Looks great! That should be worth a discount of two!
Magnum swapping the 72 Scamp!
- Thread starter snailpower
- Start date
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snailpower
Well-Known Member
I have been gone a couple weeks on work travel but a couple updates.
I didn’t like the paint job I had done on the oil pan / valve covers compared to the rest of the engine so I found myself redoing them.
Also I didn’t like some of what I saw as slag in the rewelded oil pump tube. I stuck a boroscope cam in there to check on it on a whim and saw the below and decided to swap it out for a new one in the interest of time.
Got my Dougs headers in the mail which are looking pretty on a test fit. Used Jegs to price match autozone 20% off discount.
I didn’t like the paint job I had done on the oil pan / valve covers compared to the rest of the engine so I found myself redoing them.
Also I didn’t like some of what I saw as slag in the rewelded oil pump tube. I stuck a boroscope cam in there to check on it on a whim and saw the below and decided to swap it out for a new one in the interest of time.
Got my Dougs headers in the mail which are looking pretty on a test fit. Used Jegs to price match autozone 20% off discount.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
In the previously mentioned classic industries "photo shoot" I got lucky and the guy who did the photos was super cool. He gave me a bunch of them from the same day that he had done some work on.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
And a few more photos from the same day, same photographer.
Car people are a separate breed. Awesome pics!
snailpower
Well-Known Member
I have had this floor shifter sitting in my garage in the box for months and excited to finally have it installed. Install wasn't too bad but took me longer than it probably should have. Just happy to have it in there... now I need a new rubber floor mat, that one is pretty grungy and cracking. The official interior of 50 shades of green 
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Those pics are too cool!! You have a gorgeous car!
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot! Thankful it was taken care of most of its life thus far.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Oil pan went on this weekend. I was planning on doing the intake as well but ran into an issue I should have anticipated. Having the heads milled (which I thought was minor enough to not matter) meant I have to get the intake milled a bit. So that went into the machine shop today.
I think the lurking headlights in the background are cool, like I'm waiting!! BTW be careful the head/intake trim doesn't keep the valve covers from seating all the way down.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Good point, yeah I am planning to have to trim the sheet metal covers to get them to fit with the air gap. My current 318 ones are trimmed and one not trimmed so well so it hangs and leaks a tiny bit there. Will be test fitting before dropping in.
Also planning on having to dimple the baffles in the valve covers hoping they will fit with just that and some thicker mopar gaskets I got.
A couple comments on the oil pickup.
Purge the tube with a constant argon flow to avoid the ( sugar) inside. And, it must be clean. DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER TO DEGREASE! Argon plus BRAKE cleaner plus heat equals deadly gas that will kill you. Also, the sugar is very hard, a small speck of that slag will cause damage. Good you got that out of the oil system.
You may want to reconsider using that main bearing bolt you welded on? I wouldn't use it. I'd find a different way to support the tube.
That bolt has a specific tensile strength, temper, elasticity and yield point, all of that was changed by the heat. Not a chance in hell I'd use it!
I'd have way less problem with a tab under the main cap bolt than a compromised bolt.
That's just my opinion. I like what you're putting together though, nice car.
Purge the tube with a constant argon flow to avoid the ( sugar) inside. And, it must be clean. DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER TO DEGREASE! Argon plus BRAKE cleaner plus heat equals deadly gas that will kill you. Also, the sugar is very hard, a small speck of that slag will cause damage. Good you got that out of the oil system.
You may want to reconsider using that main bearing bolt you welded on? I wouldn't use it. I'd find a different way to support the tube.
That bolt has a specific tensile strength, temper, elasticity and yield point, all of that was changed by the heat. Not a chance in hell I'd use it!
I'd have way less problem with a tab under the main cap bolt than a compromised bolt.
That's just my opinion. I like what you're putting together though, nice car.
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snailpower
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the compliments and suggestions.
I think it’s buried in the thread here somewhere but the bolt welded on didn’t even hold for a day haha. I found it on the garage floor the next morning even with minimal torque. Luckily I was able to order from kevko a single Mopar main bolt with a stud already on it.
As for the pickup tube I didn’t like the other one that had been messed with so much so yeah I got a new one of those too ($40 I think? Worth it for piece of mind).
In other news I got the intake milled .040 on each side this morning and it lined up perfectly. I got that installed, installed dip stick tube, and installed fuel pump today.
Also double checked balancer timing marks with a piston stop.
I dimpled the valve cover baffles on the inside and with the thicker Mopar gaskets it looks like they won’t need any trimming either. Needed to oblong the holes on my billet water neck too, not sure if the neck was off or the intake but it works now.
Hoping to have this baby dropped in real soon.
I can practically hear it running now!
snailpower
Well-Known Member
well, the long weekend afforded some time to get the swap rolling. The 318 came out easily enough, we even left the AC and PS hooked up and worked around it. Also realized I needed a new alt bracket so put one of those on order.
We had a bear or a time lining up the holes on the trans to the new 360 though. We eventually got it, and took it back apart (because tired) to correct a non issue. Anyone have some tips on lining them up other than patience? haha
We had a bear or a time lining up the holes on the trans to the new 360 though. We eventually got it, and took it back apart (because tired) to correct a non issue. Anyone have some tips on lining them up other than patience? haha
snailpower
Well-Known Member
deleted double post
So cut the heads off of a couple spare trans bolts and and thread them into the block to use them to line up. You can even cut a slot on the end and use a flat blade screw driver to back them out after.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Brilliant idea, will definitely give that a shot! thanks.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
The idea you gave me @69conv worked beautifully. I used 2 grade 8 bolts with the heads lopped off to guide the engine onto the trans and we had it all bolted up probably within an hour. Much Easier.
