ENGINE OPTIONS: 84 Dodge Rampage -=Ramlet=-

[PentastarTurbo]

Im looking for engine swap possibilities..

I dont want to dip into the older 2.2/2.5 or hybrid dohc on either one..
I've been trying to locate a complete SRT/PT long block with all the accesories with no luck..

heres the kicker..

My brothers in on this project with me and hes about 95% over me in automotive know how when it comes to turning a wrench.. I've always been a driver, tinkerer and light tuner..

He has welding and fabrication skills that I would definatly have no problem trusting my life with.. :thumb:

He works at a dealership that owns several different makes of vehicles except for chrysler/dodge, ect..

He has access to anything I can think of for an engine swap..

He works at a Honda dealership and the coorperation he works for owns, acura, isuzu, hyundai, lincoln, mercury, mazda and a few others that im not too sure of at the moment..

He asked about a H22 Prelude engine swap and I was unsure..
Im somewhat of an anti honda guy but he can get a complete engine and transmission with under 35K on it for the tune of 700 - 800 his cost..

So I ask you, what kind of engines in the era of 1996 - 2004ish that would be an interesting swap..

He has a 2005 3.0 v6 Vtec from new accord (seen those led foot commercials?) with 12K on it.. He wanted to get an adaptor and run a tremec mustang 5 speed setup to swap it over to a RWD...

Upon taking some measurments of his engine, having it sit on the ground, the height would be about 3" through the hood :shock:

So that basically kills off that idea..

RWD is appealing to me.. Cost is another..

I dont want anything to do with the sohc 2.2/2.5... I want something a bit more beefy and factory turbocharged would be great.. I've had so many bad experiences with having 2.2/2.5's rebuilt and failing soon after that during the "taking it easy" period that I dont know what to do.. There arent any 2.2/2.5 builders in this area with a good or ANY reputation whatsoever with a sucessfull rebuild...

I have the vehicle completly rolling chassis and ready for firewall modification if need be for whatever we end up doing.. its a blank canvas wating for some color.. :D

any thoughts?

[Darkwolf]

Just put the engine in the bed :). Do a mid engine setup using a FWD tranny like toyota MR2s and pontiac fieros do. Think their is a dual engined AWD one setup like that floating around on one of the TD boards.

[PentastarTurbo]

I want something that has handeling capability ;) Ive driven a MR2 wow, those are twitchy..

[DC Turismo]

Whatever you do, do NOT put in a Honda motor. :yuck:! :ban: :bolt:

I got one word... HEMI :)

[Turbodave]

Maybe a chrysler 3.5L V6 up front (253hp) and and the trans in the back driving the rear wheels plymouth prowler style. Would make for good weight distribution and you can find the engine/trans in lots of intrepids and 300m's.

[Boosted Baron]

I've always been a fan of the 5.9 Magnums like in the Dakota R/T. Then, of course, you could always add some boost to that!!! Although with a V8 in there it will be front heavy and may not handle as well as you like.

[PentastarTurbo]

Im not really interested in a V8 Ive got another vehicle for that..

Id love to have some massave hp out of this thing, however, stealthyness is a great thing as well..

I just joined an srtforum.. maybe theres hope for that drivetrain..

[WVRampage]

Dont go HONDA thats a bad thing go with a neon engine.

[PentastarTurbo]

:) 13K miles for only $700 w/trans ecu, ect.. legal and all that jazz..

its a heavy SOB

[The S is Silent]

:) 13K miles for only $700 w/trans ecu, ect.. legal and all that jazz..

its a heavy SOB

No, it's $700 for an engine and transmission. If you put a Honda motor into a mopar, the ECU isn't going to be worth ----. Put a megasquirt on it or some other aftermarket unit and do it right. I'm not anti-honda by any means. I've seen some very fast CRX's on the autocross course. You can easily do a 2.4 longblock with a transmission for much better than that. IMHO, the neon engine is a better fit, and would be cheapter to get to fit than a honda engine. Oh, FYI, hondas have one of the worst electrical systems out of any car...I wouldn't trust that ECU as far as I could throw it.

[Turbodave]

Sell the honda motor and go buy an SRT-4 drivetrain with the money you make.

[WVRampage]

the engine also sits on the wrong side.

[GLHS592]

If I had it to do over again, I'd build a 2.4 powered rear wheel drive Shelby Charger instead of settling for the 2.2 and front wheel drive. With a brother like you describe, you can do it.

[mpgmike]

Maybe a chrysler 3.5L V6 up front (253hp) and and the trans in the back driving the rear wheels plymouth prowler style. Would make for good weight distribution and you can find the engine/trans in lots of intrepids and 300m's.
I like that one. If only a manual 5- or 6-speed tranny option were possible.

Mike

[PentastarTurbo]

I was just ----kin with yaz..

I can actually get what I said, engine, trans, underhood wiring, ecu, ect for 700 bucks.. that picture was just for shits and giggles.. My brother worked on a car, they couldnt pay for it.. he has the title now.. the people that were getting it worked for their sones first car didnt like the car after they already bought it and sent it to my brother to get things worked on.. They ended up buyin him a Hummer H2 and they have money so they didnt sweat it..

