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Thread: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

  1. #1
    Garrett booster
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    Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    Hey all, I have something similar posted over on the other forums, but there hasn't been much activity around there lately. So I was hoping there might be more discussion on this forum, as it seems to be more active.

    This is just a list of things that I’ve compiled in regards to the 3.3/3.8 engine family, including; performance parts, mods, projects, and swaps.

    I’m hoping to spark some discussion on these engines because they’re so cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, and they’re literally everywhere. I’m sure there isn’t a junkyard on this earth that doesn’t have a 3.3L. So it’d be a really cheap thing to swap into a car.

    General Information:



    Performance Parts:

    • Crower Cam’s Valve Springs

    Discussion | Summit Racing Page


    • ARP Bolts

    Here is a thread for a lot of ARP info, but the Chrysler 2.2/2.5L engines also share the same headbolts as the 3.3/3.8 family, which I confirmed here, which means ARP head studs and bolts are also available for the pre-2001 heads


    • Lifters

    If you look up the part numbers, the 3.3/3.8 share the same lifters as the Dodge Magnum engines such as the 3.9, 5.2, and 5.9. There are performance lifters available that should work, but probably wouldn’t see much benefit.


    • Pistons and Rods

      • Ross Pistons sells different kinds of pistons for the 3.3 but I’m not sure on the pricing.
      • The Chrysler 3.5L has a fully forged rotating assembly and uses the stroke of a 3.3L and the bore of a 3.8L, so in theory, you could use a set provided that you use a 3.8L crankshaft



    • Windage Tray

    Since the 3.3/3.5/3.8 are all in the same family, the 3.5L oil pan windage tray is an easy bolt-on that may increase reliability and performance.

    Boosted Applications:



    Engine Swaps:

    It should be pretty easy to swap any existing 3.3L car with the torquey 3.8L without much trouble, but it’s also possible to swap either engine into other cars because of it’s small size. Being an OHV V6, it takes up about as much room as the 2.2/2.5 with a turbo. Some of these are duplicates of the above list.




    Transmission:

    There seems to be a few transmission options for this engine



    Stroker Motors:

    Since the 3.3/3.5/3.8 all share the same platform, it’s very easy to swap rotating assemblies between each other (3.5 requires machine work, but is a fully forged crank). Making a ~3.5L stroker motor does decrease the compression to around ~8:1, ready for boost!




    Here’s also a pretty cool video of a 3.3L with ITB

    So a cool no holds barred build would probably go as follows:

    • 3.3L Block
    • 3.8L Crank
    • 3.5L Pistons
    • 3.5L Rods
    • Late 3.8L camshaft (or custom turbo cam)
    • P&P Heads
    • Larger Valves
    • Dual Valve Springs
    • Performance Lifters
    • HY35 Turbo
    • E85


    That’d probably make some pretty decent power.




    There isn’t a lot of information on these engines regarding performance, but this is what I’ve found so far. If you see that I missed anything or have any information that you think would be helpful to add, just let me know! Also feel free to ask any questions! I’d be happy to answer!
    Last edited by WarlockSyno; 01-07-2017 at 05:36 PM.

  2. #2
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    The Chrysler 3.5L... uses the stroke of a 3.8L and the bore of a 3.3L
    That's backwards.

    31TH/A-413 3-Speed Auto (Bolts up with some modification)
    Have you ever seen one bolted up? I've lined a 3.3 up with some 3 and 5spd transmissions on the ground and it doesn't look like the mods required are simple. IMO.

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  3. #3
    turbo addict Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    How about, what mods are actually required to make power, and which are a waste at lower HP levels. Building a nasty shortblock that doesn't make power is a waste.
    Brent GREAT DEPRESSION RACING 1992 Duster 3.0T The Junkyard - MS II, OEM 10:1 -[I] Old - 11.5@125 22psi $90 [U]Stock[/U] 3.0 Junk Motor - 1 bar MAP [/I] 1994 Spirit 3.0T - 11.5@120 20 psi - Daily :eyebrows: Holset He351 -FT600 - 393whp 457ft/lb @18psi 1994 Spirit 3.0T a670 - He341, stock fuel, BEGI. Wife's into kid's project. 1990 Lebaron Coupe 2.2 TI/II non IC, a413 1990 Spirit 3.0 E.S. 41TE -- 1993 Spirit 3.0 E.S. 41TE -- 1994 Duster 3.0 A543 1981 Starlet KP61 Potential driver -- 1981 Starlet KP61 Parts -- 1983 Starlet KP61 Drag 2005 Durango Hemi Limited -- 1998 Dodge 12v 47re. AFC mods, No plate, Mack plug, Boost elbow -- 2011 Dodge 6.7 G56

  4. #4
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    I can't edit the original post, the field is empty. So oh well.

