[Thedrivingforce209]

Ok guys heres one for everyone to chew on. I put up a topic about a week back with questions about upgrading to a magnum engine from my LA. Well it turns out its gonna be alot of work. So it struck that since i am going to go that far...why not go all the way. I caught wind of a low milage iron block v10 fully dressed with all the acc.So what im asking from all of you is input...good bad and ugly. suggestions and any and all info on this. First off is...will the v10 mate up with my 727? next...since i wil be using electric fans i should have enouh room length wise but what about width? third...i do live in cali...so smog legal is a must...which means any and all emissions will have to stay. my main consernes is the drivetrain compatibility...i will make the rest fit and run. Ok everyone let me have it. THANKS

 

[Dodge 85 RC]

The 727 will not bolt up to the v10, you'd need the trans that came with the v10 or one out of a diesel.(The diesel and v10 share the same transmissions) As far as fitment goes, it all depends on how deep your wallet is. If you want to spend the money it will fit. I don't know about in stock form tho. Also, you'll need to put in some 1 ton springs up front to handle the extra weight, while your at it you might as well upgrade to 1 ton axles too to better handle the power of the v10. I think its a cool swap idea tho! Good luck!

 

[MA$TER BLING!]

I don't think electric fans alone will keep the V10 cool enough, they need large radiators and high cfm fans to keep them happy.

 

[Guest]

What??!!!
Okay, first of all, what's all this work to swap in a Magnum V8? A Magnum is simply an LA with new heads and intake/fuel system. A Magnum will drop right in. Put a carb intake for Magnum on, drop your distributor in, bolt up the exhaust and go. You could just swap out the top of the LA for Magnum, using your LA block and get the same thing. What's the big deal? Certainly less work than a V10 swap. It does get more complicated if you want to run the MPI fuel injection.
JVX/Memphis Performance offers an adapter plate that allows the V10/Diesel to bolt up the the standard smallblock bellhousing (727/518, etc).
About these 1 ton springs. Are they really needed? Did the 440-powered RC's use these? The V10 isn't an heavier...give or take a few pounds.
The V10 and diesel share the same bellhousing, but the guts of the trannies are different in their calibrations.
As for space limitations, I refer back to the 440 models. Last time I worked on an RC (318-model), there was plenty of room for me to fall between the radiator and engine without the fan in place. The V10 is rather compact, needing little more space (if any) as opposed to a 440.

 

[zapnca]

damn...its about time someone gives it to me straight....thats what i have been waiting for. As for what i meant about work is keeping the mpi and and there is some problems with the magnum PS pump hitting the frame. I think i will try the v10 and tranny adapter. i will post pics as soon as i start. Also keepem coming...i still need more ideas and info. wiring is my next tackle. thanks all

 

[willy J]

instead of wasting money on the difficult V10 install put a blower on the magnum! same power better mileage than the V10. not as many wiring problems. just cut a hole in the hood!

 

[Guest]

damn...its about time someone gives it to me straight....thats what i have been waiting for. As for what i meant about work is keeping the mpi and and there is some problems with the magnum PS pump hitting the frame. I think i will try the v10 and tranny adapter. i will post pics as soon as i start. Also keepem coming...i still need more ideas and info. wiring is my next tackle. thanks all

I did away with the Magnum "serpent"ine drive system. Put the LA water pump (and fan) and V-belts on so there are no issues like the power steering pump, not that it would've been for my swap. I've yet to be stranded by good ole dual v-belts, but the serpent has already bit me once (in a Jeep). There's a Magnum V8 engine harness on eBay right now. Current bid is around $24. Got mine that way for less than $30 for later use if I need to. Right now, using a carb setup.
The V10 would make an awesome swap. There was a '69 Charger featured a while back that had a Viper V10, but the football player that owned it paid someone to fab the deal...not quite the same as doin' it yourself.

 

[StandardByker88]

yeah, and i saw one of a duster with a full cage, viper rearend, viper v10 and a full tilt front end. you oughta do that on the truck.

 

[lost1]

the older dodges with b or rb blocks had heavier front ends, and 9 1/4 rear ends. You can install the 440 without updating the springs, it will just cause the nose to ride lower. The V10 swap could be a neat project.

