okay, i know im used to driving crotch rocket imports, but my 2002 stratus se+sxt is horrible when it comes to performance. It has zero acceleration & when i punch the gas it feels like it's slowly moving along.
Im also worried about the 18 mpg that im getting. I dont have a very big motor just a 2.4 I4 dohc
My 91 talon was more fuel efficient & it ran 12's in the 1/4.

Sugestions & help would be nice

 

Well that would be more due to the fact that it has zero power and is being weighed down by a truly heavy car.

Suggestions of course would be a better set of headers, new exhaust, possibly a reprogramming of the computer/chip, definitely a CAI and K/N Air Filter, also might even look into a turbo....

To be 100% honest though, you have a very heavy car for that engine....and you should be getting somewhat better mpg then you are...

I have an 02 Stratus R/T and I get between 22-29mpg on my car...I just in fact got back from a road trip and only used 3/4 of a tank to get 350 miles.....

 

I hear ya. My 12 sec Z28 gets basically the same mileage. Around town a little worse but on the highway basically as good. Be happy your Stratus will get good highway mileage though.

 

Forced induction/ nitrious is out of the question. Suggestions as to where i can purchase headers & a cai. And where i can send the pcm/ecu to get reprogramed would be nice. It's proving harder to buy parts for this car than it was for my 3g mirage (1988). But links and sugestions would be nice

 

You might even consider upgrading the motor to a Stratus R/T motor or Eclipse GT motor. They are basically the same thing, however the Eclipse version apparently is slightly different and has more mods available...

As for a CAI and K/N....you can get the K/N at just about any auto parts store... as for the CAI...I'd suggest reading this...

https://dodgeforum.com/m_269486/tm.htm

Personally, I'd look at a different motor...I say that because the weight of the car is really just too much for the 2.4L to ever truly be a peppy or quick mover. Granted, this car was never intended to be a race car, but the 2.4L is like driving a fullsize van.

Something with more power would work out better. I'd look around for a wrecked Eclipse GT or Stratus R/T....and steal the tranny/engine from it...and sell your motor if at all possible...

 

I believe that there are supercharger kits for the 2.4 out there, Mopar performance maybe.

 

The 2.4L motor has kits available of course....for both turbo and SC, but the fact is you are trying to push a heavy car with a weak motor.....slapping an SRT-4 motor in the car would at best give you the same performance as a V6 motor out of an Eclipse...

 

Im gathering that i should stop trying to make this a quick car and deal with it

 

If all you are geting is 18 mpg, there's probably something wrong with the car, you should be much higher. And the 2.4 is not that weak of an engine, it produces torque really low on the RPM band for a 4 banger and has respectable power, but Stratus's are alittle heavy, and the Auto trannys don't help either.

 

i would get your car checked out, as my RT gets as high as 28mpg (all highway), and averages around 23, and i drive it hard.