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Thread: old style M-1 4bbl/spintech headers question

  1. #1
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
    Uncle Tommy

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    Default old style M-1 4bbl/spintech headers question

    Hello all.
    It's been a while since i have been here. Blue truck wrecked in september last year.
    i now have a 97 std cab dak that came with a 5.2 44re.
    My plan is to swap my 99 r/t drive train into the 97, and while it's apart, i want to do a couple of upgrades, including an old style m-1 4bbl intake and a set of spintech midlength headers.
    i have 2 questions.

    1: the old style M-1 has a large thermostat hole, centered in the front of the manifold, vs. new style that has the small thermostat hole, like the stock kegger and new style m-12/4bbl offset to the left, i believe to accommodate the a/c compressor location.
    Does anyone know how to use this manifold and maintain a/c? i need a thermostat housing or an adaptor plate that will allow me to keep my a/c and get the hot coolant out of the motor and into the rad.

    2: Ryan told me that i should get some 1 piece steel port plates instead of using the alloy port plates that spintech supplies to avoid exhaust leaks. Does anyone know where these can be obtained?

    Any help would be much appreciated as i am going to try to complete the power/drivetrain swap over the next couple of weeks.
    Please jump in folks, Any help or thoughts on this project would be much appreciated.
    your friend,
    uncle tommy
    Last edited by clrwatrtomsrt; 01-12-2017 at 11:16 PM. Reason: added addional info

  2. #2
    Osee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by clrwatrtomsrt View Post
    Hello all.
    It's been a while since i have been here. Blue truck wrecked in september last year.
    i now have a 97 std cab dak that came with a 5.2 44re.
    My plan is to swap my 99 r/t drive train into the 97, and while it's apart, i want to do a couple of upgrades, including an old style m-1 4bbl intake and a set of spintech midlength headers.
    i have 2 questions.

    1: the old style M-1 has a large thermostat hole, centered in the front of the manifold, vs. new style that has the small thermostat hole, like the stock kegger and new style m-12/4bbl offset to the left, i believe to accommodate the a/c compressor location.
    Does anyone know how to use this manifold and maintain a/c? i need a thermostat housing or an adaptor plate that will allow me to keep my a/c and get the hot coolant out of the motor and into the rad.

    2: Ryan told me that i should get some 1 piece steel port plates instead of using the alloy port plates that spintech supplies to avoid exhaust leaks. Does anyone know where these can be obtained?

    Any help would be much appreciated as i am going to try to complete the power/drivetrain swap over the next couple of weeks.
    Please jump in folks, Any help or thoughts on this project would be much appreciated.
    your friend,
    uncle tommy
    Message Unknown_element (josh) about the 1 piece port plates, I bought a set from him in the fall
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...nknown-anymore


    Mods - TB Spacer, Short Throw Dipstick, Performance Auto Zone Intake "0.30 over bore", R/T Cam, Performance Chip, Radiator Delete

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  3. #3




    slammedR/T's Avatar
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    I keep hearing about these exhaust leaks from the three piece port plates, while I agree the one piece is a better design and would be a good idea to get them. I have never had any exhaust leak issue with my three piece port plates, maybe i'm just the lucky one person out of 100 that do have issues.
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  4. #4
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
    Uncle Tommy

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    thanks Chad, a good word. if i cant get a set of steel plates i will use the plates supplied.
    BTW, do you have your plates on iron heads or alloy heads?

  5. #5
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    No issues with my individual port plates either.
    I used Remflex gaskets, torqued them down to 25 ft/lbs with blue lock tight and no problems.
    Bolted the headers on with the same procedure, and again, no problems.
    Edelbrock Magnum heads, Harland-Sharp 1:6 RR, Jomar Performance Ultra-Lite Stud Girdle, SoutheastPerformance Sheet Metal Valve Covers, Custom Hyd Roller from Reed Cams, Mopar M-1 2 Brl Intake, Hughes Stage 1 TB, JBA SS Headers, Jacobs Electronics Pro Street Ignition System and Wires, MBRP 'Cuda Style Exhaust, Western Chassis 2" drop front and rear, Edelbrock IAS Shocks, Terry DeLong Pro-Glass Shaker Hood

  6. #6
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
    Uncle Tommy

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    thank you for your reply kota 360. All info is helpful. so my portplate question is answered, anyone have any info on the thermostat housing question?

