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Well, the sludged up 3.9 got starved for oil and is clattering bad. The rest of truck is in very good shape, trans pan was spotless when I changed the fluid, just over 200,000 km on it. I picked up a 185,000 km 5.9, with the throttle cable and partial wiring harness for $1000. I also picked up 2000 5.9 R/T computer, programmed to my Vin. I pulled the exhaust manifolds, making sure there were no seized bolts for future header swap. Going clean it and paint it next.
Next is matching the old set of MSD superconductor wires that were on my 403. Number one wire cracked near the boot twice due to overheating issues. Then install and wire up with the 5.9 computer. Setting the bands and changing the fluid on the 42RE also.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; November 11th, 2015 at 05:02 PM.
Very simple, common green with orange wire for power on #7 and #8 injector. Then grounded through the ECM, is supposed to be programmed to vin, on #2 and # 13 pin. Having the V8 harness will make it simple
All the injector wiring and grounds a soldered and heat shrunk. I ran the #7 and #8 injector ground wires in a separate loom going to the ECM. Picking the two spots is easy considering there was two plastic plugs in the connector where they needed to go.
All the injector wiring and grounds a soldered and heat shrunk. I ran the #7 and #8 injector ground wires in a separate loom going to the ECM. Picking the two spots is easy considering there was two plastic plugs in the connector where they needed to go.
This truck was the right price, under 200K mileage, would have preferred a V8 Quad cab but they were 3 grand more. It was decent off the line with 3.92 gears but down right unsafe passing on the highway. I opened up the inlet on the air filter box and added an AEM dry flow filter. I also added a big body Dynomax Super Turbo muffler, unnoticeable inside but noticeable outside. Both made a good difference but my daughter over revved the sludged up 3.9, must have had a piece blocking the pick up, flickering oil pressure when she brought it back. With minor mods, factory y pipe is tiny, replace with JBA y pipe, probably headers, 1.7 roller rockers and tuner should reach 14's. I can hardly wait.
This truck was the right price, under 200K mileage, would have preferred a V8 Quad cab but they were 3 grand more. It was decent off the line with 3.92 gears but down right unsafe passing on the highway. I opened up the inlet on the air filter box and added an AEM dry flow filter. I also added a big body Dynomax Super Turbo muffler, unnoticeable inside but noticeable outside. Both made a good difference but my daughter over revved the sludged up 3.9, must have had a piece blocking the pick up, flickering oil pressure when she brought it back. With minor mods, factory y pipe is tiny, replace with JBA y pipe, probably headers, 1.7 roller rockers and tuner should reach 14's. I can hardly wait.
5.9 dropped in, sort of. I used the Durango mounts which also hook to the trans, passenger side fit fine. Drivers side won't drop down and if it does the motor will be too far forward on that side. I may just use the 3.9 mounts instead.
Well my 3.9 mounts are different. The 5.9 mounts sit 1" back on the drivers side and holes are smaller on the passenger side, ask me how I know. I think it has to do with the mounts being off a 98 Durango. Dodge changed from the Dana 35 front axle to the 205 mm(8") in 2000 and the motor mounts attach to the diff. I would in a way like the Dana 35 to add a locker, now I have the mounts necessary to change, if I want.
You will probably like everything but the gas mileage on that 5.9. On the best of days 13 is just about all I can get out of mine. Lots of power though. I'm glad the price of gas is down. Keep us posted... Tedd
Thanks Tedd. I was maybe getting 20 imperial or 17 US out of the gutlass 3.9. Supposedly with the B&G Chrysler or Hemifever tune, should actually get better mileage than the 3.9 and even more power. I believe the SCT tuner is used by Hemifever and includes 3 custom tunes. I will get a 87 mpg tune, 87/89 octane towing tune and 91 octane racing tune from him.
It started and died a couple of times then wouldn't start again. Injectors stopped firing. Put the v6 ECM in and it ran somewhat. I think I will bite the bullet and get B&G Performance to do custom tune on the 5.9 R/T ECM I bought.
Ran it in 6 cyl mode, good oil pressure, no leaks and topped up the fluids. Of course I should have checked the block heater, need to replace it. Didn't hear it working and had infinite resistance. The one in the 3.9 worked and it is easy to get at in the truck. Of course it means draining the antifreeze again.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; December 6th, 2015 at 04:43 PM.
Talked to B&G, under warranty except of course shipping, probably another $100 there and back. I never realized there was an anti theft option in 2000, probably the reason I have no fuel or spark with the V8 ECM, With the V6 ECM in, it fires right up but only have second gear with the shorted TCC/OD solenoid shorted out.