 

[RXT]

It's possible to put a V10 into a RC. It all depends on how much asprin you can afford and how fat your wallet is.

Physically speaking, I believe the V10 will fit. It's longer than a V8, so you'll need to remove the radiator extensions on the rad wall and mount the rad flush (But you should consider a bigger rad) I don't think it will be nessary to mess with the firewall.

I don't think the V10 shares the SB Mopar bell housing bolt pattern, therefore you'll either need an adaptor which I doubt exists, or a V10 compatable tranny.

The biggest issues will be emissions and electronics. You'll need some kind of closed loop system for the engine's electronics (Remembering that the automatic ODs used with the V10 are also electronically controlled)

Or you'll need to somehow adapt a later V10 Ram harness system into the RC.

As strict as the people's republic of California is, you won't be able to run the engine without the electronics as the emissions depend on the electronics to stay clean.

In a nutshell, while I would love to see something like this done, for a Cali resident, I'd have to stay more primitive and swap in a classic big block.

Ed

 

[s ǝoɾ]

uh how you gonna say a big block is more emmisions compliant. were comparing a newer model engine with emmision controls and electronic fuel injection to a gas hoggin older engine. it is illegal to put and older engine into a newer vehicle. federal law.

how many times is it enforced? i dunno, but i doubt it ll fly in cali.

 

[hewpD]

I'd love to see this done. Buy a welder if you haven't already and make it work. Fear cutting nothing (radiator support, firewall, Trans tunnel etc.)

 

[RXT]

uh how you gonna say a big block is more emmisions compliant.

Please don't misunderstand my point. I didn't say a big would be emmissions compliant, I'm saying a big block would be easier to install

were comparing a newer model engine with emmision controls and electronic fuel injection to a gas hoggin older engine.

I'm comparing a new high tech engine with all of it's electronics package and fuel injection intact to a classic big block V8 with little to no tech. To be installed in a chassis which doesn't support high tech equipment, keeping in mind that California residents have the strictest emmission requirements.

it is illegal to put and older engine into a newer vehicle. federal law.

Sorry that is incorrect. It is illegal to tamper with the emmissions equipment. That is federal law. Engine swaps are governed by the states. It is illegal in California and other states to install an older engine into a newer vehicle.

how many times is it enforced? i dunno, but i doubt it ll fly in cali.

California tends to be very strict. If you want a big block. It maybe possible to buy a New big block (Not a rebuild) or build a stroker large displacement small block.

Ed

 

[Smokey]

He said the V10 comes with all accessories... IF that includes the engine electronics and ignition, it is simple. If that does not include the engine harness and black boxes, it is not so simple.

And, there's always the "California Problem" which I fortunately, don't have to deal with...

 

[CAMO RAM]

Boy I really hate to do this to you , But here in CA there is no way you are going to be able to put a V10 in your 88 RC. Here is a short rundown on why. You can not put anything in your truck that did not come as an option from the factory. Mopar4x was having this problem with his 90 RC. He wanted a 440 in it but he could not because it was not an option for that year. So what he had to do is get a frame from a 77 RC that had a 440 in it and swap his 90 body on to the 77 frame. But there is no way in hell the Smog azzholes are going to let you put in a V10. I am Sorry.

 

[TheRamChargerMan]

it is illegal to put and older engine into a newer vehicle. federal law.

how many times is it enforced? i dunno, but i doubt it ll fly in cali.

NO, it is NOT illegal to put an older engine in a newer vehicle.

The federal law, from what I have read on it, says you can not tamper with emissions equipment, and it goes a bit farther to say that the emissions equipment for whichever is newer, chassis or engine, must be in intact and functional.

The problem is, you must have ALL emissions equipment in place and working for which ever is newer...the chassis, or the engine.

So, if you put a 68 engine in a 98 truck, it must have all emissions equipment for the 98 truck chassis installed on the engine/chassis and working...and the reverse is true...if you put a 98 engine in a 68 body, the emissions equipment that was on the 98 engine/chassis must be in place and working on the 68 body.