6g7 v6 swap question

[Pearl_rt]

I know is been done a few times but i cant figure out what transmitions are being used when people swap a 3.3-3.8 v6 into a neon. I don't want to use a automatic trans and would like to use a manual trans. if anyone knows who has done this swap or if anyone as made a list of motors and trans that would work please send me in there direction thanks!

[occasional demons]

The 3.3/3.8/etc. Didn't come with anything but the A604/31th IIRC. Except one specific R/T.

There was a discussion years back on swapping the 3.3 , but I don't know if the thread got lost when the forum crashed a few years back.

I think it was BlueDemon02 that was part of that discussion.

There is Jimbo's 1gn V6 swap on the .org, that would probably be helpful.

https://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?t=362166

I think the only MTX that will work is the T850 from the 3.3 V6 Stratus R/T.

And those are rare, plus no one makes the clutch anymore, and all the aftermarket are gone since we scarfed them up as they were stronger than the regular 2.4 clutch.

So you would be stuck with the N/A 2.4 clutch options.

[occasional demons]

Not sure how similar the 2011 Avenger 3.6 V6/transaxle would fit into a 2gn.

You would have to source a complete donor vehicle to get all the electronics to work though. Pretty sure that was CANBUS vs PCI Bus.

3.6 L Pentastar V6, which generates 283 hp (211 kW) and 260 lb⋅ft (350 N⋅m) of torque.

There was also the Challenger tune, which made 305 hp. But whether that was also a different manifold, etc that contributed to the increase, I'm not sure.

It may not be a reasonably possible swap option, depending on the Transaxle/engine dimensions. But if it was close enough, it would be a fun swap. 283 reliable hp, with perfect manners.

And parts that might still be available.

[Pearl_rt]

I was definitely going to just get a doner car I know there are a few minivans that came with the same style ecu connectors as the 03+ neons would probably try and find one of those and just use that drivetrain and hope that the body harness has the same pin out and just use whatever it has for a motor/trans harness one of my buddies has a spare trans and he has to pull the motor out of his mini van he said he will see if they mate up. The t850 from the stratus rt isn’t that the same as the t850 in the srt4?

[occasional demons]

The bellhousings are different. Only the 3.3/3.8/3.5/and 2.7 share that bellhousing. Possibly one more V6, just off the top of my head.

Pretty much everything you need to know is in Jimbo's thread, just a matter of sifting through it. And dealing with the difference between a 1gn and a 2gn.

[occasional demons]

A bit of discussion here:

https://www.turbododge.com/threads/neon ... ap.366524/

[occasional demons]

The sad thing is I have a 3.0 5 speed from my 1992 Sundance sitting around, but in stock form, it is not worth dropping into a neon.

I raced a '93 Shadow 3.0 / 41te and neither of us could gain on the other. All the way up to 85 mph.

The 2.0 mtx is a better combination than either of those.

[Pearl_rt]

Oh trust me I spent a few hours essentially stalking his progress log lol

[racer12306]

A Pentastar in a Neon would be insane lol

The truck Pentastar was over 300hp too.

[Pearl_rt]

yea but those things are pretty big for a neon they would probly take up most of the engine bay

[INVUJerry]

As far as a manual transmission goes, your only option would be the stratus 2.7 V6, which is a T850 like out of an SRT-4, but with the 2.7/3.3/3.8/4.0 bell housing pattern.

Only way I'd use a 3.6 is if I got the 8 speed with it, the 6 speed gear ratios are weird and I don't like it personally.

The 3.0 in stock form wouldn't be much of a gain over a 2.4 DOHC setup, but when you turbo them the gains come on strong. The 3.0 bottom end is very very stout. A stock 3.0 bottom end has taken an Acclaim deep into the 11's with an HX35 off a cummins, and this was 10+ years ago.

[occasional demons]

I believe the 3.0 bottom end was the same for everything from the 145 hp SOHC through the 320 hp twin turbocharged DOHC Stealth/3000 GT for stock hp ratings.

But fitting it all under the hood in a 2gn could be a problem. Not sure how well even the SOHC version used in the Sundance/Shadow would clear the hood.

[Pearl_rt]

I believe the 3.0 bottom end was the same for everything from the 145 hp SOHC through the 320 hp twin turbocharged DOHC Stealth/3000 GT for stock hp ratings.

But fitting it all under the hood in a 2gn could be a problem. Not sure how well even the SOHC version used in the Sundance/Shadow would clear the hood.

