casias

iTrader: (1)

Dollar for Dollar, I think the LS is a much better platform.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

PCM Red Connector Pin 10, Analog Tach Output Signal.

Checkmate

iTrader: (2)

Cool project.

I had a 97 Dakota with 318. Nice truck but low power constant trans problems and ran low 16s stock. 14s would have been a welcome change.

I'm about to get started on a projec that will **** of the dodge boys for sure.

1CAMWNDR

iTrader: (21)

Awesome.....

gassux

This is an awesome swap, I'm glad i stumbled upon this thread. I was a Dodge guy myself 98 RC 318 5spd and 2001 Durango R/T but i got so tired of the lack of aftermarket support from chrysler. They treated their software like it was a top secret dept of defense project. I watched guys like bigbigird, the crazy Hawaiian dump 20k_ to get their trucks into the 10's. I'm glad i switched to a duramax and soon a notch LSX. I haven't looked back and i could care less about the SRT platforms. Chrysler screwed the pooch years ago and now they are trying to play catch up, F em

casias

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. The truck has done very well over 18 months. I like this Dodge platform. That's why I have two RT's, one LS and one built magnum. And a Durango in the garage.



Of all the swaps on this site, this truck has probably stirred the most emotion among the die-hard fans. That's ok.

For someone looking to replace the underwhelming MAGNUM motor, this is a reasonable alternative.

quimbysr

Nice build! I was looking at an LS swap with an 85 Corvette, and ended up executing it by selling it, plus my Mustang and a motorcycle and buying an 05 Vette.

That said, I saw a few tired-looking Dakota Quad Cab 4x4s on CL and thought about an LS in one of those. This brings me to a question that someone here might be able to answer for me:

Some light duty GM applications use an NV3500 mated to a Gen 3 V8 (4.8s and 5.3s mostly). Given that Dakota V8s also used NV3500s (albeit with a different bellhousing and spline count), how much simplicity could be gained by placing the whole GM V8/NV3500/NP T-Case combo into the manual shift Dakota? My assumptions are that the Dodge trans mount would bolt on to the Chevy NV3500, that, relative to the mount, the shifter and engine mounting surface distances are close if not identical and that the drive shafts would end up being about the same lengths.

If you're not looking for max power this makes sense to me; am I oversimplifying it?

Thanks,
Bill

casias

iTrader: (1)

I have had a few people ask me about the 4x4 swap. I have a 2000 4x4 Durango that is stock. From a fitment standpoint, I think it will go right in. As for the swap, I would go with the whole GM assembly including the transfer case. You would probably buy the whole assembly anyway.

The assembly would fit under the dakota without a problem. It would probably require a new crossmember, and driveshafts. The adapter plates may make the motor too wide, though. Even 1/2 inch may be too much, because the motor mounts are completely different.

I would love to see pictures of the engine bay of a 4x4. I just don't have one to take apart. My wife won't let me touch the Durango.

Moose_of_Death

With my looking for something a bit different as my next project (in addition to the Lincoln MK8 I'm pondering converting to an LS in the future), do you have some sort of 'guide' or something similar to what you did exactly do swap the LS into a Dakota? I'm pondering doing a similar swap with either a Magnum-powered Grand Cherokee or Durango, and haven't seen much of any info out there, short of...a finished product.

samuel642000

iTrader: (2)

There's not many of them done, Casis' and the older Ram are some of the more popular ones.

Casias does have a website you can check out. I'll pm it to you in a second.

1CAMWNDR

iTrader: (21)

Grand Cherokee requires cutting and modifying the front subframe. I would not bother. If you want a Cherokee, get an XJ. There is a kit for an LS into the XJ (non Grand) Cherokee.

casias

iTrader: (1)

Someday I would like to do an XJ. I had a 1993 sport that I miss. Even with the inline 6 it was a good truck. With an LS, it would be better.

drago1217

iTrader: (6)

I'm interested in the 4x4 myself. I just picked one up for 1500 bucks. Quad cab. Problem is it has 200k miles on it and eats oil. Transmission is on its way out. It's just a work truck. Not looking to race it lol. Thinking 5.3 or 6.0, tranny, and tc is in order. They are widely available, I'm familiar with the ls platform, and it would cost about the same as a replacement 4.7 magnum.

