There is more art to this than I thought.

The condenser is mounted in the passenger side rear wheel well







with a Derale 12 inch fan