  7. #7




    slammedR/T's Avatar
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    I heli coiled my plates so loc tite is a no no, but if you retorque your header bolts like you should and run good quality header bolts you wont have any issues. Also most people ran too long of a header bolt and 90% of the leak issues were from the header bolts pushing the ports away from the heads du to the bolts being to long.

    I run remflex gaskets between the header and port plate, I use ultra copper rtv between head and port plate, I run ARP header bolts and I tighten them down after a couple heat cycles.

    My heads are Indy aluminum heads and my port plates have been ported to match the exhaust ports of my heads.
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    You need this water outlet; https://www.summitracing.com/parts/trd-4987/overview/

    you will have to cut off the left rear mount on the a/c compressor and on the magnum accessory bracket to clear the manifold and still run a/c.
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  9. #9
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
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    i bow to you Bleachmaster!
    i will order 1 tomorrow. i missed u this year but i hope to come and c u run your truck.
    uncle tommy

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    Quote Originally Posted by clrwatrtomsrt View Post
    i bow to you Bleachmaster!
    i will order 1 tomorrow. i missed u this year but i hope to come and c u run your truck.
    uncle tommy
    Hope to see you again this to bud, it was great hanging out with you at the Garlits show last year.
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    A lot of guys on Moparts have complained that those chrome t-stat housings come already warped, and always leak. Just a forewarning.
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  12. #12



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    RTV
    Done.
    11.27 @ 118.23
    2017 NM Mopar Challenge Series Champion

  13. #13
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
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    Thanks Tom.

  14. #14
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    Thank you Adobedude

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    As far as the port plates go, the one-piece is a nice touch. However, I am going to use the aluminum port plates supplied with the Spintech headers first and see how it goes. One thing that may help with lining up the port plates and getting the bolts in straight might be to enlarge the header flange holes a little larger to make up for variation. If the bolts don’t go in straight, you will likely strip out the port plate..

    Even though the intake I used is an old school tunnel ram, the thermostat location is in the same place as the old school 4-bbl intake. If you look at the pics in the following links, you can see what I did to make it clear the A/C compressor. I machined the compressor to increase clearance as well as fabricated a new water neck since the length of the plenum came right up to the hose. You could use the short type water neck that Chad (slammed) posted.

    Page 5. post 105
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...e-Bodies/page5

    Page 6, posts 134 and 143
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...e-Bodies/page6

  16. #16

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    Make some studs out of the right thread bolts and use those to align/hang the port plates on and replace the studs with bolts one by one if you are having issues. But I agree with adobe and Chad, Reflex gaskets and RTV with the right lkength bolts. no issues

    2002 Flame Red RC R/T
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  17. #17



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    I bought one of these water necks for my old style 4bbl M1. I'd imagine it's made made in China but it seems like a usable part.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Billet-Water...VVg9h4&vxp=mtr

    Steve - 1999 Flame Red RC R/T-56
    Comp Cams | F&B | Mopar | Spintech | SCT | Hotchkis


  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by 98Dak408 View Post
    As far as the port plates go, the one-piece is a nice touch. However, I am going to use the aluminum port plates supplied with the Spintech headers first and see how it goes. One thing that may help with lining up the port plates and getting the bolts in straight might be to enlarge the header flange holes a little larger to make up for variation. If the bolts don’t go in straight, you will likely strip out the port plate..

    Even though the intake I used is an old school tunnel ram, the thermostat location is in the same place as the old school 4-bbl intake. If you look at the pics in the following links, you can see what I did to make it clear the A/C compressor. I machined the compressor to increase clearance as well as fabricated a new water neck since the length of the plenum came right up to the hose. You could use the short type water neck that Chad (slammed) posted.