One thing I did have a pretty major issue with was that the starter from the donor car did not fit correctly. It is a Chrysler denso unit (probably original 130k miles) from the 99 Durango. The problem was that it would hit the corner of the block in that area so I could get it on the stud but trying to rotate it, the corner would snag.
So there I was under the car with headers in the way (not bolted yet), starter stuffed in there, and dremeling my way through the engine block. haha. I touched the starter a bit with the Dremel too, it seems to fit now and the starter snout fully fit into the trans recess.
also the trans shield looked pretty mangled so I didn't want to chance that and left it off for now (got to solve that later).
Dougs headers went on like a dream compared to the starter... haha. from what I can tell they aren't hitting the 1.12 torsion bars at all and only a little contact on the starter box. Plan is to make some shims and see where I can get the engine positioned. to get them slid over.
Also had to thread some new inline tube trans lines through the headers and may have to bend them a little to get clearance. also may get some heat shielding on there.
A few more steps and it should be running!
One thing I did have a pretty major issue with was that the starter from the donor car did not fit correctly. It is a Chrysler denso unit (probably original 130k miles) from the 99 Durango. The problem was that it would hit the corner of the block in that area so I could get it on the stud but trying to rotate it, the corner would snag.
So there I was under the car with headers in the way (not bolted yet), starter stuffed in there, and dremeling my way through the engine block. haha. I touched the starter a bit with the Dremel too, it seems to fit now and the starter snout fully fit into the trans recess.
also the trans shield looked pretty mangled so I didn't want to chance that and left it off for now (got to solve that later).
Dougs headers went on like a dream compared to the starter... haha. from what I can tell they aren't hitting the 1.12 torsion bars at all and only a little contact on the starter box. Plan is to make some shims and see where I can get the engine positioned. to get them slid over.
Also had to thread some new inline tube trans lines through the headers and may have to bend them a little to get clearance. also may get some heat shielding on there.
A few more steps and it should be running!
artr835
Member
Going to give you a little advice with your accessories and alternator. Since you are doing a v-belt instead of a serpentine, the AC will bolt on fine after removing the passenger side support bracket. The drivers side support bracket will work by opening up the intake mounting hole. If your are using the small alternator, install a 1/8 spacer at the rear of the main bracket. (mine was on the AC unit). I can take pictures tonight of what I did to make the set-up work.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the heads up, as this is basically my next thing to tackle. I think I have the alternator figured out with the new bracket, but the other brackets I am hoping the ones I have will work.
They aren't the original and honestly not sure what they came from, assuming some kind of swap parts from one of the vendors who specialize in that. Its a newer sanden compressor. I took them out, cleaned and hit with some black paint and crossing my fingers I only need to do at worst some belt length tuning.
Heres the setup from the old 318 (minus new alt bracket not shown for magnum heads):
snailpower
Well-Known Member
No photos to share but I got the trans lines routed and hooked up to the trans... wow seems so simple but it gets really really tight in there once you add a floor shift bracket, kickdown cable, and headers etc.
The front line on the trans was not easy. I’m thinking the tubes will need to be “finessed” away from the headers a bit as well. Looks like they are touching in 2 spots.
Also wondering how others route the lines with a B&M shifter bracket. I had to trim my bracket a bit for it to work with stock lines and hadn’t read anyone mention that. The new lines are pretty much the same within about a half inch.
Also figured I will probably need to raise the drivers side mount about 1/4” to clear the Steering box with the headers. Didn’t have time to fab the shim yesterday.
The front line on the trans was not easy. I’m thinking the tubes will need to be “finessed” away from the headers a bit as well. Looks like they are touching in 2 spots.
Also wondering how others route the lines with a B&M shifter bracket. I had to trim my bracket a bit for it to work with stock lines and hadn’t read anyone mention that. The new lines are pretty much the same within about a half inch.
Also figured I will probably need to raise the drivers side mount about 1/4” to clear the Steering box with the headers. Didn’t have time to fab the shim yesterday.
snailpower
Well-Known Member
I tried a thicker motor mount on drivers side and I think it will position the motor away from the steering box but will probably have to fine tune to keep it level. The thicker truck motor mount was in stock at autozone for $7 so worth a shot but honestly it looks like it will blow out easily.
Also got the power steering cleaned up and mounted, it appears the belt alignment will work out so far: (water pump pulley not fully attached yet)
I messed with the alternator bracket I got and it also appears to line up, ac bracket started as well but ran out of time, and since half of Southern California is burning down right now I couldn’t take much more of the smoky smell outside.
Also got the power steering cleaned up and mounted, it appears the belt alignment will work out so far: (water pump pulley not fully attached yet)
I messed with the alternator bracket I got and it also appears to line up, ac bracket started as well but ran out of time, and since half of Southern California is burning down right now I couldn’t take much more of the smoky smell outside.
Remember its a marathon, not a sprint. Consider putting a shim under the motor mount to move it a little, as long as all the threads on the bolt are on the nut, its secure. Level is not vital, consider how the fluids slosh when you turn. BTW be very careful about the pulley alignment, just a little bit off can throw a belt at high RPM's. Ask me how I know! Lol
snailpower
Well-Known Member
Marathon not a sprint... haha sound advice. Definitely feels like I have been messing with this a long time already.
For the mounts... yeah not done yet on those. I have a couple buddies coming over this weekend and some spare aluminum to use as shims so we will explore some options then. I was under the impression the carb would be happier being level, but maybe its not that big of a deal. The header hitting the steering box is my main focus on these though.
For belts, good call, I will definitely get some precise measurements and make sure they are in line and use spacers as needed. I picked up some new belts today as well, found gates brand ones in stock at the local oreilly.
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