'92 Dodge Dakota : OM617 Conversion
'92 Dodge Dakota : OM617 Conversion
Been a long while since I posted any updates.
Engine/Transmission are in the truck. I ended up keeping the Merc Auto trans behind the 617 for now, until I can get around to gathering up everything for a 5-Speed Manual Swap.
Out with the beat 5.2L Magnum V8 (gave it to my dad to use for parts for his 5.2L powered Ram 1500). My poor 5.2L had 4 dead cylinders and the other 4 ranged between 50psi and 70psi compression... She still ran and drove, matter a fact, I drove it for a couple months like that, before finally parking it. She sat for over a year after that. I climbed in, cranked the engine over and she sputtered to life one last time...for her trip into the garage for the engine to be removed.
In with the 617. Ended up bolting the transmission to her on the floor, and with a not so helpful helper, some swearing (okay, lots of swearing...mostly because the helper was supposed to be "spotting" clearances...clearances that put a dent in my core support because he wasn't watching) and some crafty chain placement, I was able to wrestle the Engine/Transmission into the truck in one assembled combination.
Figure this one out... The OM617 weighs more than the 5.2L, yet the front of my truck sits 3" Higher than it did with the V8.
Salvaging parts from a Dodge D50 Instrument Cluster, to install in the factory Dakota Instrument Cluster... Yes, that's a Gasoline D50 Cluster, with factory Diesel Indicator Lights in it. A 2nd Gen D50 Cluster at that, the Turbo Diesel was only a 1st Gen D50 Option (that cluster is 3 years newer and completely different from the 1st Gen Diesel Cluster). I'm not complaining, it gave me parts to make my Dakota look more "factory"
Necessary extra gauges