Replacing 4pot with V6 in a Neon

[Mitsuru]

I have a UK spec 1997 Chrysler/Dodge Neon LX mk1/1st gen.
I'm looking into replacing the slowly failing(falling apart)
2000cc 4 cylinder SOHC engine, with a 2500cc V6 DOHC engine
and keeping the car automatic.

Are there any systems that you know of that would allow me to
use the cars exsisting Engine Control Unit and gauges etc.
Or any system that could help in fooling the cars exsisting system,
so a stand alone system could be used.

Please note that this car will need to meet UK emissions as i will be used on the public roads, she is my daily driver.
I look forward to any help you can give, picture ofenginebay below.

[RobAGD]

I would think it would be a lot easier to swap in a larger 4 w/ a small turbo than dropping the 6 in. Unless you have all the factory bits to that kind of swap.

-R

[Fargo59]

SRT4 2.4 is the best bet. they fit rather nicely in there and make 240hp stock, 300+ modded mildly.

[Mitsuru]

2.4 swaps have been done to death in the states and also done over here.
A V6 front wheel drive in a neon in Europe has never been done.

[Fargo59]

good luck. the engine bay simply isnt deep enough IMO to fit a chrysler v6. the 3.5 is over 3 feet wide. the only possible v6 chrysler makes that might fit would be the 3.3/3.8. i think you'd rather have the 2.0 than the truck like v6.

[MOL SRT-8]

2.4 swaps have been done to death in the states and also done over here.
A V6 front wheel drive in a neon in Europe has never been done.

and there is a reason why. lol

unless you are able to rewrite the pcm software it will be a BIG job.

[Mitsuru]

My old girl is fitted with a tow hitch, mother has 2 horses.
So the trailer is used for getting one of those big round hay bails.
Or getting the empty horse box from the farm to where her horses are.

Her car is a little daewoo/chevy Kaloos, I've tried hidding the keys,
but gave up as she finds them!
Trucks/SUVs are too big for me and I think that the car could be a sleeper,
if fitted with a V6.

[Tbird100636]

I honestly don't think it will work either. Yeah, it's cool to be different, but with the size of your engine bay, it would require major modifications of the strut towers to fit a V6. As far a a 3.3/3.8L V6, the only trans. it ever utilized was the 41TE Transaxle, which is larger than the Neon's 31TH Transaxle. Although the 41TE would be used starting 2002 in Neons, I don't think it would clear the K-Frame of the first gen Neon. The better and simpler way would be an SRT4 drivetrain, or just get a good used 2.0L and you can get it back on the road faster.

[Mitsuru]

And if I used a none dodge chrysler engine andgearbox?

[Fargo59]

then its plain old hot rodding. good luck but it's rather off the wall.

personally, i'd do a boosted 4 cylinder.

[Tim@NCTSLLC]

I have worked on numerous Neons, and while your desire to be different is admirable, you are far better off to simply drop in a fresh SOHC or DOHC 2.0l replacement engine, or go for the 2.4 turbo setup out of an SRT-4.

I can see why you came on to LX forums because of the European designation for your Neon, but you will find a lot more technical help and knowledge if you look up some of the actual Neon forums for the first generation Neon (which you have).

Regarding a V6 swap, actually there have been a few here in the states who have attempted it, but it is a HUGE project with mixed results.

Here is some discussion on this topic along with a link to the forum site for you.

Best of luck with your project.

"The 3.0L my friend swapped into his neon, he has less than $500 dollars in. the side engine mount, we pulled the guts out of it and flipped them over. the trans mount (remember this is an auto) is stock. we did fab a front engine mount. just made it a solid mount. also had to remote mount the oil filter and upgrade the hubs to the bigger 2nd gen neon spline. wiring was also minimal too.

he drives this thing everyday too. been running for over a year and half almost. made 3 trips to the drag strip too. just for fun. ran mid 15's last trip out. if u look in my project log, there's video from norwalk where we ran each other. he's the green neon w/ the cowl hood.

oh, and the hood had to be modified to clear the intake. we were gonna try to find lower profile intake, but he wanted to do this on a budget."

http://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=352109

edonsohc was the posters user name on the forum.

[Mitsuru]

I have worked on numerous Neons, and while your desire to be different is admirable, you are far better off to simply drop in a fresh SOHC or DOHC 2.0l replacement engine, or go for the 2.4 turbo setup out of an SRT-4.

Regarding a V6 swap, actually there have been a few here in the states who have attempted it, but it is a HUGE project with mixed results.

Here in the UK we don't get half the stuff you get in the states.
SRT-4 turbo being one of them, PT cruiser we did get.
But parts let alone full engines are wayover priced,
you pay a couple of hundred dollars we pay a few thosand pounds.
There are a few variations on cars here and over there.
But one of the more common engines over here used by Jaguar, mazda,
and Ford is the duratec 2.5L v6. or Mitsubihi v6 used in voyages & FTOs.

The mechanical side isn't the problem as I have a welder in the family
for fabrication, another does machine milling etc.
It's the electrics nobody has gone into detail of what they did or used!

[MagNite]

You talk about cost...but I think after trying to swap in a V6 and modifying the components is going to cost way more than simply rebuilding or modifying a 2.0L Doesn't look like there's much room to put a V6 in. The 2.5L Mitsubishi built V6 might fit, but for the HP gain you would get (about 35 hp), you could probably get more hp by adding a turbo to the 2.0L. If you go on Youtube and do a search, looks like quite a few people have put turbos on a 2.0L.

[Mitsuru]

I know the 2.5L duratec st220 engine without tuning can give out well over 200bhp.
And the minute you tell the insurance company you have fitted a turbo to a car that never came with one the premimums double.
So the V6 option is the better option and it's differnt.
Things are different this side of the pond!!
Plus I'm using whats readily available and easy to get parts for!

[MOL SRT-8]

it sounds like you already know what you are going to do so get to work on it.