now what
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Joined: Apr 2008
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now what
ok so now that i know an engine swap is too expensive what mods can i do to get more power? will I notice any power gains with an after market exhaust? single or dual? I'm looking for more tourqe than anything.
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RE: now what
moe in wichita ks
iam in the same boat as raptorma08 i need more power but i realy need it at low rpms like off idle responce. it seams to havethe right amount of power from 3000 to 5000, even though its not a big block power. 2001 dak club cab v 6 3.9 auto trans
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From: Clemson, SC
RE: now what
Moe here is a good right up
http://www.dodgedakotas.com/boards/v6/14757.html
There is not much you can do to the 3.7, a bigger thortle body and exhaust will be the biggest. There are no headers for the 3.7 in the dakota. You could but in a 4.10 rear gear.
http://www.dodgedakotas.com/boards/v6/14757.html
There is not much you can do to the 3.7, a bigger thortle body and exhaust will be the biggest. There are no headers for the 3.7 in the dakota. You could but in a 4.10 rear gear.
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RE: now what
Not much will give you more power. 2 additional cylinders will. You'll spend a lot of money on bolt-ons like exhaust and intakes that won't get you much of anything.
Shorter (numerically-higher) gears will give you more mechanical advantage, and get you off the line quicker. They'll definitely have the feeling of lots of low-end torque. I would recommend at LEAST 4.10:1, maybe higher, if you want to feel a real difference. Fuel economy will probably go to pot, but...
You really need a V-8 to feel torque. My parents had a Jeep Liberty with the 3.7L and I was not impressed at all. That engine sounded breathless and anemic...it drove better than it sounded, but it was still not inspiring. Personally, I think the 3.8L engine out of the minivan would have been a much better choice (like they're now using in the JK).
Anyway, not much you can do to a V-6 that's already been fairly worked from the factory. It makes 210 hp and 235 lb*ft of torque from 3.7L. The 5.2L engine is 40% larger (in displacement) compared with the 3.7L. Yet it makes "only" 230 hp and 300 lb*ft of torque. If you add 40% to the 3.7L's horsepower you're close to 300, and if you add 40% to the torque, you're at 330. That engine is already making much more power/liter than the 5.2L engine is. In other words, Dodge did the tuning for you at the factory...not much really to improve upon...not cheaply anyway. You could do custom heads and cams, but then you've gone WAY past the cost to swap in a V-8.
Shorter (numerically-higher) gears will give you more mechanical advantage, and get you off the line quicker. They'll definitely have the feeling of lots of low-end torque. I would recommend at LEAST 4.10:1, maybe higher, if you want to feel a real difference. Fuel economy will probably go to pot, but...
You really need a V-8 to feel torque. My parents had a Jeep Liberty with the 3.7L and I was not impressed at all. That engine sounded breathless and anemic...it drove better than it sounded, but it was still not inspiring. Personally, I think the 3.8L engine out of the minivan would have been a much better choice (like they're now using in the JK).
Anyway, not much you can do to a V-6 that's already been fairly worked from the factory. It makes 210 hp and 235 lb*ft of torque from 3.7L. The 5.2L engine is 40% larger (in displacement) compared with the 3.7L. Yet it makes "only" 230 hp and 300 lb*ft of torque. If you add 40% to the 3.7L's horsepower you're close to 300, and if you add 40% to the torque, you're at 330. That engine is already making much more power/liter than the 5.2L engine is. In other words, Dodge did the tuning for you at the factory...not much really to improve upon...not cheaply anyway. You could do custom heads and cams, but then you've gone WAY past the cost to swap in a V-8.
