I have a 1996 Dakota slt 2wd with a 3.9l engine. I've done some research on this engine and found that the block is the same as v8 blocks. My question is if it's the same block, could I use v8 parts to beef up the motor? I was thinking boring the heads and adding v8 pistons, cams and lifters. Is this at all possible?

 

The block is BASED on the 5.2/318 block, but it's not the SAME.

The number of cylinders would tend to make that obvious.

THAT said - yes, you could use 5.2/318 pistons, rods, and lifters. The cam's a bit long, though ... and the timing is off on it.

Same for heads and headers.

A quick visual of the two motors (3.9 and either the 5.2 or the 5.9 / 318 and 360) would make this very obvious.

RwP

 

Save your money and pick up a Dakota R/T or Ram SRT on the cheap.

 

I am going to move this only because the 1st Gen guys would have a better grasp on this topic.

RalphP pretty much nailed it perfectly.

 

i have a 01 dak V6. and yes its low on power. finding a cam is VERY hard to find. what i did was put a 4.1 gear and dana locker. 84852 BUT i drive IN TOWN only. my MPG went from 8-9 to 11-12. cause the trany goes in O.D. at 30 MPH. the 4.1 gear is NOT a good idea if you drive on the high way.

 

My city is nothing but highways. Yes it's hard finding really anything for this engine. I also couldn't find many intake kits for it either. I noticed one kit was for the 3.9 and 5.2 so I got a nicer one for the 5.2 and let's hope it fits. Ebay has a handful of performance products. Anyone ever have red line engine products before? Found cams and rebuild kits at a nice price.

 

Here are more things you can do is get ahold of a 93 exhaust and headers. After 93 they used a more restrictive exhaust. Port and polish the heads open up the are around the injector port so the spray does not hit it. Then get a set of roller rockers. Then get a 48 mm throttle body. Most of this goes to better breathing engine.

 

I found a sweet throttle body but it's universal and didn't give me enough info/confidence that it would fit. Delphi has some performance injectors I was looking into.

 

try and build a methanol injection system. i have wanted to do one. some sites are DIY. and very good.

 

Don't bother with "performance" injectors. If you can't change the tune in the PCM and you go bigger or smaller on the injectors your truck will run like crap.

If you want power out of your Dakota your best bet is a V8 swap.