Hey guys. New here. I have read these forums for years for help and guidance but i have not come across the answer to the question i have. Maybe thats because noone has done it. Anyways, i got my dakota for $400 abandoned in the brush and have gotten it to where you see now. It has the v6 now and i have went back and fourth forever on a v8 swap or not. I know most here perfer the v8 as do i. But as we all know it all cost money. Im considering keeping the 6 for these reasons. 1 i already have the v6. 2 better power to weight ratio. 3 v6 is lighter. 4 it runs good and i have a hard time pulling a good running engine. And since i have a 2wd reg cab i feel the 225 lbs of tq the truck does have moves the little truck fairly wellm...and i also found that hughes was advertising the cams for the 6 again which was a upside. Anyways my question is can a v6 run 10s in the 1/4 with these mods or even close to that? I seen where another RT owner did it with only around 500hp. Some i have some im getting. I know a v8 could do it easier BUT... And the gains i think that would be had and mods are:
Air intake +2-5hp
Bigger TB +5-10hp
Kegger Mod +10-15hp
Ford 4 hole injectors +5-10hp
Headers +10-15hp
High flow cat +2-5hp
Exhaust +2-5 hp
Ignition upgrade +5-10hp
Programmer +10-15hp
Roller Rockers +15-20hp
Hughes Cam +20-30hp
Electric Fan +5-10hp
UD pullies +5-10hp
Stall converter
Shift kit
Nx express100 shot kit
Powerdyne SC + 50-100hp
4.56 gears
Drag radials
Etc...

Now hypothetically speaking the truck should have between 275 and 350 hp NA and close to 500 on the juice. If i were to go this far id rebuild the engine but only it hopes i could get to where i wanna be. I want it street able yet fast at the track. Im fairly good with these trucks but alot of you know more than me. I know v8 be awesome but around my town most daks gotta 6 or there a 4x4 QC v8 so no fun there either. And theres the rams with the v8 but again to much truck for even a stock 360. So i wouldnt have much competition. The fastest thing ive ever driven is a 2014 challenger rt with 400hp. If i could get the dakota to 500hp even if it means on alot of spray id be happy. Just wanna know if yal think what im tryjng to do is achievable and if not what am i missing (please dont say a v8) thanks in advance guys. Sorry if posted in wrong section.

 

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Don't do it. If you do, please record how much nitrous it willl take to break the crank. I don't think you'll get more than a 100 kit through it.

 

Haha? Thanks for the reply. A 100 shot is all i intended to run. Ive seen here most recommend 100 for the v6 and 150 for a v8 with stock internals. I have to ask why you said NO. Can you elaborate as to why i shouldnt? Please keep in mind that ive owned fast v8s. I know what 4 6 and 8 cyl feel like. I know that dollar for dollar and mod for mod a v8 will have more power BUT the chances of me lining up against a v8 with all of the mods listed above is possible but not likely especially on the street. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

V6 has a split pin non-forged crank that flexes and twists under strain.

Air intakes make power but nothing significant

Going to a bigger/V8 throttle body has given me tip-in issues sufficient that I am having to set idle with the blade adjustment screw rather than the IAC

Ryan Hogan has proved that modifying the beer keg on the V8 was the same peak horsepower and 10 less ft lb down low and a couple extra up high. Same truck, same dyno, about 4 hours apart (the time it takes to swap intakes)

There is no gain to multi-hole injectors. It's a figment. And if you don't match the flow rate (18# for 99- and 21# for 00+) then it will run either pig fat or bad lean.

I don't know of any headers for the V6

Ditching the 2 pre-cats will gain you some. A hi-flow cat might be worthwhile, emphasize might.

Ditto with Exhaust. I kept stock size 2.5" but went over the frame. I do have a 3" Y pipe though, reducing down to 2.5 .

I'm not sure the ignition helps much, obviously it gives you nitrous timing control.

Ryan's Tunes are currently among the best. I started with the fever and was happy to get rid of it. Also, avoid PIE or Marty Fletcher. If you find anything made by Rolf, avoid it like the plague, he's burned 3 trucks down.

I did get a noticable gain with the Harland 1.7's and clutch fan delete.

Under-Drive pulley doesn't gain much. I went from the stock 7" pulley to a 5.25 pulley, only change is that I have low voltage at idle because the alternator is too slow.

Stall Converter varies by application. 3500 was too much in mine with the powerglide, but might be acceptable with the stock trans. I had it restalled to 3000 and just got it back today to slap back in.

Boost goes with the nitrous story. You might gain 50-75 with a dyne or a vortech setup. Beware that the vortech and procharger kits for the 5.2/5.9 both have issues with belt slip and bracket flex. I don't know if the V8 it for any of them fits the 3.9, as the blower will sit 4" back from designed. I'd be worried about bending/twisting/snapping the crank.

4.56 gears are okay, but don't put slicks on the stock C-clip axles. My 8.25 has survived the transbrake so far on street tires, but I only 2-step at 1500 versus footbrake at 2200.

With everything done to mine, I'm in the 17's in the quarter and 10's in the 1/8 at 4400 pounds with me in it. Only thing I changed was swapping from the POS stock trans to a powerglide ($4500ish investment so far) and swapping 3.55 gears for 4.10, and I gained 2 tenths on the 1/8 blowing through the converter. Gear swap obviously could be worth more with the stock low gear, but I didn't feel like rebuilding the trans a third time.

Go look through my build thread. I scored a 5.9 long block for $500, tore it down, and now I'm working on some special stuff for it.

 

Just to give you an idea of what it takes to get even close to the 10's... Here's the top 15 list from Ryan Hogan.

