Hi All,

First off, great site! I have been lurking a little while and decided to jump in and ask a question. I just bought an '80 B-100 with 115,000 on it for 300 bucks. It has California Emmissions equipment on it (I like in Detroit). The body is great, but the engine runs bad and overheats. I barely made it home. Most of the vacuum lines and smog stuff are crudely disconnected, and you can tell that it wasn't maintained.

My buddy and next door neighbor is yanking a 73,000 mile 225 out of his '72 Dart. It runs nice and quiet and looks good, and it's free, so I figure I'll swap them. From what I can gather from research on this site, It's the better of the two engines. It has a forged crank, the redesigned combustion chamber, no smog crap, and should bolt right up to my 904 trans.

So here' s my question(s): Is there anything worth saving on the '80 that would work on the '72? Maybe the distributor so I don't have to have a points/condensor setup? Anything else? Is the cam likely to better on the '80 because it was a truck motor?

Thanks in advance guys!

Welcome! Sounds like a good swap.

Don't bother with the late hyd cam as it takes more to swap than just the cam. Drop the 80 dist into the 73 motor, although if vac lines are messed up the 80 truck ign system may not be operating properly.

If you can save the head, it is a good core for a perf head buildup. I might be interested in it as a core and could maybe arrange pick up.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I will definately save the head then. I do want a 2bbl intake/exhaust setup as well, so I'm open for a trade.

The packrat in me says to find a place for the whole thing, block and all. Then you could build it up as time and money allow.
I'd hate to scrap a block unless it's windowed.

What's he doing with the Dart?

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

1964 Valiant V200, 225/Pushbutton 904
BBD, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO

The '72 and the '80 both have the same cam (the first year for the hydraulic units was '81). The '80 distributor will be electronic but will have a poor advance curve. Use the '72 intake and carburetor. The '72 head is better (lighter weight, better quality), too.

I take it your neighbour is dissecting his '72 Dart to drop some dumb V8 in it?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

If equipped with a direct injection catalytic converter you should keep the AIR pump as well.

Hi,

Now realize I speak as one with a marvelous collection that appears and disappears as pokeweeds and kudzu wax and wane...but some things ya often cry over...
the dipstick and tube
the bracket that attaches the bellhousing to the block in the starter area
grab the starter
fan, timing mark thing, crank pulley bolt
coil,
temp sender and oil pressure sender
a good oil pan and oil pickup and valve cover are calming in a stash

See,...keep that motorl hidden in some weeds!
rock
'64d100

If you mow your lawn and discover a car, that's one way you know you are a redneck, but if you mow your lawn and discover a slant six, you must be REALLY cool. If you do save parts, be sure to label everything so you know what it is, what year it came off of, and how it goes back together. That's my advice 'cause I don;t always do it myself.

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You know, I started pulling parts off tonight and something told me not to throw out the AIR pump and related tubes abd stuff. But why would I keep it? I tried to turn it by hand and it wouldn't budge. I figured that maybe the tubes might be usable by someone. Just the pack rat in me. Thanks for the tips guys, I'll stash all the little stuff like that that I can fit in my tiny garage. I wouldn't have thought to grab the oil sending unit and temp sender.
Heh heh! Yep! He wants a 360. Hey, all the better for me!

What is a good year distributor to grab for a decent advance curve?

One more thing... should I replace the oil pump while I have these engines out of the cars, or do you think I'm good. I'm inclined to leave well enough alone, but you guys would know better than I.

Thanks! I really appreciate it.

If the engine had good oil pressure when he pulled it out of the Dart, I would leave the pump alone. I would remove the pan and have a peek inside though while I had it out. Might reveal a problem.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

If your van has an AIR pump then you should keep it because you also have a catalytic converter. If the AIR pump isn't functional (and it sounds like it isn't) go get one from a boneyard and swap it in. You probably will also need to replace the catalytic converter.

Iirc, the van setup is very similar to the truck. If so, the pan will have to come off anyway because it is unique. You'll also need the dipstick tube. You'll also need to steal the plug from the van motor that seals off the dipstick tube hole in the block (dipstick enters through the oil pan). Kickdown will also have to be taken from the van. Engine mount brackets and power steering bracket will have to be swapped. Alternator and coil mount are the same between the pickup and car, I assume the case is the same for the van.

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Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion

Heh! Catalytic converter? That's one part I shan't be saving
Great info! Thanks! I would have hated to learn about that dipstick plug the hard way.
Well, it looks like I'm going to have to pull the pan anyhow, so I'll take a look. If an oil pump is as cheap as a water pump, I might just go ahead and do it. Thanks!

Keep 'em coming guys!

Was the original engine smoking or something? 115K isn't that much on these engines. Have you checked the radiator? Why swap out if you don't need to? Just update!

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82 D150 Slant6 Shorty
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/658846

I guess just becuase the other one has almost 50K less miles on it. Plus, I would love to get rid of the smog stuff. It would be prohibitively expensive to replace it all, and this other engine is free. Also plus, it would take me forever to weed through the mess of this van's myriad vaccuum hoses and doohickeys to diagnose the problems. Plus the '72 is simpler. Like me!