I am more concerned with getting it all to fit in between the frame rails. if the hood doesn't close well that's what a angle grinder is for

[occasional demons]

I don't think there would be much issue with the 3.0 fitting. It has been done in a 1gn or two, and I doubt the 2gn frame rails are any narrower.

[Pearl_rt]

yea but those 3.0 v6s are not the most reliable and the non turbo ones seem pretty gutless and at lease where i am are hard to find and are expensive

[occasional demons]

Not that I would drop one into a neon, but I have never had any issues with the 3.0's. that I have owned since new.

The one in the '89 grand caravan my old employer had had well over 200,000 miles, hauling around a 7 passenger van that was usually loaded with 6 to 7 people.

It was part of the reason I bought a 92 1/2 Sundance Duster.

The 3.0 in our '93 Duster had issues, only because the PO had ran it for God knows how long with a bad thermostat, which kept the 41te out of overdrive.

So it was running at high rpm's constantly cold. But it still made it to 140,000 miles before it got too bad on the oil consumption.

I replaced it with a 64,000 mile engine that sat out in the woods for 12 years. A little cleaning of the chipmunk nests and fuel rail/injectors and it fired up on the first try.
The 3.0 in my '89 Raider never gave me any issues either. That's turning a 4.625:1 gear ratio in the axles.

Even in overdrive, it was 4000 plus rpm at 70 mph.

To be honest all of them except the abused one never needed anything even past 100,000 miles. I have no clue when the timing belts were supposed to be changed, but I never put a new one on, except for the one that was in the woods.

All of the properly maintained 3.0's were less needy than any of my neon engines.

Not nearly as fuel efficient, but then they were never in anything remotely as good as a neon for slipping through the air.

The Sundance/Shadow was a brick in disguise . The Raider was a brick.

[Pearl_rt]

yea they are stupid reliable bore then my neon is rn. crank sensor died last night and my map sensor is bad, driver axle needs to be replaced and the pasenger lower ball joint is bad so this is going to be fun

[racer12306]

My understanding about the 3.0s is if you kept the head gaskets fresh (like every 60k) and changed the oil appropriately, they'd last forever.

We had one in an Acclaim with the 3 speed. Ran like a top to 180k when my parents gave it to a cousin. Barely consumed oil, maybe 1/2 qt over 3000 miles. Poor car never had a chance past that.

[Pearl_rt]

yea my experience with those 3.0 is the same as a new born child has with flat roofing. no experience what so ever

[INVUJerry]

I have an 89 caravan with the 3.0 and I did a 5 speed swap. Honestly it’s not a terrible setup. It’s faster than a 3.3/41te setup just because of the transmission itself. As far as frame rail width, a v6 is only 3 cylinders “long” where an inline 4 is……well 4. The 3.0 or the 3.3 should fit just dandy.

But if you’re dreading some sensors, an axle, and a ball joint, I’d almost reconsider an engine swap until you do way more research. And a 2.4 turbo is going to make way more power and have much more potential than almost any v6 you put in the car.

[occasional demons]

After looking at a 3.6 in a Charger last weekend, I don't see it being too feasible. Even if it fit between the frame rails, it might be a very close fit against the firewall, and fans might need to be on the front of the radiator. It is a frickin' monster. The pulleys and belt spread would have to be totally reengineered. Probably worse than trying to stuff the 3.5 V6 in there.

Given the 3.5 is something around 255 HP, and gets ~33mpg in a 300M, if I had to go to the trouble, I would probably lean towards that. The 3.6 Journey my daughter had, got nowhere near that level of fuel economy.

Could probably hit close to 40 mpg with a 3.5 neon. And still be pretty fun with over 250 hp. Not going to get that with an N/A 2.4 and have great fuel economy.

It would be easy with a boosted 2.4, but I don't see 35 to 40 mpg there. The complexity would be making it fit, but it would be super reliable.

[Pearl_rt]

Just so people know this thread and idea is just more of a concept. getting the motor and transmition to fit isn't a problem as i am semi competent with fabrication. if i really wanted to i could probley make whatever motor i want fit. the hard part is electrical as i want to still use the factory wiring harness for the body. that being said it limits the years of motors and computers that i can use. if i were to do a crazy swap like this it would probably be stuffing a c4 corvete drivetrain and suspension under it (yes i know the neon has a longer wheelbase and the c4 is wider but i would figure something out) but again these ideas are all a pipe dream. luckily i have access to a 94 c4 vet i can take measurements off of but again this is all just a crazy idea.