89 daytona 3.0 L
Professional
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From:
RE: 89 daytona 3.0 L
Get a 52mm TB off a 90-91 Dodge Dynasty 3.3L engine. Stock on the 3.0 is 46mm. Also get a K&N RU-3030 filter and remove the stock airbox and intake tubing. The K&N will clamp right on to the TB and free up more room in the engine bay. You will need a crankcase breather filter for the valve cover once you remove the airbox. You can also advance the timing a couple degrees. I have not done it myself though and it will require 93 octane gas at all times. 180 t-stat also helps. Go to Autozone and pick up a Gold cap/rotor kit. It is the only one I have found that has brass inserts. The cap itself is red as well. Get some Taylor 8mm wires. Email Taylor to confirm the part number. The one I have is MISC712 for a 92 Lebaron 3.0. Engine and plug routing should be the same on the Daytona as well. You can also get an underdrive pulley - forwardmotioninc.com is about the only place still making one for the 3.0. You can also dismantle your intake and port/polish it and remove the center divider. I would pick up one from a junkyard and do that instead, that way if you screw it up you are not out a car at the same time.
You can get a 58mm TB as well, but you will need to open up the intake to get it to fit correctly. I am not certain what cars they were on, as they are a little harder to find than the 52mm units. Check www.car-part.com for junkyard parts.
If you have the 4-speed auto, use ATF+ transmission fluid only and keep a close eye on fluid levels. An aftermarket tranny cooler and temp gauge would be a good idea too. They are very finicky. If you have the 3-speed you are better off. If you have the manual, even better.
A new coil would also be a good idea. MSD makes a drop in one, you just have to modify the wiring but it will bolt right up. Do not get the Accel one, they break too much. Alternately a Blaster SS coil is a good one as well. You might also consider an MSD 6A or 6AL ignition. I have one just waiting on some new plug wires before I put it on.
Check ebay for a front strut tower brace for a 95-99 Neon. They bolt up to the stock towers and only need one additional hole to be drilled. Will help firm up the handling a bit, and are cheap. About $30 shipped.
That just about does it for bolt ons. You can try an intake spacer but they are hard to find these days, and the jury is still out on how effective they are. The heads can be ported but the gains are pretty small. The problem with this engine is the PCM. There are no tuning options for it so you are limited to working within the factory programming. You can still get some power out of it though. When I put the intake and filter on mine it did wake up a little.
You can get a 58mm TB as well, but you will need to open up the intake to get it to fit correctly. I am not certain what cars they were on, as they are a little harder to find than the 52mm units. Check www.car-part.com for junkyard parts.
If you have the 4-speed auto, use ATF+ transmission fluid only and keep a close eye on fluid levels. An aftermarket tranny cooler and temp gauge would be a good idea too. They are very finicky. If you have the 3-speed you are better off. If you have the manual, even better.
A new coil would also be a good idea. MSD makes a drop in one, you just have to modify the wiring but it will bolt right up. Do not get the Accel one, they break too much. Alternately a Blaster SS coil is a good one as well. You might also consider an MSD 6A or 6AL ignition. I have one just waiting on some new plug wires before I put it on.
Check ebay for a front strut tower brace for a 95-99 Neon. They bolt up to the stock towers and only need one additional hole to be drilled. Will help firm up the handling a bit, and are cheap. About $30 shipped.
That just about does it for bolt ons. You can try an intake spacer but they are hard to find these days, and the jury is still out on how effective they are. The heads can be ported but the gains are pretty small. The problem with this engine is the PCM. There are no tuning options for it so you are limited to working within the factory programming. You can still get some power out of it though. When I put the intake and filter on mine it did wake up a little.