satellite engine in a duster, advice?

[redfivexw]

Ok,
I have been looking for a 318 and 727 to put into my slant 6 duster for a while, looking for the easiest way to do it. I currently have a V8 Kframe. I found a junkyard that has a 318 and 727 out of a 74 satellite. I am wondering what else i would need to make the swap. I did this swap years ago and i remember mainly having issues with the accessory brackets and the driver side exhaust manifold. Will the manifold from the satellite fit in the duster engine bay or do i still need to find that part? Are the accessory brackets the same? Would the radiator out of the satellite fit the abody bay? Any other issues?

 

[indie_cg]

I dont think you will have a problem with the radiator or the stock exhaust manifolds. You may need to change/resize your drive shaft (depending on the tranny your /6 had) the 727 is longer i believe.

 

[redfivexw]

Like i said before, i did this swap in another duster a few years ago. It was a nightmare. I tried the schumaker mounts on the /6 kframe, also had a 318 out of truck. nothing went smooth. I was hoping to just find a 318 from an a body but they are hard to come by, i was surprised to find one still in a boneyard in a satellite.

 

[rumblefish360]

I was hoping to just find a 318 from an a body but they are hard to come by

It doesn't mater. A 318 is a 318 is a 318 no matter what it comes out of. The exhaust manifolds are the only possible different point that a problem may arise from.

 

[redfivexw]

not true, if you take a 318 out of truck all the brackets to hold the accessories will be wrong and may or may not fit. Does anyone know if the left side manifold from a satellite will fit in a duster engine bay, or, is there a header that will fit. I remember there being not enough room to do anything on that side.

 

[tbr3]

How's it going, I am currently working on a 360 swap (out of an '89 van), to my 64 dart with power steering, I heard that the driver side manifolds from newer dakotas will work. I have not tried one yet, but the pictures I got looked good for clearance. I looked at the manifold for an '03 dakota 360 on the O'reilly website, they have them for about $80.00, no gasket included. One parts yard also quoted me $80 for a used one. Good luck,

Tom

 

[Johnny Dart]

not true, if you take a 318 out of truck all the brackets to hold the accessories will be wrong and may or may not fit. Does anyone know if the left side manifold from a satellite will fit in a duster engine bay, or, is there a header that will fit. I remember there being not enough room to do anything on that side.

What accessories are you talking about ?

Like Rumble said: A teen is a teen is a teen.Trucks should have different motor mounts, but thats it. If you have a V8 k-frame, all you need is 318 motor mounts.

Usually the radiators out of those cars are 26" plus. Unless you cut the Rad support, a 22" rad is the biggest that will fit.

The right side manifold will probably be the same, but the left side might be different. A-bodys used a special manifold to get around the steering column.
318 A-body manifolds are a dime a dozen, people almost give them away.
Then there are 340 manifolds, and a few choices for headers.

 

[redfivexw]

when i did my last swap, i had to change the oil pan, the alternator bracket, the power steering bracket, the pulleys, and the exhaust manifold. Where the car was a slant 6, i did not have any of those parts and had to track them down. I was wondering if the oil pan and accessory brackets on a satellite would be the same as an a body or if i would have to source those parts again. The driver side manifold is tight, i could not find any headers to fit last time and even though it seems like people are giving them away, i think they are getting harder to find. I guess changing the manifold is not a biggie, but wondering about the oil pan and accessory brackets.

 

[Johnny Dart]

when i did my last swap, i had to change the oil pan, the alternator bracket, the power steering bracket, the pulleys, and the exhaust manifold. Where the car was a slant 6, i did not have any of those parts and had to track them down. I was wondering if the oil pan and accessory brackets on a satellite would be the same as an a body or if i would have to source those parts again. The driver side manifold is tight, i could not find any headers to fit last time and even though it seems like people are giving them away, i think they are getting harder to find. I guess changing the manifold is not a biggie, but wondering about the oil pan and accessory brackets.

Since it is out of a car,I cant see anything being different.
Being out of a car will play in your favor.
The pan is a car pan (center sump) and should work.
Having said that, doing swaps of this nature can have its snags, as you know.
Personally I think is a pretty straight forward swap.

 

[rumblefish360]

not true, if you take a 318 out of truck all the brackets to hold the accessories will be wrong and may or may not fit.

