chiefsmitty89

2013 Dodge Challenger 3.6 blown engine trying put a 98 360 engine in it can it be swapped???

Kuvasz101

Anything can be done but that my friend is a real challenge.

Iowan

Gen lll is a small block so it should be doable.

Archer

c -

Yeah, anything can be done, but why would you want to???

Besides the nostalgia, you be getting a (slightly) less relatable engine, that (might) need a little more babying and worse gas mileage; and then there's the problem of getting a "360" to pass inspection in a 2013 car. The 3.6 can get over 325 HP with very little work, while you can get more than that from a modified 360, you might not be happy with it on the street.

You didn't mention the purpose of the car.

Archer

Kuvasz101

I'm a bit lazy and not the best at fabricating. I'm thinking the tranny, motor mounts and exhaust won't match up just for starters. I guess it depends on your skill and energy to make the change.

Iowan

The 3.6 is hardly a reliable engine, engine failures start around 50k.

Archer

Iowan -

Mine has around 90K, and barely breaks a sweat at full throttle..

Archer

Iowan

I’d say you’re lucky because when they go bad and they aren’t caught it’s expensive. I don’t care what year you have the probability of rocker failure, cam and valve train failures including dropped valves followed by catastrophic engine failure are possible. It’s not hard to research the problems with the 3.6 just do a google search.
edit: One more thing is the head castings for 11, 12 and 13 had head recalls so heads were back ordered for years and still were as of a year ago.

Kuvasz101

This is not my view, but it's an opinion from the site Vehiclefreak.com

3.6 Pentastar Reliability and Maintenance

Judging by owner reviews it’s safe to say the 3.6 Pentastar is one of the most reliable engines out there. There are numerous that have put over 250,000 miles on their 3.6 without having any major issues. The early versions, roughly up until 2013, did have some fairly major common problems. But the engines usually show those issues by 30,000 miles so there is no need to worry about those.


