85 RAM

852wd318ciram · #1 03-11-2005, 01:55 PM

here it is. i have a 85 100 custom ram. the tired slant 6 got replaced by a 86 318 from a van, along with the TQflite 727. i think it is impossible to find a lift for this thing. and my bro wired up the motor wrong so there went the wiring harness! me and my dad got a haynes book and tried to wire it back up right. we were succsfully. but something happend with the distrubutor. ive been saving a little $$ so im thinking bout getting an intake, 4bbl carb, cam, headers, adn a distributor, and a msd ignition and doin away with the stock dist. and computer. i just dont know what dist. to get and which msd ign. to get.
anybody have a clue what to do???

horatio102 · #2 03-11-2005, 11:12 PM

For the sake of being an easy drop in, unless of course you're going to do a serious amount of work on the engine, I'd just pick up the Mopar Performance distributor and the Orange ECM. Actually, that's what I did do.

My buddy has a 73 W100 with a 318 out of a 78 van in it. Aside from mine being a 360 we're running very similar setups. Edelbrock performer intake manifolds, he's got a comp cam and I'm running the performer plus, he's got an edelbrock 650 and I've got a holley 600. We're both running hooker comp headers w/ 1 5/8" primaries and 2 1/2" collectors and a single 3" flowmaster 30 series out the back right side. He's tinkered to no end with the carb and hit a wall with it, doesn't seem to have as much bottom end as he'd like. Anyway my point that I was trying to get at is that he said that the old 2 barrel motors have different heads, with smaller crappier ports than the 4bbl heads. It might be worth looking into finding some decent heads for that thing.

And the other thing... you're looking to lift a 2wd? How much?

852wd318ciram · #3 03-14-2005, 01:26 AM

no i would rather do it the easiest way but i want it to be reliable for a weekend truck. i found a mopar performance distributor and the orange ecm at JEgs.com, [PN#312-p3690426] for 318/340/360. $191.99 +s&h. is that a reasonable price? i still want to get a intake(performer,182.99), 4bbl(600cfm, 234.99), headers(135.99)im goin to run flomaster 40 series muffler on it. cam(comp high energy, 260*, .440" $96.99) where would u suggest findin some of the heads? and what would u say be a reasonable price? i was thinkin bout a 4" lift? i would settle for a 3". if i had a clue what to do i could make the submember in front, and go with blocks in the back. i have the metal and tools.
and also i want to know if the wiring is right. i wanted to go with another set up so i could do away with the stock computer. and have few wires as possible. i cant find any books that show the complete wiring diagram. i just got confused on how to do some of that stuff so its sitting down the hill collecting dust. so the sonner i can get it running the sooner it gets all the dents out and a new paint job.
thanks man! im glad someone can help. also it has 3.08 gears peg leg. i want a posi or spool or just weld the spider gears ha thats goin to be a last resort. and would love to get some lower gears but that TQflite is only a 3speed. it runs 2krpms at 45mph in 3rd. if it has a OD i cant find it ha.

