The Chrysler K-Car Club

I'm looking at purchasing a 1985 4 door Reliant. However, the owner says that the motor is shot, and needs to be replaced. My question is, does the replacement motor have to be the same size/from the same year? And does it have to be from a Reliant/Aries?

HI,

It's always easiest to swap in the same engine size and year. You can use something from another year or different displacement but then you have to do a lot more research as to what might be different especially in terms of elecrical/electronincs issues as well as mountings and linkages. "The engine is shot" covers a lot of possible issues from it needs a new head gasket to there is a connecting rod through the side of the block. Some more infromation if you have it would be helpful, such as present engine type and displacement and what specifically is wrong with it. The surest way to avoid a whole range of possible swap issues is to rebuild or repair the engine presently in the car.

While were on this topic, I have one too.

Any reason a 1990 2.5 Turbo (out of a lebaron) wouldn't just drop into a 1985 lebaron? I know I'll need to get the right computer for it. (Did the 90's have one computer or 2 like the 85's)

Any thoughts on if this is this is worth the trouble to do this to get the newer engine in my summer daily driver convertible?
Thanks to anyone who can help on this.

Here is a link describing various computers over the years. 1 computer 90 / 2 computers 85.

http://minimopar.net/ecu/index.html

I think its probably more trouble than its worth.

You might also read up on some differences between the different years on this website.
http://www.thedodgegarage.com/index.html
http://www.thedodgegarage.com/index.html

other than electrical issues there isn't too much to keep you from going to a different year engine. i would advise against going earlier and suggest you look at a 90's car for a donor for the long block. 1989+ turbo and tbi used the "common block" engine block, roller camshafts were phased in in 1988 (most 2.5's got them that year), and 1991+ tbi should have cross drilling in the cyl head and block like the turbo counterparts got a few years earlier. the 2.5tbi came out in 1986 so you could just find a computer for your year to replace that 2.2 tbi. just use your existing intake and exhaust manifold. the aries & reliant weren't available with the 2.5/5spd combo, but i bet you could get the computer from a same year daytona that is thus equipped and have a very zippy car with a stick shift.

on early 80's cars the big thing to consider is there's no fuel pump hole on a common block, so you will want to get a later tank and run the tbi or turbo fuel delivery system or stick with a 1988 or earlier engine block (even the 87/88 turbo II block had the hole). you could also upgrade to fuel injection if you have a donor car. the beautiful thing about these cars is that all their spawn share the same under-hood dimensions and design parameters so most swaps are pretty much a plug and play. i'm putting a 2.5T1 w/ T2 package, 523/568 hybrid 5spd, Daytona Shelby CS front sway bar and rear axle, 1991+ k frame/control arms/knuckles, and Spirit R/T 4 wheel 11" vented disc brakes into my 1986 K wagon. the only thing requiring some fab work is grafting the 1992 daytona iroc 2.5T1/5spd harness in place of the tbi engine controls and just keeping the lights. deleting all that crap for the second computer, the original gauges will still work and i even get to keep cruise control because the donor car had cruise.

now, putting my spare 2.5 engine from my 91 dynasty in my 87 Ram 50 (carb) and keeping it all mitsubishi otherwise....that will be very hard!

I have a question, Can I use a Block and head fron a 91 2.2 and put the efi on it from a 84 2.2. Mark