Joined: Thu May 01 2008, 11:15AM
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2868
I seriously considered doing the conversion with the car version in 2007 cuz I wanted the MDS system and the benzo tranny rather than the funky truck one. Farming out some of the fab and getting harnesses and some other stuff from Street and Performance I was looking at a $10k deal. Truck engines and trannys are cheaper, but then the hacking begins and you get a tranny with really odd ratios. A 5.7 in a manual tranny car makes a lot more financial sense IMO. In the end, for me it made more sense to stay big block, have an A500 OD installed, and use the existing FAST EFI system I already owned.
Joined: Wed Mar 21 2007, 10:01PM
Location: Englewood, Co
Posts: 294
See for me I'd love to get the MDS, however beggars can't be choosers. I'm getting a good deal on all the wiring and tranny and everything else included. Since I don't have OD on my trans, and I don't have EFI, all i'm sporting is a small block that needs much love. This looks like the best way for me to go. The truck engine/tranny seems to be bet best option as far as fitment goes for a small block C-body K-frame. We'll see in a week and a half when I get it...
I moved my Fury out of the driveway last night for the first time in a year and a half. Cleaned up the oil and transmission fluid that leaked out and saturated the driveway. Tonight... I'm going to pull the rear axle. Clean it, replace the bearings, replace the seals, sand and paint the pig so it stops rusting.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
I like Stitcher's "wiring" picture.
However I think it really applies to the MDS version and in spades when an MDS system is shoe horned into a 4x4 with two or three types of traction control. When I first considered buying my Jeep, I spent a fair amount of time reading up on the MDS system and more or less came to three conclusions. First it is an incredibly neat piece of engineering and systems integration. Second, I had to own one and third, I'd be very wise to keep my fingers out and rely completely on factory warranty.
My guess is the truck 2 wheel drive version without the German transmission should be infinitely less complicated. I would however very carefully check all the wiring and sensors before installing any of it in your car. Seven weeks is a very short time when you consider all the other things that will grab your time while preparing for the move. The last thing you want is a complete mechanical install with hard to detect wiring and/or sensor problems and no time left to chase them down. !stars
Case in point, my Ford Crown Victoria developed an idle and surge problem, which should have been a simple find and fix. It took over a week for the find and 10 minutes for the fix. Virtually every wire and sensor was checked and most were eventually swapped for known good ones. In the end, the problem was an intermittent condition within the idle air portion of the main engine computer circuit board. Interestingly, the defective controller tests as 100% perfect. It's only problem is it doesn't work in the car!
Joined: Wed Mar 21 2007, 10:01PM
Location: Englewood, Co
Posts: 294
Yeah, Since the weather isn't cooperating 100% as of late, I have every intention of going through in the evenings and checking all of the wiring... i know i've got a tester floating around my garage.. I can check each connection, then label it for installation when i can see.
Some guy on talkdodge or maybe it was a dakota forum had his wire all unwrapped as he pulled unused portions out... he took a few pics... almost made me sick.. I'll just ignore the unused portions
Joined: Thu May 01 2008, 11:15AM
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2868
You might call Street and Performance and ask them how many hours work they quote a 5.7 engine/tranny swap, would be illustrative for you. They've done quite a few.
Joined: Wed Mar 21 2007, 10:01PM
Location: Englewood, Co
Posts: 294
Acctually I was just looking at their website I'll be relying on them for several parts at this point. So I think durring lunch I'll have to give them a call.
Joined: Wed Mar 21 2007, 10:01PM
Location: Englewood, Co
Posts: 294
A few updates now that I have the new engine and tranny. Some things are looking great, other things not so great. The oil pan looks like it took a few hits. Which is fine since I'll have to look at having it cut up anyways. While, its not in yet, it appears that the mid-sump pan just might be what I need after-all.
Flip side of the coin. The yoke is a perfect match from my old 727. Happy day.
Very sad news. The damn wiring harness got chewed up right where it connects to the ECU... (*^)!!!^$ Such is life. I've found a new stock Engine wiring harness for $750. I shudder at the thought. Waiting on a few replies from other vendors to see what I'm going to be doing with this.
Joined: Thu May 01 2008, 11:15AM
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2868
Why would you buy a new OEM wiring harness at that kind of price? If you're spending money like that and time is your enemy (which it is), why wouldn't you just buy the adapted harness from S&P (or from the guy they buy it from)????
Joined: Wed Mar 21 2007, 10:01PM
Location: Englewood, Co
Posts: 294
That's what I mean by on the high end. The modified harnesses from hotwireauto (where S&P gets them from) run upwards of $1000. Where as an OEM replacement harness is $750, but it's going to take more work to get everything squared away.
Joined: Wed Dec 21 2005, 07:34AM
Location: indiana
Posts: 791
Days are ticking away and you're getting married and moving to another state. !shame As someone that got married 6 months ago, take some advice I was given by older guys: Don't do anything in the first year to compromise your relationship with your wife, it can take YEARS to recover from it. It's like investing for retirement - it's much harder to recover if you don't start early.
If you are absolutely committed to putting the Hemi in now, here's what I would do:
Get the carb intake for it and the MSD ignition controller. Stick a 800 Eddy AVS on it and a good mech fuel pump. This will be expensive ($1000+) but these items can always be sold later when these engines become more popular. There will ALWAYS be guys that refuse to do EFI on a new Hemi.
Stick with your existing small-block trans (I presume it's a 727) and get the right converter for the trans. Drive it like a baby carriage until you get things upgraded (unless your trans is stout/healthy to handle it).
Hook up some exhaust and drive the car as-is until you get caught up with things.
My above plan postpones: trans tunnel massaging and mount, driveshaft shortening, figuring out the gauges (some gauge clusters are VIN-tied to the engine ECM for Big Brother �legitimacy� purposes) inline fuel pump and wiring (2004 Ram should be returnless fuel system, which is a little easier) the remote-mount TPS installation thoughtful wiring mods to integrate between the car and the truck harness (merely hooking up power and ground to the 2004 harness without research and due diligence is asking for trouble!) tons of wiring harness routing (which takes a lot of time unless you want it to look like it was thrown in there)
Yes, it�s cheaper and faster to do it right the first time � unless you get sidetracked by life. Just ask the 65 SF in my signature line � I started that car doing everything right the first time and it�s still sitting unfinished.