[img]data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTIiIGhlaWdodD0iOCI gdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDEyIDgiIGZpbGw9Im5vbmUiIHhtbG5zP SJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+CjxwYXRoIGZ pbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkI iBkPSJNMTEuMjU5MiAwLjU4NjMwOUMxMC45NDk4IDAuNjc2MTI zIDEwLjM2OCAwLjg5ODU1NSAxMC4xNDE1IDEuMzQzNjJDOS45M jgxOSAxLjc2MjIxIDEwLjA2OSAyLjMzNzU0IDEwLjE5NzUgMi4 2N0MxMC41MDY3IDIuNTgwMjkgMTEuMDg5OSAyLjM1Nzg2IDExL jMxNjUgMS45MTIzOEMxMS41NDMyIDEuNDY3MzEgMTEuMzczMSA wLjg4MTIwOCAxMS4yNTkyIDAuNTg2MzA5VjAuNTg2MzA5Wk05L jkwMDYxIDMuMjU1OUw5LjgxMjMgMy4wODUyQzkuNzg4OTMgMy4 wMzk3MyA5LjI0MjA5IDEuOTYyNzggOS42NzMwMyAxLjExNjg4Q zEwLjEwMzYgMC4yNzA3NzggMTEuMzEzNiAwLjA0MzkzMjEgMTE uMzY0OCAwLjAzNDY5NEwxMS41NTc2IDBMMTEuNjQ1OSAwLjE3M DY5OUMxMS42NjkzIDAuMjE2MTcxIDEyLjIxNiAxLjI5MzAyIDE xLjc4NDkgMi4xMzkxMkMxMS4zNTQ4IDIuOTg0ODIgMTAuMTQ0N yAzLjIxMTg3IDEwLjA5MzMgMy4yMjExMUw5LjkwMDYxIDMuMjU 1OVoiIGZpbGw9IiM5MTkxOTEiLz4KPHBhdGggZmlsbC1ydWxlP SJldmVub2RkIiBjbGlwLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIGQ9Ik0yLjY 0NDc1IDIuNjQ3NzlDMi41NzkxNyAxLjI4MzQzIDEuNDQwMjIgM C4xOTQ4NzggMC4wMzI5NTkgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkMwLjA zNDAxMTYgNS4zODI1NiAwLjAzNTA2NDIgNS4zODI0NiAwLjAzN jExNjkgNS4zODIzNkMwLjEwMTY5NiA2Ljc0NjcyIDEuMjQwNjQ gNy44MzUzNyAyLjY0NzkxIDcuODY4NTJWMi42NDc2OUMyLjY0N jg1IDIuNjQ3NjkgMi42NDU4IDIuNjQ3NzkgMi42NDQ3NSAyLjY 0Nzc5IiBmaWxsPSIjOTE5MTkxIi8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZ T0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNNS4 3MTcyNiAyLjY0Nzc5QzUuNjUxNjggMS4yODM0MyA0LjUxMjczI DAuMTk0ODc4IDMuMTA1NDcgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkMzLjE wNjUyIDUuMzgyNTYgMy4xMDc1NyA1LjM4MjQ2IDMuMTA4NzMgN S4zODIzNkMzLjE3NDIxIDYuNzQ2NzIgNC4zMTMxNSA3LjgzNTM 3IDUuNzIwNTIgNy44Njg1MlYyLjY0NzY5QzUuNzE5NDcgMi42N Dc2OSA1LjcxODMxIDIuNjQ3NzkgNS43MTcyNiAyLjY0Nzc5IiB maWxsPSIjOTE5MTkxIi8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlb m9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNOC43OTAwMSA yLjY0Nzc5QzguNzI0MzMgMS4yODM0MyA3LjU4NTQ5IDAuMTk0O Dc4IDYuMTc4MjIgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkM2LjE3OTI4IDU uMzgyNTYgNi4xODAzMyA1LjM4MjQ2IDYuMTgxMzggNS4zODIzN kM2LjI0Njk2IDYuNzQ2NzIgNy4zODYwMSA3LjgzNTM3IDguNzk zMTcgNy44Njg1MlYyLjY0NzY5QzguNzkyMTIgMi42NDc2OSA4L jc5MTA2IDIuNjQ3NzkgOC43OTAwMSAyLjY0Nzc5IiBmaWxsPSI jOTE5MTkxIi8+Cjwvc3ZnPgo=[/img]If you want proof of that, just go on AutoTrader and you will find hundreds of models that have the 3.6 with over 250,000 miles. And keep in mind that these are very cheap cars so the maintenance record will most likely be very bad on a lot of those examples. It’s also worth mentioning that the record holder for the highest mileage 3.6 is a Jeep with over 600,000 miles on the original engine.

