Learn me Chrysler 3.5 V6...

Got a project I'm working with a guy on. Who knows these engines? They came in the 300M and Concord. Any aftermarket parts, anyone racing these, how tough are they?

Thanks,

Brian

no aftermarket parts that I know of. I wouldn't say they're tough. We've had our share at the shop with spun bearings, cracked rings, broken timing belts, broken plastic intakes... at least in mechanic circles they're a bit of a joke. Those shortcomings might be easy to overcome, but in stock form they're nothing to write home about.

Maybe it's just my mind going, but I am pretty sure the 3.5 in my LHS has a cast manifold. Then again, it is the first generation 3.5.

Mine has 125k on it and is doing just fine. I believe this is simply an engine where preventative maintenance is paramount.

There's a thread lurking on these very forums where a guy is swapping a 3.5 into a Vanagon.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/vanagonlhs/31448/page1/

Click and stare!

More likely that theres still many old ones running while many other makes the same age have died and the old ones owned by cheap asses give them a bad reputation. funny how that works out for some cars that are very reliable in reality.

Also the Chev V6 has a better rep but you need to work on them just to match what the Chrysler already has ie; 250+hp (later ones).

my only experience with a 3.5 was in a 94 LHS that i got for free with 2 blown head gaskets due to the plastic impeller on the water pump disappearing into the coolant somehow. i put a water pump, timing belt, and head gaskets in it and got almost 2 years and about 20,000 trouble free miles out of it before selling the car for $700. i did like the way the front of the engine was pointing at the front of the engine bay like a real car, even tho it was a front wheel drive car.

it always got around 24 miles per gallon no matter how i drove it and only failed to start on one -30 degree morning. i kind if miss that car..

novaderrik wrote: . i did like the way the front of the engine was pointing at the front of the engine bay like a real car, even tho it was a front wheel drive car.

Dont you mean like an old car

Joey

It's the first new car engine I've ever had that uses oil between changes. The dual runner intake flappy door goes silly and throws a code - a new one involves a complete upper intake plenum at ~$1000.

But it's peppy.

joey48442 wrote:

novaderrik wrote: . i did like the way the front of the engine was pointing at the front of the engine bay like a real car, even tho it was a front wheel drive car.

Dont you mean like an old car Joey

old cars are real cars. sideways engines just aren't right.

novaderrik wrote:

joey48442 wrote:

novaderrik wrote: . i did like the way the front of the engine was pointing at the front of the engine bay like a real car, even tho it was a front wheel drive car.

Dont you mean like an old car Joey

old cars are real cars. sideways engines just aren't right.

Three of my four cars are rear wheels drive... But the way of the future I'm afraid is fwd...

Joey

What year of engine are you working with?

1g engines 93-97 were rated 214hp (iirc) and had the cast aluminum plenum with 2 throttle bodies. The 98-04 engine in the LH car (fwd longitudinal full size) were rated 240-255 (all the same engine) and had a plastic plenum with 1 larger throttle body, and there are also the newer versions used in the avenger and sebring sedans, pacificas, and the LX cars (charger, magnum, 300). These 3.5s were making 250hp long before the VQ35. Too bad dodge dropped the ball so hard and never improved the power from 98-present. It wouldnt have taken much.

The older LH ones i can talk a bit about..

first of all, the 214hp rating is a joke on the 1g engine. Basically its the real number minus what the pathetic intake and exhaust plumbing takes away. These engines are somewhat unique among old, domestic family cars in that they continue to make power right up to redline. If you open up the intake and exhaust they gain noticeably and are still increasing in power at the 6500rpm upshift point in the 1g cars.

93-95 and 96-97 use slightly different heads, the 96-97 flowing more but dropping compression slightly on the same pistons. 98-up have another head that is even better. I prefer the 1g exhaust manifolds to the nasty 2g setup. The 2nd gen went to an aluminum block, and pan, and the reciprocating assembly was lighter as well i believe due to differences in rod and piston. Neither one has durability issues at near-stock power levels if you're wondering.

The 2g spins a few hundred more rpm, but the 1g can do the same thing if the engine controls let it.

the 1g uses a side-flow (like tbi) injector setup that there are no upgrades for, the 2g uses a more conventional setup.

The 1g intake manifold tuning valve opens up a channel between the two plenums at 4800 rpm and makes a very noticeable difference.

Upgrading the throttle bodies from ~48 to 52mm on the 1g intake saw high rpm gains in the butt dyno on my old intrepid.

1g are non-interference, im not sure about the newest ones.

Are you using the stock transmission?

Not to go too off topic here, but Vigo, how would you go about opening up the intake on a first-gen 3.5?