You mentioned a B body Satty, not a truck, had you mentioned truck, I would have made that notaion, so YOUR WRONG! When you throw in a variable like this, it makes you look stupid since the intal question is about a car to car engine swap.

Does anyone know if the left side manifold from a satellite will fit in a duster engine bay, or, is there a header that will fit. I remember there being not enough room to do anything on that side.

More so likely not. A head tat fits and a header that fits well are 2 different stroies that cost alot i there differences. Ya want one that fits? Go tti.

when i did my last swap, i had to change the oil pan, the alternator bracket, the power steering bracket, the pulleys, and the exhaust manifold.

Truck motor right?

Where the car was a slant 6, i did not have any of those parts and had to track them down. I was wondering if the oil pan and accessory brackets on a satellite

WAIT! Is the engine from a car or truck. Your changing the story again. WTF! DUDE! HELLO!

would be the same as an a body or if i would have to source those parts again.

In this case, a small block is a small block and the acc. brackets are the same. Do note, if you have AC, you'll need to run the AC pump with everything else or you'll have issues.

The driver side manifold is tight, i could not find any headers to fit last time and even though it seems like people are giving them away, i think they are getting harder to find.

Header or manifold? Manifolds are getting harder to find while they have headers on the shelf awaiting your money.

I guess changing the manifold is not a biggie, but wondering about the oil pan and accessory brackets.

A car oil pan is a car oil pan. Acc. brackets must be used with the system they were designed for. With or without AC.

 

[Johnny Mac]

i agree with the other guys that you're making this much more complicated than it needs to be...first off the schumacker kit is amazing..but since u managed to have problems with it, and want to do a k member swap (which is the much more pain in the @$$ way to go) its still getting over complicated....you need a new driveshaft cut to fit with a 727 yoke...and thats all. alternator, starter motor...all the same from even the slant to the big block...even with the truck motor...which i also have put in a dart, you swap the pan, and done after a set of motor mounts. if you're worried about manifolds get a set of headers...they sell them anywhere from 100-1000 dollars...are they a squeeze sometimes? yes but again require less exhaust fab than those manifiolds will. the brackets may very some but whatever is on the 318 should sit in a new engine bay with no problem? the steering pump will bolt from the sat to your dart. even if u need al alt bracket, again 10 bucks at summit. just take your time and it'll fall into place much easier than you are making it out to be. good luck

 

[Bad Sport]

I think you're reading to much into this swap. I would not switch out the k frame, just the mounts. Can't tell you about the exhaust manifolds, but I have a set that will work if you need them. The brackets sometimes differ from car to car and especially from truck to car.

But as far as an LA318, they are all the same. Headers, you couldn't find any, they make em everyday for your application. I have a set in mine I got from Summit for 100 bucks, certainly not a top of the line set, but they are functional and fit the budget. I will say this if you are struggling this hard you might want to stick to the manifolds for now, as the headers in an A body can be rather trying to install at times.

 

[redfivexw]

thanks for any advice, i guess i am a complete idiot

 

[OneOfMany]

I dont think thats what everyone means. What they are saying is that if you use a car 318 from a b-body like a Satellite, and grab it complete, there is no real difference than if you used one from an a-body. Sure, exhaust manifolds (for sure the driver side) are different, and if you were grabbing an early 318 (pre-70 I believe), the water pump would be the old style (exits on the opposite side), but otherwise it is a simple swap. Motor mounts changed to a spool type in 73 so you would need to use old style on the motor if you have a V8 K-member, or a Schumacher conversion kit if your Duster has a /6 K-member.

Grant

 

[Johnny Dart]

thanks for any advice, i guess i am a complete idiot

Dont feel like that man.
Your almost guaranteed a few snags on any engine swap.
Worst case scenario you might need some different pulleys or linkage or something. Its all small stuff. Dont sweat the small stuff.
Just got to take the plunge, you can do it.