My brothers going to finish off the repairs and sell it, so far hes into it for 700 bucks.. :)

I just wanted to throw it out there..

Id like to be able to just find somethign complete and get this goin..
Im antsey for boost.. Hell, just motion of any sort out of this thing..
Oh yeah, Matt.. You arent kiddin about those ecu's.. Ask any Honda tech, garbage! :)

[WVRampage]

Thats good to hear you were messin with us all Id hate to see a rampage in the world with a HONDA engine in it.Besides the stock 2.2 has more tourqe.

[PentastarTurbo]

If your talkin about the carb 2.2 (stock) having more torque than the H22 engine.. uhhh nope.. LOL

[mpgmike]

Hey, you did get me thinking. I started looking into the 2.7-3.5 engine family (LH platform mainstay) and I like what I see on the '01+ versions. I'm starting to toss around one of these mated to some sort of 5 speed, RWD in my 'Page. Turbo later, get it running for now. Your teasing was what I needed to do some research. Thanks.

Mike

[WLKivett]

FYI mpgmike. The new Jeep Wranglers 2007 are 3.8V6 - 6 speed.

Best Regards,
Landon Kivett

[Turbodave]

Hey, you did get me thinking. I started looking into the 2.7-3.5 engine family (LH platform mainstay) and I like what I see on the '01+ versions. I'm starting to toss around one of these mated to some sort of 5 speed, RWD in my 'Page. Turbo later, get it running for now. Your teasing was what I needed to do some research. Thanks.

Mike

In a lightweight rampage one of those motors would make for a nice driver. The LX platform cars use that engine in a more conventional rwd layout, but unfortunately they are all automatics. The 2.7's have a bad reputation with engine durability (primarily sludge issues and timing chain tensioners from what I've heard), but I haven't heard much about the 3.2's and 3.5's.

I saw a prowler built by westech up in WI that was bored and stroked to get 5.0l out of the 3.5 block. It sounded wicked.

[mpgmike]

FYI mpgmike. The new Jeep Wranglers 2007 are 3.8V6 - 6 speed.

Best Regards,
Landon Kivett
Plus they're AWD (sort of)!

So where could I find a wrecked '07 Wrangler to snag the drivetrain from? No, no, I'm talking for about $500 or less.

Mike

[WVRampage]

And with a stand alone turboing it wouldnt be to hard.

[daytonaturbo87]

yeah, a 2.2 or 2.5 fits snug enough under the hook, ya, like a 3.5 will fit ROFL, go look under the hood of one of those cars.:lol: Plus no manual trans available.

[Mario]

I'd do what Kevin said....if you're looking to go RWD and stay away from the 8V engines.

It all comes down to how much time/money you want to put into it. How fast you want to go and what you actually plan on using the car for.

[PentastarTurbo]

I've been goin to different car sites lookin at what other people have done by converted their front wheel drive cars to mid engine setups, twin engine, rwd, ect.. I guess I just have to sit back and really think about it..

Im thinkin about using a Toyota Tacoma 2.4 engine and trans..
The dealership my brother works at is also connected to Toyota..
an option.. 145hp, not too shabby.. they have all sorts of parts, superchargers, turbocharger kits, ect..

Maybe keep it fwd and go with a celica gts? :confused:

Reliability and function are always a welcome commodity..

Im up in the air with it at the moment..

[WLKivett]

OK then the 3.7 form the Jeep Libby/ or Dakota with a 6-speed.

But that motor is taller and wider than the 3.8 and may protrude from your hood.

Best Regards,
Landon Kivett

[PentastarTurbo]

Im lookin at Nissan 240 engines.. They fit into those tiny AE86 Corollas when swapped.. :)

[Mario]

Or how about rear drive 4G63, or how about an RB26DETT, or how about a ZZ572/720R.

[daytonaturbo87]

OK then the 3.7 form the Jeep Libby/ or Dakota with a 6-speed.

But that motor is taller and wider than the 3.8 and may protrude from your hood.

Best Regards,
Landon Kivett

key word is "may".

[PentastarTurbo]

Im pretty sure I dont want anything larger than a 4 in it..

Im going to look at a possible doner car for a swap.. its a Turbo II ;)

just to look at things.. especially how the rear suspension is setup.. :D

[Mario]

I was just messing around since everyone is just throwing engines out there.

[PentastarTurbo]

:thumb: :bump2:

[Speedeuphoria]

SR20DET
or a 2.4(add a turbo) from a 2wd Liberty
or a 95-99 2.4 FWD converted to turbo(cheapest and easiest)

[PentastarTurbo]

Ive desided that with what i already have tripping me in the garage that Im just going to stick with what I have.. Im going to consider drilling/tapping out the 10mm headbolts to 11mm because one of the 10's never completed torque.. sorta iffy if you know what I mean.. but I'll look into that info in a little while on how to go about doing that.. Then I found out im going to have to helicoil the intak threads after goin for it.. Yet another topic im going to have to look into as a HOW TO do project..

thanks