3.9 V6

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I was asking myself how?? many years ago, how long would it be before the 60's muscle type car would be hot-rodded to the street rod deal and be at the Goodguys type events? Yes it has been going on awhile. Gets more common every day too. I understand the desire of builders now days to put the modern hemi, FI and all in the 60's cars I have no problem with it, and makes a car that can have great power, good reliability, and mileage.
I guess I am just old fashioned. I like the old V8's in there. Even the lowly slant. But I figure a trip in my old cars is an adventure. Just getting there an back is an adventure!!!!!! Life at my age, every day, never guarantees me any certainty! lol
 
barbee6043 said:
I was asking myself how?? many years ago, how long would it be before the 60's muscle type car would be hot-rodded to the street rod deal and be at the Goodguys type events? Yes it has been going on awhile. Gets more common every day too. I understand the desire of builders now days to put the modern hemi, FI and all in the 60's cars I have no problem with it, and makes a car that can have great power, good reliability, and mileage.
I guess I am just old fashioned. I like the old V8's in there. Even the lowly slant. But I figure a trip in my old cars is an adventure. Just getting there an back is an adventure!!!!!! Life at my age, every day, never guarantees me any certainty! lol
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Amen!
 
Here is another part to the puzzle I've yet to read about.
EXHAUST MANIFOLDS.
How do you clear the steering box. I know it was done but is it worth the aggravation and time to make it work just for 145hp?
No computer upgrades very easily for it. No real cam selection for fuel injection and not really any lighter then a v-8 (5.2). I tried to go this route before going 318 and a modern TBI fuel injection.
Other than pump in tank and return line and some extra wires, it was easy!
Nothing worse than people walking up to your car.... especially when your the only MoPar at the show and you hear the let down in their voice and walk away when they see a /6 or v-6.
I know you are not supposed to care what others think but I wont lie.. I do. I am usually at a show and have been literately the only MoPar at the show and the people who support MoPars were so sad to see my /6 in the Barracuda. Here in New England we get about 4-5 months of driving time to keep the cars from rotting out. So using a car as a daily driver, I wont see the advantage of a v-6 for fuel mileage.
OKAY! off my soap box.
 
I get it but, I can't stop at a gas station in my slant duster that some Joe doesn't want to talk my ear off about all the slants he had and his uncle and dad, and sister!!! But I never talk a car to a show, one reason being I give a big hairy rats *** what anyone thinks! lol
But the modern v6 can run like a scalded dog and striped *** ape, put in some sort of light rod, makes ya wonder. I just personally don't see it in a 65 Valiant.
 
I’m digging the idea! It’s not common. It would take some ingenuity and skills. And engine, tune-up parts, and sensors etc. are available at every corner auto parts store. They have a proven reliability track record. So I say go for it Rani!
 
"I can tell you with 100% absolute certainty that taking an engine out of a van is a severe PITA."

"Doing anything on a B van sucks! Even taking the engine out!!"

Yes, but some things are just WORTH IT!!

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fshd4it said:
I have an '89 3.9 Dakota 2wd that I bought for the A500. I considered putting the motor in my '64 Barracuda, but if I remember correctly it didn't have regular motor mount ears. Just the 3-bolt magnum style on the sides of the block, so on top of everything else to make the swap work, having to fab mounts was enough for me to change my mind. That and the fact that a guy offered me $200 for it.
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I've thought about putting one in my Dart. Why could you not bolt "something" to the mount bosses on the engine, and then fab "the equivalent" of the LA V8 engine ears to that? Would not think it too much work............

and then..............there ........are..........turbos LOL
 
I helped a buddy pull a 440 out of a B van one day. We tried everything, ended up knocking the windshield out and using the fire wrench to cut out the dash/firewall above the engine to pull it up and out. Super huge pain in the ***
 
Seems like I remember someone said they pulled it up through the front door, set it on a dolly, rolled it back and lifted it out the side door??

I pulled a 360 out of a junk van, dropped it out the bottom, but I have a hoist. It still was not fun, nor pretty. Big timber across the door window openings, I was not "saving" the body
 
I have a 87 dakota with the 3.9 engine. FWIW my plans are to switch to the 5.9 magnum.
Let me tell you a few reasons why.

1. 87 is carbed, but it used an electronic feedback control. Basically takes place of the power valve. (holley 6260 2bbl carb)
2. hp and tq. from 87 to 91 is 125hp and 195tq. 92 forward is magnum. 180hp and 220tq. and better mileage.
3. little or no aftermarket support.
a. dist. is odd fire, set at 116 and 124 degrees. no vacuum or mechanical advance. All done through the computer. No longer an aftermarket unit is available
b. No aftermarket intake, heads, etc.