horatio102 · #4 03-15-2005, 04:27 AM

Summit has pretty much the same prices.
Unless the engine has relatively few miles on it I'd recommend picking up the cam kit with lifters and possibly new springs as well. It's more money, but more reliable. I'd also consider a different cam - try Hughes (www.hughesengines.com). I'm tossing around the idea of picking up a 1019 or 1523.
The headers I'd recommend either getting a nice stainless set, or getting ceramic coated (ones I got) or Jet-Hot coated. They cost more but the payoff is in not having to replace them every couple of years.
Hughes is a good spot to look for info on heads too. I don't know how common 4bbl 318 heads are, you might be better off getting yours ported and cleaned up with a valve job.
Ok now the lift... For the rear you could go find the OEM blocks off a 3/4 ton 4x4 - they're about 3". Pick up the blocks and an overload spring or two would get you a bout 4" total. Just make sure your pinion angles are correct to prevent vibration, and get new U bolts. I've never looked at the front suspension of an older 2wd so I can't help at all there.
As far as the rear diff goes - yeah, you need gears. Power Traxx makes cheap lockers that drop in, but my buddy has broken 3 of them with his 318 and 31" tires. If you're not doing any heavy towing I'd recommend getting a Detroit Locker and doing it right. If you never drive it on the street you can try welding up the spiders or getting a spool, but it makes it harder to steer and maintain traction. If I get anything it'll be an Auburn limited slip with the heaviest clutch pack available.
Now, ring and pinion ratio - it all depends on what size tire you'll run. I've got 35x12.50 on mine and I'm running 4.11s. At freeway cruising speeds I'm usually running 3200rpm and on my last 290 mile tank I got over 11mpg (good). If you're going to run a 33" tire I'd suggest getting a 3.92 or at the very lowest 3.73. There is no overdrive on that a727, so you're either going to have to accept a higher cruise RPM and lower fuel economy, or slower accelleration, better fuel economy on long drives, and lower NVH from reduced rpms. Personally I'd pick power and just cruise at a little bit slower speed.

The wiring thing - any junkyards around you could strip the harness out of? IIRC the Orange ECM comes with a new plug and directions on how to hook it up

852wd318ciram · #5 03-24-2005, 01:09 PM

im goin to plan on running something around 265/75/15 all terrain tires. and i wont be makin long trips. it is goin to be a weekend truck to go huntin and something to haul 4wheelers on a trailer with. and to play in the mud with. yea i know its a 2wd. thats why i want a locker or something. after i pay the truck note and insurance on my '00 silverado ($700) ill have to save up and get the dist. oh yea if i pour some gas off in the carb it will crank up and idle. so all hope is not lost right now. my bro said he thought the dist. lost a tooth on the cam? im goin to get a inline fuel pump to help it out some. dang man things add up quick. im thinkin of just gettin the dist., and headders for now and just running it, then get teh carb and intake. and cam. man the junk yards around here dont have jack. so thats out of the pic. i wish i had something to go by like a pic under your hood with a diagram so i would know exaclty what to hook up and what i could do with out.

horatio102 · #6 03-24-2005, 01:26 PM

I'll grab a pic underhood today sometime and post it up tonight. I removed a TON of crap. Basically there's just wiring for the ignition, charging system, temp sensors, and electric choke. Vacuum hoses for brake booster and PCV, that's about it.

Do the cam at the same time as the intake, since it's all gotta come off for the cam.

265 is about a 30x9.5 or 10" or so. I'd go to Randy's Ring and Pinion's website and play around with their gear selector calculator a bit to see what you could live with - 30" tire, 1:1 third gear ratio www.ringpinion.com

with your setup and a 3.92:1 rear end it's showing about 2700 at 60mph, 3600 at 80mph
with a 4.10 it'll be closer to 2850 and 3800 at the same speeds.

If it was me, I'd go probably with the 3.92:1

852wd318ciram · #7 03-24-2005, 02:10 PM

if the speedo is right 45mph is 2krpms but that is with 32" mud grips on the back.
what u think stock is 235?

horatio102 · #8 03-25-2005, 12:41 AM

I really couldn't tell you what stock was on a 2wd light half ton... I know my 86 4wd heavy duty 3/4 had 235/85r16 on it. I would guess maybe 235/75r15.

I got a bunch of pics, gotta charge up the batteries to offload them though. Perhaps sometime this weekend I'll get to it.

horatio102 · #9 03-26-2005, 03:51 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: 852wd318ciram

i wish i had something to go by like a pic under your hood with a diagram so i would know exaclty what to hook up and what i could do with out.

apparently I need to find out why I've got coolant spraying on my PS res. [:@]
here's a few:

farmer_truck · #10 04-11-2005, 04:24 AM

Stock wheel size should be P235/75R15. At least is on my D150 of the same year.
If not it should be stamped on the driver's side striker panel of the door.