And given the nature of this engine, the maintenance is extremely simple which also means cheap. It’s also the perfect engine if you want to learn how to work on cars and save some money that way. Plus, the fact that over 10 million of these engines were made, the parts are extremely cheap and easy to come by.

3.6 Pentastar Common Problems

Left Cylinder Head Failure

[img]data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTIiIGhlaWdodD0iOCI gdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDEyIDgiIGZpbGw9Im5vbmUiIHhtbG5zP SJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+CjxwYXRoIGZ pbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkI iBkPSJNMTEuMjU5MiAwLjU4NjMwOUMxMC45NDk4IDAuNjc2MTI zIDEwLjM2OCAwLjg5ODU1NSAxMC4xNDE1IDEuMzQzNjJDOS45M jgxOSAxLjc2MjIxIDEwLjA2OSAyLjMzNzU0IDEwLjE5NzUgMi4 2N0MxMC41MDY3IDIuNTgwMjkgMTEuMDg5OSAyLjM1Nzg2IDExL jMxNjUgMS45MTIzOEMxMS41NDMyIDEuNDY3MzEgMTEuMzczMSA wLjg4MTIwOCAxMS4yNTkyIDAuNTg2MzA5VjAuNTg2MzA5Wk05L jkwMDYxIDMuMjU1OUw5LjgxMjMgMy4wODUyQzkuNzg4OTMgMy4 wMzk3MyA5LjI0MjA5IDEuOTYyNzggOS42NzMwMyAxLjExNjg4Q zEwLjEwMzYgMC4yNzA3NzggMTEuMzEzNiAwLjA0MzkzMjEgMTE uMzY0OCAwLjAzNDY5NEwxMS41NTc2IDBMMTEuNjQ1OSAwLjE3M DY5OUMxMS42NjkzIDAuMjE2MTcxIDEyLjIxNiAxLjI5MzAyIDE xLjc4NDkgMi4xMzkxMkMxMS4zNTQ4IDIuOTg0ODIgMTAuMTQ0N yAzLjIxMTg3IDEwLjA5MzMgMy4yMjExMUw5LjkwMDYxIDMuMjU 1OVoiIGZpbGw9IiM5MTkxOTEiLz4KPHBhdGggZmlsbC1ydWxlP SJldmVub2RkIiBjbGlwLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIGQ9Ik0yLjY 0NDc1IDIuNjQ3NzlDMi41NzkxNyAxLjI4MzQzIDEuNDQwMjIgM C4xOTQ4NzggMC4wMzI5NTkgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkMwLjA zNDAxMTYgNS4zODI1NiAwLjAzNTA2NDIgNS4zODI0NiAwLjAzN jExNjkgNS4zODIzNkMwLjEwMTY5NiA2Ljc0NjcyIDEuMjQwNjQ gNy44MzUzNyAyLjY0NzkxIDcuODY4NTJWMi42NDc2OUMyLjY0N jg1IDIuNjQ3NjkgMi42NDU4IDIuNjQ3NzkgMi42NDQ3NSAyLjY 0Nzc5IiBmaWxsPSIjOTE5MTkxIi8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZ T0iZXZlbm9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNNS4 3MTcyNiAyLjY0Nzc5QzUuNjUxNjggMS4yODM0MyA0LjUxMjczI DAuMTk0ODc4IDMuMTA1NDcgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkMzLjE wNjUyIDUuMzgyNTYgMy4xMDc1NyA1LjM4MjQ2IDMuMTA4NzMgN S4zODIzNkMzLjE3NDIxIDYuNzQ2NzIgNC4zMTMxNSA3LjgzNTM 3IDUuNzIwNTIgNy44Njg1MlYyLjY0NzY5QzUuNzE5NDcgMi42N Dc2OSA1LjcxODMxIDIuNjQ3NzkgNS43MTcyNiAyLjY0Nzc5IiB maWxsPSIjOTE5MTkxIi8+CjxwYXRoIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlb m9kZCIgY2xpcC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBkPSJNOC43OTAwMSA yLjY0Nzc5QzguNzI0MzMgMS4yODM0MyA3LjU4NTQ5IDAuMTk0O Dc4IDYuMTc4MjIgMC4xNjE2MjFWNS4zODI1NkM2LjE3OTI4IDU uMzgyNTYgNi4xODAzMyA1LjM4MjQ2IDYuMTgxMzggNS4zODIzN kM2LjI0Njk2IDYuNzQ2NzIgNy4zODYwMSA3LjgzNTM3IDguNzk zMTcgNy44Njg1MlYyLjY0NzY5QzguNzkyMTIgMi42NDc2OSA4L jc5MTA2IDIuNjQ3NzkgOC43OTAwMSAyLjY0Nzc5IiBmaWxsPSI jOTE5MTkxIi8+Cjwvc3ZnPgo=[/img]The cylinder head issue is a fairly known problem with the 3.6 Pentastar engine but it only affects the 2011 to 2013 engines. After that, the cylinder heads were revised and the problem basically doesn’t happen at all anymore. The problem with the cylinder head is that the valve seats overheat and become loose. That causes ticking when the RPMs are rising or falling.

It can also trigger a check engine light, cause misfires, increase fuel consumption, and reduce performance. Chrysler recognized this problem and increased the warranty on the left cylinder head to 150,000 miles. And keep in mind that if this problem was going to happen, it would have happened early on in the engine’s life.

Fixing this problem means replacing the cylinder head with the newer, revised part. That’s not a problem if the engine is still covered by the warranty, but it will definitely be expensive if you pay for it out of your own pocket.

You are looking at $1,500 in parts and labor at the very least. But again, this only affects early engines, and less than 1% of owners have reported this problem. The point is, it’s nothing to worry about today, over ten years later.

Iowan

I don’t have much faith in owner reviews as the public is generally ignorant about there second most expensive purchase made in there life. Payment costs is the primary concern after will it have all the bells and whistles wanted. If you want to know about the 3.6 role into the back of a larger Mopar dealer and talk with a mechanic. I have a friend who has an engine machine shop that rebuilds most everything and the amount of 3.6 and 5.7 hemi’s that come in would shock you, the hemi has the same problem with rockers and dropped valves. His response for the 3.6 is look for a used one and replace parts as needed the hemi it depends on the cylinder condition and year.