tfi racing

iTrader: (2)

I would like to try one as well,either 2WD or 4WD,its easy to find them with a lunched 4.7 cheap.As for the LS in the Grand Cherokee,I seriously looked at doing a 99,but decided it was too much grief physically getting it in and the foolish Jeep/mercedes/renault/abortion electronics are just silly,its hard enough getting another year 4.7 or 5.7 Hemi to work wth them,nevermind a LS PCM.

casias

iTrader: (1)

This swap will be perfect for a work truck. We still haven't modified our motor, and left the VVT intact. As a potent pickup goes, this is a huge leap from the Magnum, and probably an ever larger leap from the underwhelming 4.7.

I just had Chris Henry tune this truck, after two years, and he found noticeable gains in both drivability and responsiveness.

Good luck on your project.

E36LUVA

Was a Dodge tech for 10yrs and got out just when the Hemi was released, did my share of swinging Magnum motors and upgrades, its a great engine for its time but way too expensive to tune man. There is simply no other pushrod motor on the planet that compares to the LS end of story. The Dakota is a great platform much better than the S10 or Ranger IMO so to me an LS swap is a no brainer. Much repsect to you and the wife for doing this. Good luck with it!

casias

iTrader: (1)

The truck just passed 30k miles without any trouble at all.

The original ly6/6l90 drivetrain has 160k miles now, and hasn't been down for one day.

I did take it to the track and ran 13.4 at 103 on 30 psi street tires, full street trim with the AC on. This was with a canned diablosport tune.

Chris Henry Motorsports tuned it after that, and it now runs neck-and-neck with our 2005 GTO on the street. So maybe its a little faster now. Certainly pulls and drives better since tuning. He did wonders with the 6-speed automatic. And we were able to keep it on 87 octane.

Copperhead

iTrader: (1)

I just wanted to resurrect this thread to add my .02

I took a Saturday and drove up to see the blasphemous LSDAK in person, which is a 120 mile drive for me, round trip.

The install looks very close to stock. If you spend some time on the LSDAK YT channel you can see he's done quite a few more mods to this ride than just the LY5 and transmission. A lot of them fix weak links in the Dakota infrastructure that people often overlook, like the fuel system, or the brakes.

Speaking of the brakes: Since these trucks came out in 1997, everyone in the Dakota world was trying to figure out which of the big brake manufacturers could be talked into gracing them with a big brake kit. Solutions have been offered from Wilwood and Aerospace. I think just a couple sets of the Wilwoods were ever sold, and those two sets get sold and resold amongst all the people in the community year after year. I installed one of those kits myself, on a friend's truck. They're beautiful, they work, and they cost a fortune. No one wants to spend the $3-4k on brakes when they could just go buy another R/T with that money.

Casias did a junkyard-and-brackets solution that replaces the rear drums with off the shelf parts for a couple of hundred bucks. The front discs are pretty good to begin with, and along with the Hydraboost in there, this setup will drag the truck down from 80 in a hurry. The pedal feel was perfect, not overly sensitive. The pedal started braking a little closer to the top than I'd like, but that can be fixed.

I had a chance to drive the truck. It really feels like a factory build. The power came on so smoothly and quietly, it was almost a letdown. No peaks or valleys, just loads of power all the way past where a stock 5.9 gives up. Iron manifolds and a very conservative muffler made it seem quiet, perhaps more so than the typical stock Tahoe or Trailblazer. It left me with one word in my mind: longtubes.

Since I made the trip, he's done a lot to that ride. New intake, new cam, and its been retuned to take advantage of it all. I haven't gotten behind the wheel yet but I'm looking forward to the next trip.

Alwhite00

iTrader: (1)

Great build, nice clean install.

casias

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Copperhead.

It is hard to believe that it was almost 2 years ago that I did this swap. Since that time, the truck has been modified with a few more goodies. Each of these are highlighted in write-ups, but I will post a few pics here to update this thread.

Starting with the most recent. LS9 cam, 918 springs, LS3 inake and fuel rails.



Mock up for twin turbos based on LS7 exhaust manifolds flipped over. This is the reason for the shorter LS3 intake.



Idler relocation for car intake on truck accessories.



Battery reloactred under right rear wheel.



New autometer gauges



Rear disc conversion using GM metric calipers





Hydroboost