Tuning a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 liter??

[shvrdavid]

Does anyone know what is needed to tune a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 liter???

I have searched for the answer, and have not had much luck...

The upgrades I am planning on putting on my truck will require it to be tuned afterwards...

Any info would be a big help...

Thanks in advance...

[sherwood]

i wish i could help but i just want to congrat you on doing something totally dif i have never even herd of b4 haha...good luck

[240sxDann]

well I'd assume that you can use a piggyback just like on any import car? vafc II? something along those lines?

[turbo4g63]

well I'd assume that you can use a piggyback just like on any import car? vafc II? something along those lines?

nope....i am pretty sure superchips makes a program that you could use. There are a lot of programmers out there for trucks. My buddy used a predator on his lightning. just gotta do some searching

[99SL2_Modder]

There's a lot of different tuners that can hook into the ram ECU.

What exactly are you doing to it? It's a ton easier to tulip in some 360 intake valves, and shove a 360 cam in it but leave the 318 heads and push a nice bit of power out of it.

[enigma]

Yeah, but the magnum heads crack too easily.
Tuning wise, BG Chrysler out in michigan, or Tom Fox at positive performance. anothe on to check out is dan at www.thefastman.com.
What kinda mods are you doing to the 318?
You're doing it the right way, adding the mods, then getting a tune.
I have a 318 in my duster, with 360 heads milled to crap, an RV cam, headers, eddy manifold, and a tuned thermoquad, the thing made enough power to spin 295's with no problem.

[99SL2_Modder]

Yeah, but the magnum heads crack too easily.
Tuning wise, BG Chrysler out in michigan, or Tom Fox at positive performance. anothe on to check out is dan at www.thefastman.com.
What kinda mods are you doing to the 318?
You're doing it the right way, adding the mods, then getting a tune.
I have a 318 in my duster, with 360 heads milled to crap, an RV cam, headers, eddy manifold, and a tuned thermoquad, the thing made enough power to spin 295's with no problem.

The older LA series didn't have an issue with cracking. You could easily retrofit older LA's onto a newer 318, but it'd take a bit of work. I believe it was only the newer LA's (magnums, as stated) that had the cracking issue.

[shvrdavid]

To answer a few of your questions...

The stock heads are cracked...

What I finally do will depend on what can be done with the factory ecu...

Aren't IM inspections fun....:bigeek:

If the ecu is completly remappable... It might get a Big Block...

If it can only be tweaked or piggybacked, the 318 will be freshened up with eldebrock heads and lower compression pistons... Then forcefed....

[99SL2_Modder]

AFAIK, it's not completely remappable, but close. I'd say stick to the 318/360 Magnum/LA's and play with those. They're both friggin work horses and can last awhile so long as they're done correctly.

[enigma]

Thats whay i mean by the heads cracking, the magnum heads.
I think eddy makes a manifold now to do the older LA heads on the newer magnum blocks, but with the eddy magnum heads that are out, why bother.
I don't think that the computer is re-mappable enough to do a big block, most of the most serious guys or engine swap guys go standalone, or a piggyback tuner of some kind.
I wouldn't force feed it without crank and rods. The stock compression for those motors is already in the 8's, why would you want to go any lower?
BAD360RT had a nice 360 setup in his r/t with a centrifugal supercharger.