himan12

Alright im new here so please go easy on me thanks,

I have a 02 dakota sport 3.9l and im looking at what i can do to give it more power, it is curently tuned with a super chip 91 oct profromance chip, Airaid cold air intake and a TBS. i have had lots of people tell me that thats all i can do to it.

For the sake of this question lets say money is no object how ever i am a full time student.
I was offerd a v-8 318 engine and tranney for 2700 installed

Would that be the best course to run and scrap my 3.9 or can is there a way i can get v8 power out of my 3.9

thanks in advance

78D200

The 3.9L V6 motors are just under powered for the Dakota trucks (trust me, I've had 3 of them ranging from 1992 to 2001).

You can get headers, underdrive pulleys, chips, throttle body off of a 5.2 or 5.9 V8, LS in the rear axle, and I think even a cam....... but I wouldn't bother.

If you want V8 power, then swap in a 5.9L Magnum V8 (you can actually do a R/T clone).

Is your truck 2wd or 4wd?

himan12

Its a 2wd.... How hard would a swap be? am i looking at a weekend job sort of thing?

78D200

If you have everything ready to go, then you could get it done in a weekend. Only thing you will need to have made up is a driveshaft.

You'll need a Magnum 5.2L or 5.9L, the computer from the vehicle that motor was in, tranny, computer for the tranny if it is separate from the ECM, complete wiring harness, motor and tranny mounts, radiator....... Can't think of anything else right now. Best/easest thing to do is to have a donor vehicle that this is all coming out of.

Also, the V8 will bolt up to the trans that you have, but it won't last very long.

himan12

Could i pull a traney out of a v8? and also would it be just a bolt to bolt switch or am i looking at doing some body mods to let it have room to fit

78D200

Chrysler used the same bodies on both V6 and V8 trucks. I think the motors even use the same mounting points (but I may be wrong). MOst if not all will bolt right up. The easiest and fastest way to do this swap is to find another 2001-2005 V8 Dodge Dakota and swap everything over to yours. Talk with some of your local junk yards and tell them what you are doing. Some of them may sell you the whole truck and take what is left back.

Yes, I would use the V8 tranny.