Engine replacement 2004 to 2006

[JRhinehart]

I threw a rod in my 2004 305 555 engine and can get a 2006 325 600 engine for a good price with low mileage. Will this swap work and what do I need to change out? I am assuming it will work using all the wiring and computers in my 2004 but what about the valve cover difference, exhaust and turbo differences, and the fact the 2004 is a 48RE automatic and the 2006 is a 6-speed? Anything else I might not have considered? Thanks in advance!

 

[BLNRAY]

put the 04 ecm onthe replacement, drop it in and go

 

[cerberusiam]

The engine will work fine with all your existing electronics, trans, etc. Usea all the electronics and harnesses with your existing truck and you should be good.

 

[SRadke]

You'll have to have the 06 engine harness. The 06's use diffrent plugs on the injector harness. You might be able to strip it back to the head and replace the rocker box, wireing harness, and valve cover with the respective parts off the 04 engine.

The ECM is obviously much different but they should move with the engine. Whether the Dodge harness from 04 will plug into the engine from 06, I cannot say.

Is your truck an early 04 or late 04?

-Scott

 

[Forrest Nearing]

use the 04 electronics, and it'll work just fine

 

[JRhinehart]

My truck is an early 04 with the 305 555 engine as stated above. I was towing my LQ trailer and it appears that an injector stuck wide open, filled a cylinder with raw fuel, hydrauliced and kicked the rod. It was a great engine up to 169K miles...

 

[roadking]

you must go to the dealer it will not work unless put in the vin#

 

[cerberusiam]

you must go to the dealer it will not work unless put in the vin#

Not if you use all the original electronics and harnesses. Hard parts are hard parts, the ECU neither knows nor cares what it is hooked to or what it is reading as long as the continuity and load is within spec. With the 5. 9 03-07. 5 are all pretty much the same return values on the components.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

why go to the dealer? the block, crank, rods, pistons, cylinder head, and injectors don't care what electronics are running them...

 

[TCDiesel]

you must go to the dealer it will not work unless put in the vin#

Yep, the IC and wiring are completely different, the main transmission and engine harnesses are not compatible, the IC is vin Lock the TIPM/PDC are not changeable. What about MUX between CAN and analog? All these problems may be overcome, but at what cost?

 

[cerberusiam]

Yep, the IC and wiring are completely different, the main transmission and engine harnesses are not compatible, the IC is vin Lock the TIPM/PDC are not changeable. What about MUX between CAN and analog? All these problems may be overcome, but at what cost?

What are you talking about????



He is replacing the engine, not doing a transplant. FCA, injector harness, Rail pressure sensor, MAP, CPS, coolant temp, fuel heater, WIF, off the top of my head. Unplug from old motor, remove ECU, drop in the new motor, attach ECU, attach sensors and harness, done. None of the rest of the pieces need to change, they al stay with the truck. Think "long block".

 

[TCDiesel]

Vehicles today have J1850 (PCI) this signal permeates through 90% or more of the vehicle components and devices, the ECM is programmed for the VIN,Year,Model. So the ECM from 2004 will not work on a 2006,its is programmed to fired 04/03 injectors. If the criteria is not met it may throw the rest of the components for a loop, if not programmed from the start. . Just trying to help the guy out ,so he's prepared for the swap. . take care. .

 

[DE Jeeper]

As stated before you can switch all the electronics over, but you will have to use the '04 injectors too. The parameters for firing and the physical tip design are different. I have never done it, but I would imagine if you striped it down to the block and head and used all of your accessories you will be fine. The problem may be if you think your '04 injectors are bad they you will have to have them rebuilt or buy new ones.



Aaron

 

[BJMarshall]

The pistons are a different part number as well, but I don't know how different they are. I can tell you from experience that if you use the 04. 5 up injectors with the 03/04 computer it will run like crap, smoke like a train, and get really hot.

 

[HBarlow]

I've been sitting on the sidelines reading because I truly do not know if such a swap can be done.

I would put my money on TWest's position. The '06 and later Dodge Rams use the CANBUS technology to allow apparently all electrical/electronic components to communicate. I would personally not invest the money and take the risk that an '06 engine would be or could me made compatible with an '04 chassis.

IMO the late model trucks, at least those '06 and later, are probably just too complicated for backyard engine swaps like the OP is considering.

 

[cerberusiam]

Vehicles today have J1850 (PCI) this signal permeates through 90% or more of the vehicle components and devices

So what? He is taking an 06 long block and putting it in an 04, NONE of the electronics are on a long block. Do you really think you have to buy all the electronics to get a reman???

As stated before you can switch all the electronics over, but you will have to use the '04 injectors too. The parameters for firing and the physical tip design are different.

You CANNOT use the 04 injectors on an 04. 5+ engine. The injectors don't care if there are 2 or 5 events, its all in the ECU in the form of events and duration. There are no differences in injector bodies from 03-07. 5, only the tips. Do you really think you get year specific reman injectors when you buy them???

The pistons are a different part number as well, but I don't know how different they are. I can tell you from experience that if you use the 04. 5 up injectors with the 03/04 computer it will run like crap, smoke like a train, and get really hot.

Not true, as long as the correct injector tip for the piston bowl is used the injector doesn't care and neither does the computer. The pre 04. 5 injectors have 8 smaller holes, the 04. 5+ injectors have 5 larger holes. The amount of fuel injected is purely a function of the software. If what you say is true you could never put in larger injectors, never change the hole count or size, etc, etc. The only thing that happens is you get more advance on the 04. 5 injectors because they will flow mor fuel, marginal advance.



Once again, the OP is putting an 06 engine in an 04 truck, he is not transplanting. All the electronics from the 04, MAP, FCA, ECU, etc, etc, will transfer to the 06 long block.

 

[BJMarshall]

I've tried the scenario and it didn't work out. I know the only difference is the nozzle, but I tried an 05 engine with 05 nozzles and an 03 305 computer and it ran bad and smoked a lot. It was short on low end grunt, but it seemed to be ok on top. I tried just swapping the nozzles to the 8 hole 03 nozzles and that helped a lot, but the egt's were high. I put 03 pistons in it and all was well.

I'm sure you are correct in theory, but in practical appication, it didn't work out for me.

 

[Msilbernagel]

I am driving a conversion done by Ken and Dawna at Autoworld, in Great Falls MT. They'd done more than 100 conversions several years ago when they did mine, and while I'm speculating I believe that if you ask them about what is proposed here, they will know the answer from experience.



They work with another local shop and shared the expense of the equipment required to (re) program the ECU's. Plenty of knowledge there on the electronics too.



It's what they do...



You should still be able to find them in the conversions forum.



Mark

 

[JRhinehart]

Thanks for all the replies. I believe I am going ahead and using the 06 longblock and all the electronics from the 04. I am also buying a set of new 03/04 injectors to put in the 06 engine, it sounds like that is the way to go.

 

[lmills]

the 03-04 style injectors you are going to talking about buying have a tighter spray angle than what is designed to be used with the 06 style piston bowl. They will fire inside the bowl, but will definitely not be optimum and is not recommended. You would be much better off with the 06 style so you are firing inside the bowl at the right angle.

I could very well be wrong about the next part, and that is injector timing. In the past when I was working with a company on tuning they mentioned that the timing was different between the 03-04 and 04. 5 and newer models. I am not 100% certain on that though.

I also think the coolant sensor is different between the 305 and 325 motors. The ecm uses is for fuel calibrations at some point if memory serves me correct. So, be sure to use the one for the 305 engine.