    Page 5. post 105
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...e-Bodies/page5

    Page 6, posts 134 and 143
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...e-Bodies/page6
    Just looked at your thread and love the old school Weiand tunnel ram.....makes me wanna do the same...picked this setup for a $5 fart can muffler trade from a 17 yr old Honda lover who had been left a whole garage load of go-fast 60's & '70's mopar stuff by his grandfather in his will...the kid didn't even bat an eye when I showed him the muffler!tunnel ram with edelbrocks.jpg....would love to modify it for TB & injectors!

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by clrwatrtomsrt View Post
    Hello all.
    It's been a while since i have been here. Blue truck wrecked in september last year.
    i now have a 97 std cab dak that came with a 5.2 44re.
    My plan is to swap my 99 r/t drive train into the 97, and while it's apart, i want to do a couple of upgrades, including an old style m-1 4bbl intake and a set of spintech midlength headers.
    i have 2 questions.

    1: the old style M-1 has a large thermostat hole, centered in the front of the manifold, vs. new style that has the small thermostat hole, like the stock kegger and new style m-12/4bbl offset to the left, i believe to accommodate the a/c compressor location.
    Does anyone know how to use this manifold and maintain a/c? i need a thermostat housing or an adaptor plate that will allow me to keep my a/c and get the hot coolant out of the motor and into the rad.

    2: Ryan told me that i should get some 1 piece steel port plates instead of using the alloy port plates that spintech supplies to avoid exhaust leaks. Does anyone know where these can be obtained?

    Any help would be much appreciated as i am going to try to complete the power/drivetrain swap over the next couple of weeks.
    Please jump in folks, Any help or thoughts on this project would be much appreciated.
    your friend,
    uncle tommy
    Unknown_Element is who I ordered mine from... did a great job on them.

  20. #20

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    The other plus to Unknowns plates is you can get a thinner version of the plates as well,helps with steering rod clearence on drivers side as well as upper A-arm on pass side.

    Very nicely made pieces for sure

  21. #21


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    Like Slammed said, the A/C compressor and accessory bracket mist be modified.
    I have the trans dapt housing he posted... Leaks. Gasket/RTV/both, leaks.
    Two places that have a billet one that work. Canton Racing, but it's expensive, and Milodon, but they aren't always in stock.
    12.10@106@Famoso Raceway

  22. #22
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
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    Well I finally got the motor and trans out of old blue in the beater with the m1 and spintechs. Runs very well but my 46re doesnt have a vehicle speed sensor and the light duty 5.2v8 ecm does. Everything seems to be fine except I have no speedometer.
    Will my 99 ecm and wiring harness work in my 97 ?
    How to proceed, any thoughts?
    uncle Tommy
    Last edited by clrwatrtomsrt; 03-19-2017 at 10:09 PM.

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    You wrecked your truck with the shaker? That's sad
    --Tom
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    I'm a douchebag

  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by clrwatrtomsrt View Post
    Well I finally got the motor and trans out of old blue in the beater with the m1 and spintechs. Runs very well but my 46re doesnt have a vehicle speed sensor and the light duty 5.2v8 ecm does. Everything seems to be fine except I have no speedometer.
    Will my 99 ecm and wiring harness work in my 97 ?
    How to proceed, any thoughts?
    uncle Tommy
    You can use your vehicle speed sensor from your 5.2 44re in the 46re . I have a 97 engine harnass and some plugs are different then my 99 . The camshaft sensor plug that sits in the distributor is different and i think the ignition coil plug is different . you can use your 5.2 camshaft sensor in your 5.9 with your 97 plug just swap them out .

  25. #25
    clrwatrtomsrt's Avatar
    Uncle Tommy

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    Already did the camshaft position sensor. Alternator is different also. There is no provision for vss on my 46re. How would I proceed?
    Tom, to your post, I still have the shaker and it is undamaged. I haven't tried it on the 97 and not sure I will. You still looking for a shaker?

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