Engine swap magic for my Dakota

[gkcooper]

Well, after having devoted much thought into my Turbo conversion for my 2.5 common block powered '95 Dakota, I am now thinking of doing a 3.5 V6 from an Intrepid. These engines are sick and make power. Possibly the best kept Mopar secret in engines since the 2.2 turbo. Silky smooth and rev, rev, rev. I have been thinking of ways to put this engine in my Dakota. Yesterday I read that the new Wrangler and Liberty are going from the AMC era 4.0 to the OHV 3.8. That means that there will be a source of bellhousings, flywheels, and trannies that will fit the 3.3, 3.8, 3.5, and new 4.0 V6's to go six-speed RWD. (Or 42RLE, yawn) I am salivating.

I heard years ago (from a Chrysler factory guy, I used to be an employee too) that there were a small number of Daytonas running around Detroit in the early ninities with 3.3 V6's and five speed. I think that would be great, too bad we never got it. It can be done now though because the 2.7 was available with a five-speed in the Stratus R/T sedan and it has the same bolt pattern as the 3.3/3.8/3.5.


Does anyone know anything about the Liberty 3.8?

Anyone out there in Toledo building these things? Pics?

Greg K. Cooper
Huntsville, Alabama

[Clay]

I dont think they are a secret to those who have em!

There are a few guys out there with 300Ms and especially Prowlers making big power with superchargers and nitrous systems on the 3.5

[20w/ashelby]

there is also a crazy fast 300M with nitrous at the mopar nats in columbus.

[ShelGame]

The Jeep 3.7 (the engine the Liberty uses) is different from the older Chrysler 3.8. It's based on the 4.7L V8. I think it has a different bellhousing pattern from the 3.5/3.8 car engines...

[gkcooper]

True on the 3.7. That engine is a chopped version of the 4.7 V8. I thought the same thing too. But this is a 3.8, not a 3.7. It is the FWD minivan V6 according to everything I have read on it. I will be checking at the dealership as soon as they get one and pop the hood. The one picture that I found sure looked like the 3.8 minivan intake plenum.

GKC

[ShelGame]

Well, that would be sweet. I didn't realized they had abandoned the 3.7 already...

Is the 4.7 still in production? Or did everything go Hemi?

[JDAWG]

stratus r/t had a 3.0 mistu engine and is an eclipse with different panels basically

[SwiftTech]

Well, that would be sweet. I didn't realized they had abandoned the 3.7 already...

Is the 4.7 still in production? Or did everything go Hemi?

The dakota and the Jeep Grand Cherokee's can still be had with the 4.7l v-8. You can't even get a hemi for the dakota.

[Clay]

Hemi wont fit new dak with out major mods to frame, and maybe even suspension. the durango and dak no longer share the same platform.

[mpgmike]

stratus r/t had a 3.0 mistu engine and is an eclipse with different panels basically

I believe the sedan also comes in an R/T version. The coupe is just a repackaged MitsuEclipse, but the sedan is all Mopar. I know the 2.7 is available in the sedan, but wasn't aware of a 5-speed option (or is the 5-speed standard and the auto optional?).

Mike

[Boltthrower]

ive seen r/t's in 4 door version. i wanna say ive even seen an intrepid r/t...... maybe im thinking of the same thing.......(scratches head)

[CletusJones]

There were Intrepid R/Ts out there, one of my old neighbors had one, as well as one of the motorsports edition ones.

[contraption22]

Hemi wont fit new dak with out major mods to frame, and maybe even suspension. the durango and dak no longer share the same platform.

Why the fudge would they do that?