Changed the transmission od/tcc solenoid and got the ECM back. Started right up on eight cyl but still had a check engine light but it needed gas so I took it for a drive. Still only one gear in limp mode, still the same code. Runs decent at least.
Well my daughter blew both head gaskets and the intake pan was starting to go. I sat forever, good thing a cliff wasn't near by to throw it over. I fixed the head gaskets and intake pan jumped 7 and 8 off 1 and 5, since it was running on 6 cylinders. I finally got all gears by removing the trans relay and jumping two terminals. I also added two toggle switches to ground, on spliced into the OD, the other the TCC. I instantly had all the toward gears except OD which works with the toggle switch. Wow, what a difference. It will spin the tires hard enough to get wheel hop. I also added a big trans cooler that supposedly bypasses when cold. Just need a winter front and command start to finish. Finally!
id like to get one of those 5.9 throttle bodies for a mock up and experiment with, for a turbo project...they have Delphi AIC TPS and map sensors...i need one to see if i can make it work..
ive been watching to get a stock junk one to see if it will work before i pop for one...id hate to spend the 200 and cant make it work...there are none on craigs and cant find any at pick and pull..they must have a high core value or have issues...i dunno..
I still have all the gears but have codes galore, mostly for the trans and now it is down on power again. My noir light said the #7 injector was firing. Just idiling rough and slow acceleration compared to before. Maybe the TCC is sticking on?
Still lots of power, battery hold down in for the 1/8 mile track on September 3rd. I had to drain the anti freeze looked like ***** crud from doing the head gaskets, need water in there for the track anyways. This truck moves and is no harder on fuel than the 3.9 with twice the power. With a better muffler, air box mod, better filter and 3.92 sure grip, I am hoping for a 9.6 in the 1/8 mille. Traction will be the issue, will try 20 psi in the A/T tires and go around the water box.
A thermostat did not fix it, the fail safe open up on the Motorad stat feature did work. it has to be a head leaking into the coolant. Head gaskets are holding for now, will putt around town for the winter with it. It will cost probably 2 grand Canadian by the time they are shipped and the exchange rate. I will go through Hughes, the one guy who went through Jeggs had a valve stick after 15 minutes run time. Hughes mentioned the guides sticking on heads without bronze guide liners, obviously true.
some just do that..i had this old 70 chevelle that was a decent car..but no matter what it was impossible to keep it running..it was a curse i swear...finally gave up and took a bath on it..but it was gone...believe me i tried to work thru it..and just what ever i did..it was broke..always broke..or id fix it and something else would take a crap..i had the trans in that thing 3 times..
I don't give up either. I just have too many vehicles. Even my Challenger being 6 years old has issues like needing a window switch, the weather strip for hood came apart, door needs adjusted etc. Little things but I have many projects.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; October 13th, 2016 at 01:43 PM.
Well, I bit the bullet. I bought a pair of complete Ram EQ replacement heads, .028" head gaskets, all the top end gaskets, the thick aluminum plenum plate and bolts from Hughes. This should bump compression to 9.6 to 1 with better head flow.
I received the gaskets, thick aluminum plenum plate and Ram EQ heads. Nice castings, bronze guide liners and improved springs from Hughes. They have nice flow numbers 233/188,, probably equal to or better than well ported #6 heads as cast and have material where it is needed for porting and crack prevention.
Installed and running. Just need to get fresh gas and maybe bump the idle a bit. Stole the IAC of the 3.9 was idiling like **** and stalling, looks like it was stuck right in. Seems better now.
Well after the truck just running shitty after the head swap, I found 2 issues. First it was running on 7 cylinders, number 8 had a wire off. Noticable miss, I guees so. Second is the reason the truck has run shitty on and off. I "upgraded" to a brass BWD cap, some upgrade. It never sat on the motor properly, wouldn't tighten down, pretty sure it was moving, causing shitty running. It got really bad barely running, I had a Champion cap, brand new. I found the rotor with the spring broken off. This cap tightened down all the way and replaced the rotor. No more bad missing or violent shaking in reverse. Finally!
It had a little miss but other than that, ran great on a 3 hour return trip. I am going to check the cap and rotor again, plugs and put back on my MSD Superconductor wires I took off in desperation, currently a mismatched set. Either way, no over heating and good power. I am going to figure out mileage today.
October 7th, 2015, 07:10 PM
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. I think it has to do with the mounts being off a 98 Durango. Dodge changed from the Dana 35 front axle to the 205 mm(8") in 2000 and the motor mounts attach to the diff. I would in a way like the Dana 35 to add a locker, now I have the mounts necessary to change, if I want.
