ChrisLib

If you look down into the throttle body with it wide open (engine off of course lol) you can usually see the oil deposits/mess on the floor of the intake if its bad.

NE frmhnd

I didn't know they had the magnum 360 in the old square-bodies, I thought just the 318 had gone that far before 94.
The RT heads flow a little better and have a little higher compression. I don't know how much difference it would make on the magnum engine, but a worthwhile upgrade on an LA.

JimmieD

Thanks! I'm in Kern Cty. but '90 truck is registered up north in Siskiyou as my other residence. No annual SMOG and I could tweak the truck, but if I ever sold it the truck has to comply, that's the problem.

simplysmn

You sell em as is where is Buyer agree's to cover smog and that this Vehicle may not Pass . as long as they sign it it's all on them .

user name

I have played with OBDI magnums a fair amount. They are a pretty expensive engine to mod and make any real differences. The cheapest, easiest, and a major player with other mods is the PCM, this will need higher octane fuel. You can probably find a mopar performance PCM (they still sell some) but it is a one year only computer; 93 360 is the only one that will run your truck properly.

Outside that cams are $300+ most of them also need springs, another 320 for springs and retainers. Intake manifolds are 600+ new or 300+ used; but probably aren't the greatest idea on a heavy truck anyway. Exhaust always helps a bit and the 93 had some of the best flowing exhaust manifolds ever put on a SB Chrysler. On a plus side if you do start adding power the stock 360 magnum bottom end is good to 400HP reliably although it might get a little hot while towing pushing that kind of power.

In short put a cummins in or sell yours and buy a cummins truck it will be cheaper.

Dan70

guess I better just save my pennies to get a cummins

Is there certain stampings that mark rt heads? or something noticeable to know for a fact they are rt heads?

user name

Cast iron RT heads have a big R/T cast into the side under the exhaust port. Contrary to many people on forums out there they were never installed on a factory vehicle. Engine Quest also makes a pretty good flowing in a stock replacement style head. If you run into aluminum heads they are defiantly performance parts. Your options on used aluminum heads Mopar again they have an R/T on them, or Edelbrock.
Edelbrock is your only option for new performance heads at this point (they do sell them with a Mopar M for a bit more if you want to).

All engine parts interchange from 93-the end of the 360.

NE frmhnd

Magnum heads are backward-compatible to the LA engines, but LA heads are not forward-compatible. The Magnum RT heads I was talking about were used on the 360 in the Dakota.

The Magnum heads oil through the pushrods, where the LA heads oil through the rocker pedestals. The magnum blocks lack the ports for oiling through the pedestals, but you can swap in the correct lifters and pushrods to install the magnum heads, and the ports for pedestal oiling are just dead-ended.

user name

Those are not R/T heads they are production normal magnum heads. Magnum R/T heads are Mopar Performance only (trust me I have a set) they never made it on a production vehicle. The they came on R/T dakotas and Durangos is exactly the rumor I was talking about; they didn't. The stock magnum heads flow very well for stock heads; out flowing most if not all stock small block heads before them. Magnum R/T heads flow even better and they cam from Chrysler just never down the production line.

You could probably sell yours and buy a running cummins truck for how much you'd have in mods to make that 360 move that big truck quickly.

Dan70

interesting facts. and thanks to everyone for the help

I think I will just keep it the way it is and keep my eye out for some swap meet stuff maybe. who knows I might get lucky!

and until then, i'm gonna work on making it ride better!

Comrade General

I have a 92 150 with the 318. I love having a gasser. had it before my cummins. Its a great truck.

The 360 is an amazing engine but it is expensive to do alot with but there are parts plentiful for it. I looked into getting 408 stroker (360 stroked) to swap into mine but it was about 10k which was way outa my budget.

Crossy's son

Dude you have an awesome gasser 1st gen! 1 year only having a 360 MAGNUM , and the NV4500 5 speed. and it's a W350 which means Kingpin D60 up front Same front axle as a diesel truck.

That's a unique beast for sure.

I just had a 92 D250 with a 318 Magnum and an NV4500, it was quick I'll tell ya what

torquefan

Yes, but leave the oil cap in place. Remove the PCV valve from the valve cover and plug the hole with your finger, then remove the vent hose from the other valve cover and feel for vacuum there. It's usually pretty easy to pick up there if there's vacuum.