engine up grade

Hi all. Need some help on desideing what way to go on my rebuild. Not sher what I should do or can do I have a 1989 dodge ram 50 4x4 2.6L (G54B) with a 5 speed. Need more power for towing and off roading but still keeping it a daily driver. & not killing the MPG. Going for a full rebuild of the engine. Since it has 275,000 and still running good so Not sher what the best way to go about it is. So thought i would join the club & see what you all think. Was thinking a turbo would be easy but dont no whats all involved in putting on on. Any input will be helpful to me so thanks for your time.

I say some headers to increase HP some and maybe a gear ratio change... I don't know much about the rear end of these trucks but I do know putting a better gear ratio will help with torque some, which is good for towing.

droped the block off at the shop 3 days ago for a cleaning and to be checked out. Got a call today they say after 275, 000 miles all looks good WOW. My brother has been the only owner till I got it and has allways kept the oil fresh and has only ran synthetic oil Im really surprised how clean the inside of the block looked thanks brother. Cleaned up all the aluminum parts to the engine with glass beed blasting made them look almost new so that was sweet Now time to finger out what to do with it To get a little more power out of it
What I got so far
Header
APR bolt kit
New aluminum radiator with electric fan
Unfortunately these parts alone wont make much of a differents. Any one no how much of a horse power in crease I would get from a biger piston? whats the benefits of running with out a distributer? Anyone no whats in evolved in installing a American made turbocharger does anything need to be done with the main computer? Thanks for any info sent my way

Not much of an ECM on the 89 Ram 50. Mostly it just reads info from the oxygen sensor to adjust the mixture with the Mikuni carb. Mitsubishi did make a turbo for the 2.6 . I think the Starion, Conquest, and some Galants had it. If you want to install a turbo let your engine rebuilder know as the pistons might be different for turbocharging. I think turbo requires lower compression pistons. As far as the gear ratio goes whatever you do to the rear diff you have to also do to the front unless you don't want to keep the 4wd. The 4x4's are geared pretty low for the 4cyl engine.
If you want to keep the 2.6 you could go with a distributerless ignition (I saw a thread here where someone installed one), a fuel injection system, and a header. Affordable Fuel Injection Inc. may be able to build you a throttle body fuel injector. http://www.affordable-fuel-injection.com/
Mitsubishi did put 3.0 liter V-6 engines in the Ram 50 4x4. Started in 1990 I think. They were fuel injected and have a ton of power. It may be that a 3.0 and tranny will drop right in and work with your drive train with minimum mods. Either way, 20 -22 mpg is what I would expect.

Thanks andy 2 for the info. Thought about going with a v6 but would like to keep the 4. The header I got has no spot for a o2 sensor does any one no if I need to put it in the header or in the pipe after the header? & does any one out there no where to get some new rear leaf spring bushing im looking for the bigger one that goes in the front of the spring?

You could weld a nut for the O2 sensor on top of the collector of the header like I did. I have a Pace Setter header and that's where mine is. You will only need the O2 sensor if you are keeping the Mikuni carb or going with a fuel injection system. The Weber card does not require one. You can try here for bushings. http://www.rockauto.com/

Headers, Carb, Cam, Distributor tweaking, are some of the mods that can be done to increase a little power out on a simple note. I would also get that O2 sensor nut welded on header like Andy said. Just install it into the collector somewhere and that the sensor does not disrupt exhaust airflow leaving the vehicle. Have it fitted so sensor tip is flush with the header wall on the inside of header.
If you don't hook OEM wire back up to a sensor installed on header, you can install a mixture air/fuel gauge to the O2 sensor and read the mixture setting from inside your cab. Cool little feature when tuning your carb mixture settings also. It's all your choice on what you would like to do.

SunPro has a cheap gauge that looks like this and are available at your basic auto parts stores.
Just make sure if you use something like this, make sure it's compatible with your application.
Attachment 8571

Looked in to rockauto & the bushing they have is to long & to small around as well. Starting to wounder if the spring are the stock springs. My spring has two leafs with a bigger leaf on the bottom. There 2 3/4 wide the OD of the bushing is about 2 1/2" around. Not haveing any luck with finding then I gess I should
Of been a little more caring when torching the old bolts off. Was planning on going with the weber from all I have read its the way to go if you get a real weber also have red the stock jet head not a good one to have ether so will look it to replaceing that As well

The bushings are available from energy suspension for the leaf springs - those are stock springs. Oregon cam grinders or schneider racing cams can grind you a cam for just about anything you want to do to a 2.6. Put it with a DG header (available on the site) or a doug thorley header, and a weber 32/36 carb, with a 2 1/4 free flowing exhaust will wake the truck right up.

Could some one give me some info onlifting a 89 ram 50 4x4 have read I could use Montero parts but can not find it now. Has any one a ram 50 lifted with these parts & what did you do to thr rear as far as the lift thanks to all for any info. Kinda at a stand still on my build

Does any one no if you can put bigger brake on a 89 ram 50

To lift the rear you can get a universal kit, pretty much any add a leaf kit will get your back end up. The montero upper control arms are all i know about getting the front up

I have a johnbaker triple add a leaf someone is purchasing, but if the deal falls thru I will post. Also have johnbaker upper control arms soon to be posted....


*update* posted. see "for sale" classifieds for add a leaf info.

I see I am not the only one on here that bought the triple add a leafs from John Baker - they are great.