Chad Spicer is the only VIN-tag dakota I know of that has reached deep into the 10's. He's spraying 350 into an all-in 408 that makes somewhere in the high 700-800's and weighs 2900 pounds with a tube chassis under the gutted factory cab and floor-less bed.

1.Jason Dear ....1999 Dakota 408, Turbo.....10.75@127.5(PBIR) ...4060 lbs
2. Eric Malbrough....91 Dakota HCI 360 225 nitrous....10.81@126.05 (Gulfport)...3500-3600 lbs (~550 whp estimated)
3. Nathan Stem....SRT8 394ci Novi 1500 8 psi....10.87@126.8 (Lonestar) .....4100lbs (~600 whp)
4. Steven Harrison .....Challenger 5.7, cam/6.4 manifolds/200 N20....10.87@126 (Evadale)...4200lbs (575 whp/665 wtq)
5. Jason Holland ...2001 408 Dakota RT , 727, 150 N20....10.92@124 (first 10 sec FRP truck)....4000 lbs
6. Lorne Roberts...1998 Dakota 410, 100 N20...11.035@120.8 mph (BFE, Canada)....4000 lbs? (454 whp on motor)
7. Devin Lewis....1999 Dakota 408 Vortech 9 psi 175 N20.....11.04@???? Mph (Gulfport??) ....4350 lbs (600 whp on old setup, new setup TBD)
8. Rob Rohe .....2000 Dakota RT...HCI 150N20 4.56.....11.45@114 mph (Milan)...3850 lbs (~450 whp )
9. Shelby Mcmullen....2003 Dakota RT...HCI 200N20 4.56/727....11.46@118 mph (Gulfport)....4200 lbs (~475 whp)
10. Joshua Milam.... Joshua Milam ....1999 Dakota RT ...408 Turbo 727....11.55@123 mph... (Mobile/Gulfport)

Honorable Mentions...

11. Cody Wolfe....2002 Dakota ....HCI 360 200 N20 4.56....11.60s@116 (Gulfport)...3900 lbs
12.Chuck Erra....2001 Dakota RT....HCI 365 Vortech 10 psi....11.74@116.5 mph (Baytown/RPR) (440 whp/490 wtq)
13. Mike Greenwood...1999? Dakota RT...ported stock heads/cam/M1 150 N20....11.83@117? Mph......4000 lbs
14. Rich Cellini....96 Indy Ram....410 D1SC 10 psi.....12.03@112 mph....4900 lbs... (517 whp/779 wtq)
15. Jordan Aycock....2001 Dakota RT....bolt ons, RT+10 cam/4.56/125 N20....12.05@115? Mph...3900 lbs (431 whp Dynojet)

 

Wow. I didnt realize you had done so much to your own v6. I can get a v8 but like there $500-1000 then im told the trans are different and that the v6 trans wont hold up. Then i need the ECU and maybe or mayne not the harness. I know you gotta pay to play but i got to babies and a wife that keeps a eye on my wallet lol. But i do not want to do all that and run 17s. They do make plenty of 6 headers OBX and pacesetter are examples. And no the SC isnt made for the 6 but since there belt driven blowers i would only have to shorten the intake piping to the throttle body. Maybe 10s is far fetched. Your tipping me to the v8 side lol. Just trying to build quick if not fast truck on budget and a decent time frame.

 

Also i was thinking today being that the 3.9 and the 5.2/5.9 are essentially the same engine is it a waste or even possible to acheive my goal with a v8? With the 50hp and 100lbs tq upset to the v8 can the v8 reach 10s? 360 i mean. Im not wanting to go into the 400s simply because i want a motor thats plug and play otherwise maybe out of my skill set. But if niether 6 or 8 can do it blown/stalled/sprayed/geared. I may just roll with what i got if i cant get there even with the 5.9 ill just enjoy the 6 for what it is. Most guys who try to race here are little paco cars and jacked up trucks with not enough engine to turn the tires. Im sure even justed geared and blown it be fun little street truck.

 

Look at the top 15 list I posted. Devin Lewis sprays 200 over 10 pounds, and is only #7, this winter he re-did his system (new piping, IC, and intake) to spray 250 over 12 pounds. Officially he hasn't hit the 10's yet, He did get one high 10 slip but is traction limited out of the hole right now. He's worked on that too. Consider that not all 408's are the same, Devin's is a proline low compression (~9.5:1) motor for the boost, some that are running spray only are in the 10.5-11:1 or more compression range built by joe schmoe.

If you go through my build thread, I am applying everything to the V6 now, as trial and testing for the V8 swap. I have some other tricks in my sleeves to still perform, just haven't had time yet.

Right now, the best bang for the buck is hemi swapping. A couple guys are doing 5.7 swaps. Greg snider had a 6.4 in his that he just sold, and bought a HellCrate. His plan is to turn it up a little and have ~750 HP available. I fully anticipate him going to the top of the list in very short order. I'm personally hoping to go up to around #4 or #5. I'll be tickled to be #2 under Greg.

 

Soo i considered your advice and ordered me a 318 last night for $450 with 120k. I think im Gonna do everything i listed above but to the v8 instead with maybe 150 shot. Hopefully i get good results. Be awhile tho cleaning up, painting, and building the up the new engine.

 

A Junkyard 318 is not a bad place to start. Pretty sure the bottom end is the same as a 340 for some stuff, old 318 for other stuff, top end is the same for either 318 or 360 (other than obvious LA/magnum differences). Throw a good manifold and F&B 58mm throttle body on it with a kit of spray and go. SBE is fairly capable, but you'll want a good tune and an MSD ignition to control timing on the juice. If you're on Facebook, crawl in the Flyin Ryan Performance group and check out Team Broke Coast.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/flyi...scussiongroup/
https://www.facebook.com/Team-Broke-...6140284351668/