 

[redfivexw]

I know it can be done, i have done it before. I was hoping to get some advice from people who are smarter than me. I am no mopar specialist, and had a lot of problems with my last swap. I appreciate the advice, but i dont need words like "you look like an idiot", "YOU ARE WRONG" and "WTF, DUDE, HELLO", etc (rumblefish). I will never understand why some people on forums have to be that way, there is no need for it. But to everyone else, thanks. I did see some ads for abody headers last night at Jegs, so the exhaust issue is solved. I am now looking for the billet pulleys, etc. For some reason, i did not find this stuff a few years ago and had to source it all. the same junkyard also has a 360 out of 77 truck with only 52K miles, so now i am considering that. I have not made a decision either way, i have had this yellow duster for about 4 years now running the slant, and it will never die, but i want to swap it soon.

 

[66plyValiant]

not true, if you take a 318 out of truck all the brackets to hold the accessories will be wrong and may or may not fit. Does anyone know if the left side manifold from a satellite will fit in a duster engine bay, or, is there a header that will fit. I remember there being not enough room to do anything on that side.

haven't done this swap much have you? all the bracket from a truck (minus the mounts manifolds and pan/sump) are all the same, its only when you get into motorhomes that you have a major difference with brackets. the valiant in my signature is running all late 70's dodge truck brackets, power steering pump pulleys and alternator, it had all mismactched pulleys when we got it

 

[64X2]

The 318 and trans should fit with not a lot of problems, the exhaust manifolds you will have to change, maybe a center dump on the passenger side and a rear dump on the drivers. you may also have to get different engine and trans mounts to get the right fit, it is all out there, you may have to get stuff that fits another mopar application, but works in your senario. If you go to pull-a-parts or what ever salvage yard you have around you, look at all the V-8 mopars and the way the accessory are mounted and see if one looks like it will fit your application, most Mopar 318s have the holes in the heads and block for accessories to bolt too. I have a 72 318 block with 79 truck heads in my 64 valiant and I was able to mount my altenator in the correct place. I had to go to the salvage yard and find all the pieces to make it work, my pulleys and mounting brackets came from several different mopar cars and trucks. Mopar is pretty good about everything interchanging. What accessories are you trying to mount, altenator, power steering and or A/C? I can post pics of my engine bay if that will help... just let me know and I will see if I can help in any way.....good luck..

 

[Dartnut]

I would send you a driver's side and passenger side manifold for a 318 a body for free if you still need one or both. Just pay the shipping.
I think the b body passenger side manifold is the same BTW.
Cheap headers are a pain in the a$$, especially if you have power steering. Be prepared to swear a lot, ding tubes, etc. and swear again! Been there, done that.
So either save up for some Doug's or TTI's or use stock manifolds IMHO.
I have at least 10 sets of manifolds or more, they are not hard to come by!
Where do you live?
Let me know if you want them, pm me if interested.

 

[Bad Sport]

thanks for any advice, i guess i am a complete idiot

Umm no, what everyone is saying is don't make it harder than it has to be. With that said as you get into it, keep this thread alive and ask questions, that's what it's here for. As far as the headers look at Summit's, unless you have big bucks to spend, that's what I used. They are a pain to put in and you will get frustrated but it can be done. You will have a little more difficulty with power steering, I did. But they are in and work great, they don't drag over speed bumps and the like as long as you don't drive like Bo and Luke Duke.

I don't have a Duster, but a Dart Sport, same platform. I too can provide pics if you need em.

 

[redfivexw]

thanks again. The last time i did this the motor came out of a truck, and i remember there was a problem with the exhaust manifolds where not only it would not fit, but there were extra holes in the block that the original manifolds did not cover. I am fairly new to mopars as this is only my 2nd one, i have had a lot of experience with swapping Chevy stuff in the past. I am unfamiliar with the differences over the years. For example, if i buy a motor out of 2001 1500 truck, say a 5.9 and it has all the Fuel Injection setup, etc, can i take all that off and install an old school intake and carb and the old accessories to that engine? I only ask because i cannot afford a new crate engine, my budget mostly falls within junkyard stuff and i can get a complete modern 5.9 engine for about $350 with 100k on it. I can also get a 30 year old 360 for the same price (either truck or car). As far as the kframe goes, i was planning on changing it out because i have a complete disc brake setup that i want to install, figured it would easier to just do it all. I did use the schumaker mounts, and i thought it worked pretty well but i think i was off just a bit when i did the modifications and it caused me some grief. Totally me as a first timer. If you were doing this swap, and wanted the easiest, best bang for the buck swap, what would you do?