If I could have found a stand alone distributor, I would have tried that with a holley 2280 carb, but again, it has not been available for years.
I cant think of one good reason to use this engine for anything......

Good luck if you choose to use it!!! And as always will enjoy reading about your results!!
 
barbee6043 said:
I get it but, I can't stop at a gas station in my slant duster that some Joe doesn't want to talk my ear off about all the slants he had and his uncle and dad, and sister!!! But I never talk a car to a show, one reason being I give a big hairy rats *** what anyone thinks! lol
But the modern v6 can run like a scalded dog and striped *** ape, put in some sort of light rod, makes ya wonder. I just personally don't see it in a 65 Valiant.
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Barbee6043- I fully get it. More people used to stop my 66 Barracuda ( before the restoration/ modification) where ever I went and the /6 was not even on the radar except at car shows. Every story at the gas station was good and happy and fun.
My 72' 340 4 speed Demon... Different story, everyone wants to race, allays telling me to "HEMI IT" or "BigBlock it."
It gets old. My car and I just politely tell them- do it to your car... they dont even own an older car.
I admit a modern v-6 is 300hp BUT Chrysler has do due diligence in locking out electronic modification from using it in anything else than what they approved it to be in.
A modern v-6 (2009 and newer) is lighter and way more powerful and awesome in an a-body. But those early v-6 were just dogs. Ya! you can turbo or add a power adder like a super charger or nitrous but time is not forever and I dont have the time to go thru all that stuff- maybe why I am very set in my ways. Self employment limits my time so I pick an educated path and just go for it. I avoid "time suckers." Things like old v-6 is fun, maybe drop right in to a v-8 spot in theory, but too much energy for me personally for the outcome. My Dad has a 96 Dakota with a v-6 4wd. Perfect for him and a great little truck. I own 2500 and up Diesels sized truck because if I have to haul, I need to haul 10,000 lbs at a clip or more. Nothing my Dad's Dakota can even contemplate doing.
I apologizes if I offended anyone with my opinions about his matter. I just am old enough to know better and forget others need to learn at their own pace and may have better results than me.

SN: Don't forget to VOTE in US election on Tuesday Nov 6th, 2018!
 
If you were to work with a TBI (88-91 v6), I'd get a '87 intake and put a 318 2bbl on top. That would simplify the swap.
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Would ya be possible to build a distributor using the shell and cap of the 3.9 and the guts of a V8? I have no idea, I was just thinking about Taco Bell which is causing me to have brain farts.
 
318willrun said:
Look at the picture above, that 3.9 is using the regular Chrysler ignition
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Years ago, Mopar made a stand alone dist. that was designed for the odd fire 3.9 Again, it is 116 and 124 on the reluctor wheel. The slant 6 is 120 degrees....
But if anyone could find the correct stand alone dist. I sure would be interested....
 
I did some digging through some of my old papers and wanted to relay this to you.

1. The odd fire is actually 112-128. I mis-spoke above.
2. Here is the part number for the mopar electronic ignition kit. P4529402
3. Here is the part number for the mopar dist. only. P4529401
4. And I "think" this is the part number for the reluctor for the above dist. P4532154

Last, here is a link from this site on this subject. 3.9L V6 Distributor with vacuum advance wanted
 
I had two different B300 vans over a twenty year period. Had the engines out and back in on both of them. It's not that hard. Used a cherry picker, out the front, without sawing anything open. The factory shop manual says to pull off the oil pan. Screw that. I chained the cherry picker boom down tight across the intake. Also if you put the van up on blocks about a foot it helps a lot. Also the 300s sit up a little higher making it easy to crawl around underneath without having to jack it up, so you can disconnect the trans, exhaust and whatever else you need to.

I loved those things. If they hadn't rusted to oblivion I'd still have one. On the second one I eventually swapped in a Cummins 6bt, which was a bit of work, but well worth it in the end. Made an awesome tow vehicle that got decent mileage.
 
75slant6 said:
Would ya be possible to build a distributor using the shell and cap of the 3.9 and the guts of a V8? I have no idea, I was just thinking about Taco Bell which is causing me to have brain farts.
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No two problems.........the points or trigger must match the V6.

Odd or even fire is also a problem, first I knew of this was the old Buick/ Olds/ Jeep 225 V6. The caps....and the breaker points cam...have every other pair closer together........they do not fire every "evenly" 120* of rotation, hence the term "odd fire" or "even fire." So EG you cannot put an even fire distributor into an odd fire engine, or vice-versa.
 
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