    And yeah, I'm actually building a 3.8L right now. It's stock right now. But I'm going to be recording the mods I do to it for power. From what a lot of people say (you can find them in those forum posts) is that the camshaft is a huge problem in these. With a custom grind you should be able to pick up 30HP alone, but that's just hearsay. The thing is, these motors can make good power. Like the Can Am car. It's a 3.3L with a forged crank, rods, and pistons. May have a different cam, but the main differences are the valve springs, rotating assembly, and the intake. Other than that, it's very close to stock. Even the heads are the same.

    We'll see. I really curious on what the motor will do so I there's lots of testing that I'm going to be doing. It may take a long time, but we'll see.

    The 3 speed bolts up supposedly with just "slotting" the mounts. I have a A413 sitting around, I'll see if I can get it to bolt up.

  5. #5
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    Well, you can interchange the transmission mount between a 3spd and 4spd auto by slotting holes, but to my knowledge you cannot bolt any of the 3spds to the 3.3/3.8 bellhousing pattern by slotting anything. Let us know if you find out otherwise.

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  6. #6
    turbo addict
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    Plus the 3.3/3.8 have a tone wheel on the converter for crank sensor...

  7. #7
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    It's on the flexplate, not the converter, luckily. The 604s use two sizes of torque converters, but the smaller of the two IS the 413/670 lockup converter. As far as swapping a 3spd onto a 3.3/3.8, there is a factory flywheel that works with the starter location and with the smaller 413-style converter (same bolt pattern), but you WOULD have to make your own precise hole in the transmission to mount the crank sensor to. I think late 670s had the crank sensor hole in the same place as the 3.3/3.8s, but i'm not sure the 670 would be the easiest bellhousing to adapt vs a 2.0 or 2.2 bellhousing. The 543 i lined up with a 3.3 looked like it was going to take a lot of work.

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  8. #8
    turbo addict
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    I got the attachment location of the tone wheel wrong, sorry about that. But the main point was still conveyed...that needs to be thought of...

  9. #9
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    I'd have to look through my PMs on how Jimbo mounted the transmission and such. I think he uses the 2.7L tone wheel and ran the code as a Neon motor but added two cylinders in MegaSquirt.

  10. #10
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    The 2.7L flywheel and 2.7 T850 from the rare 2.7 5spd cars have the trigger ring and sensor mount to run the engine. The spacing and orientation of the flywheel/flexplate holes for the crank sensor are the same on all the v6s that used that bellhousing-mounted cps. So you could take a flywheel from a 1990 3.3 or a 1998 3.0 or a 1995 2.5 or a 2004 2.7 and all of them would trigger the sensor correctly for each other. AFAIK.

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  11. #11
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    Quote Originally Posted by Vigo View Post
    The 2.7L flywheel and 2.7 T850 from the rare 2.7 5spd cars have the trigger ring and sensor mount to run the engine. The spacing and orientation of the flywheel/flexplate holes for the crank sensor are the same on all the v6s that used that bellhousing-mounted cps. So you could take a flywheel from a 1990 3.3 or a 1998 3.0 or a 1995 2.5 or a 2004 2.7 and all of them would trigger the sensor correctly for each other. AFAIK.
    Pretty sure '04 would be different, as they switched everything to NGC controllers in '03 which use a different tone ring on crank and cam. IIRC it went from 16T to 32T one the flywheel. Me and a buddy put an 03 2.7 into an 02 Sebring and had to pull it back out and change flexplates and cam tone wheel to make it run.
    Rob M.
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    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  12. #12
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Chrysler 3.3/3.8 Performance and Info

    Ah, that sure sounds right then. I knew the NGC changeover was the end of it but i forgot the year.

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