I am doing some mods on my 95 ram 1500 regular cab short bed v6 rwd/4x2.5spd
I plan on doing a v8 swap eventually but not any time I want to have some fun/do some learning with the 3.9 firt
what is the combustion chamber size on the v6 magnum and the 2 v8 magnums?
is it safe to go 60 over on a stock block v6 or v8?
I am going to upgrade the cooling system a v10 or diesel radiator what one will fit the best?
can you put bigger valves in the sock v6 and v8 heads?
I am switching to an electric fan.
I am going to run a v10 fuel pump and #88 injectors.
I am going to install drive shaft loops x brace and pan hard bar
I pan to switch to a 45k coil brass terminal cap and rotor and 10.4mm spirol core 40 ohm per ft rfi suppression plug wires
I am going to run 96 and up shorty headers with out the egr the 95 and earlyer headers for v6 have a egr port and my 95 has been deleted
can any thing be done with obd1 pcms?
will a wide band o2 sensor do any good?ver
I want to switch to an offroad style y pipe but the 2 I found areb kind of pricey will a dakota/durango y pipe fit can for 50 vs over 100 for a ram
do magnum engines come with a double row roll timing set if not will be changing to one
what are good plugs to run in magnum engines
thanks

 

V-10 radiator will bolt right in. (I think the diesel uses the same one?) Will need to address the hose ends though. They are larger on the bigger radiator.
You can put bigger valves in the heads, but, it ain't cheap. (V-8 swap would probably be cheaper....)
88# injectors? Why? You will have an extremely hard time getting it to run with those. The OBDI computers (pre-96) are not flash programmable, so you will need some variety of aftermarket fuel management system.
Stock coil is more than adequate to the task. No real need to change it.
Punching the motor out 60 thousandths is doable, but, that'll be the last time it gets bored. Even then, you are pushing the envelope on cylinder wall thickness. Best to have it ultrasonic checked, to make sure you don't take out too much.
Magnum engines came stock with the Morse-style chain, double roller is a nice upgrade.

You are spending a LOT of money there, on a motor that was really inadequate when it was new. You could spend less money doing most of that to a v-8, and get MUCH better results. (skip the huge injectors though.)

 

The 3.9 has the same stroke, and bore as the 5.2 liter (318). Swapping with a stock 5.9 liter (360) would be the cheapest upgrade by far with the biggest gains no matter how much you put in that 3.9, short of doing a twin turbo setup, and upgrading the bottom end. Spending money upgrading the 3.9 would be better spent on swapping to a 5.9. get a 360 core, build it how you want, drive what you have till your ready to swap it out. You'll be happier. I had 3.9 Dakota sport 4x4 5spd. All I did was swap with a V8 throttle body, and stuck on a cold air intake, with a custom cat back exhaust. Just wasn't worth upgrading the 3.9. No replacement for displacement, unless it's force inducted.

 

thanks for the replies and good info.
I all ready knew if I punch it out 60 that is it I just wanted to know if it could take it. I agree definitely needs to be sonic-checked. the reason for the #88 injectors was they were the largest on hipotek what size is the best?
one thing I ask that was not answered is what size are the combustion chambers on the v6 and booth v8.
I also would like to know if any one has down a hydo-boost setup and if there is a wrightup on it also also a rear drum to disc conversion
also I would like to ad that is not a dd and it dose not get driven much or counted on for anything just a fun project we got for free.
thanks

 

Hydroboost is as simple as buying it and the 2 lines. You will have to buy the reservoir though. Disc brakes conversions can't be done unless you either get the disc rear axle or buy a kit online (they are junk just Google the kit you are looking at). Other then that you are stuck with drums unless you can weld.

 

The 3.9 and 5.2 are both 3.31 stroke 3.91 bore. The 5.9 is 3.58 stroke and 4.00 bore. The 3.9 and 5.2 are internal balanced, the 5.9 is external balance. Both v8s are virtually the same on the outside. I just got done building a 360 (5.9) magnum for my 91 d150. Blows the 5.2 out of the water, no comparison. If your gonna punch the 3.9 60 over, might as well go with a cam, and put 1.88 intakes in the heads, do some porting, and matching. I'm not sure if the v6 shares the same runner size as both v8 Magnums, I would think not, the throttle bodys are noticably smaller than the V8 tbs. Or you won't get the full potential of the over bore, the intake runners will choke it down, same on the exhaust side. Money better spent on a 5.9 and double the power/torque. 408 stroker build, eat a built 3.9 for breakfast lunch and dinner, and dessert lol. I'm not even sure if anybody makes a cam for the 3.9, not much out there for it.

 

I know that the bore and stroke are the same on the 3.9 and 5.2 and that the 5.9 is different. thanks for saying the runner size and valve sizes, but I want to now the combustion chamber sizes I am going to use a hipotek 52mm tb or the huges big gulp have not decided on one yet. when I am done playing with the little six my goal is a 5.9 40 over with a 4 inch stroke.
the reason I want to know the chamber size cause I want to know what the compression ratio will I am going to use flat top with valve relifes.
thanks

 

CR is engine specific. You need to figure out what head gaskets your going to use, and find out the compressed thickness, if your decking the block, shaving the heads, piston setup, flat top with valve relief, your gonna need to know the size of the valve relief, the cc of the heads after they are shaved, stroke, bore diameter. There are calculators if you Google. I know summit has one, jegs. They all differ some are more specific getting into ring Gap, distance from top of piston to top of ring, Gap between piston and cylinder wall. Stock the CR is around 9.1:1 175hp 225ft./lbs. Torque. The 5.2 has 230hp with 300ftl./lbs torque. With the same CR for comparison. Just be ready for machining costs if you bore, deck, hone (45* cross hatch).

 

this is great info I know what sock ratings are from wikipedia and you are right about head gasket thickness and diamiter I have all ready found a calculator to use it asks for chamber volume and I do not know what to put in. so I was hoping you could tell me what the sock chamber size
thanks for all the info and you guys are really helping me out,
thanks

 

If my math is correct, chamber volume is 158.89. Diameter x diameter x stroke x 3.14
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