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03:33:09 - 12/29/2024
Dakota Performance
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Preston
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
20:17:15
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 Subject: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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I have a 3.9L V-6 Magnum engine in a Dodge Dakota. I want to get more horsepower and better acceleration out of it. So far it has around 160hp. My friend suggested buying new headers for it, but I can't find any parts for the 3.9L engine. Can you suggest something, or should I not buy headers, but something else (I'm not very engine savvy.)?
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Idaho4x4
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
20:32:58
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Headers will give you a little more HP. You will want to increase the intake air flow as well. Get like a knn cool air intake. Combined the both of them and you should get 15 to 25 more HP.
As far as the headers goes, you may have to get them custom made.
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Jecht
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
20:38:29
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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could do a turbo charger, maybe a tuner like super chips.rear end gears.
if you want alot I would say engine swap. cant do much with a V-6
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Adam
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
21:36:41
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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If you want a bunch of suggestions for mods just type "Mods" in the search box and you'll find it pretty easily. Just depends how much you are willing to spend too.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
22:03:00
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Unfortunatly, there are not many ready made performance parts for that engine, for obvious reasons. You'll have to be a little imaginative, and make a lot of stuff yourself.
Cold air induction should be first on your list. You can use a conical filter and some ducting from home depot to make one yourself. If you're willing to cut a hole in the hood, a round filter with an open top will work great.
A better exhaust is a slight improvement. If you can find headers and fity a true dual exhaust, that will work great. But probably won't be smog legal. At least make sure you exhaust system is working well, and the cat isn't plugged.
Look in to using a 1.7 rocker arm for a little more valve lift. I believe - but could be wrong - that the 3.9 magnum uses the same rocker arm arrangement as the 5.2 and 5.9 magnums.
What rear gear do you have? I would use at least a 3.92, and consider a 4.10.
And, of course, do all the other little things you hear about to make your vehicle more efficient. Synthetic fluids everywhere, good state of tune, get rid of excess weight, narrower lighter tires, etc.
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chris
Dodge Dakota
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5/22/2005
22:55:26
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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http://www.jbaheaders.com/04productlistheaderstruck.htm
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Mopar318
Dodge Dakota
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5/23/2005
17:55:03
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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I dont know why people say there are not parts for 3.9 or you cant upgrade them. Almost any part you can get for a 5.2 you can get for the 3.9. Throttle body, intake, exhaust, headers, roller rockers, underdrive pulleys, camshafts, supercharger, Almost anything you can think of you just gotta look hard. My friend has the 3.9 in his truck and he has a lot of the same parts i do on my 5.2.
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ricardcapecod
Dodge Dakota
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5/23/2005
23:32:12
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Yes Preston.
You can do everything you want, and almost everything available to the 5.2, is also available to the 3.9.
The problem is how much money you`re willing to spend to have about same hp and torque of a V8 from factory.
Just do the math:
CAI + or - $300,00,
TB + or - $200,00 (fastman),
Intake manif. + or - $150,00,
CAMS $200,00 to $700,00,
Rocker arms + - $300,00,
Headers + - $300,00,
High flow cat + - $200,00,
Exaust + - $300,00,
MSD ignition + plug wires + distribuitor rotors and cap + - $250,00,
PCM flash + - $400,00,
There is more, but, as you stated, you are not a real pro, so add a bundle for labor cost and it will be costing much more than if you just get a V8.
No offense, but if you like power, get a V8.
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blk47dak
Dodge Dakota
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5/24/2005
22:25:24
|  RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Okay, I had a 2000 RC 3.9 for awhile. You can do anything you want to it. I called Dan Archand (www.thefastman.com) and he can do a custom intake manifold, cam and heads for you. The cold air intakes for a 5.2 or 5.9 will fit a 3.9. People say "with modifications" but not really. You may have to bend a bracket or something but no machine work. You can get a V8 throttle body from a junk yard or off of eBay. They bolt right up and give the best bang for the buck. Don't pay more than about $75 for one of these. A few companies have headers (JBA, Pace Setter). The exhaust doesn't need to cost $300. Instead of a full catback exhaust, go to a muffler shop and ask for a 40 Series "Original Flows" single in / single out Flowmaster. Do not get a Delta Flow model. Or you can do like I did and get a Flowmaster with dual outs and turn downs. Either one will be under $100. The high flow cat should be last and should not cost more than $125. If you have any questions about the 3.9, just shoot me an email. There are alot of people on here that don't know what they are talking about and just spread the same incorrect crap they hear on here from somewhere else. www.blk47dak@yahoo.com
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ace
Dodge Dakota
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5/24/2005
23:54:58
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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yea i could cut the price in half on alot of things on that list. its really not hard to work on a 3.9 like everyone says it is.
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ricardcapecod
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
00:38:54
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Everything is easy if you got the knowhow.
This aply to vehicle mechanicals too.
Some mods are really easy, but others, not soo.
About the price list, it is + - market price, not that special deal that the pros know.
I would not buy the cheapest any thing.
In most cases you end up regreting if you did, believe me.
Quality is very important.
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another mark
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
00:57:40
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Unless you supercharge it, everything else you do isn't really going to be that much of an improvement. If you got money to throw away go for it, there are plenty of mods you can do for 10 horses here and 20 there, but so what you still have a heavy truck with a small engine. I've done lots of these mods and am speaking with my wallet here.
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blk47dak
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
06:00:35
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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"About the price list, it is + - market price, not that special deal that the pros know.
I would not buy the cheapest any thing.
In most cases you end up regreting if you did, believe me.
Quality is very important."
We are not saying in order to beat those prices you have to know someone or get a special deal. There are also plenty of places where the "top of the line" item and a lower priced quality item perform identically. Especially on a 3.9. A 3.9, being a smaller version of the 5.2, responds to mods, but not as much. A $300 CAI (which is rediculous) would perform no better on the 3.9 than a $180 Airaid. Alot of people sink big dollars into the Flometrics line of throttle bodies. At $400+, when I can get a Fastman at $200 or less, is just stupid, even if there were a small difference.
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ricardcapecod
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
11:22:00
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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I`ve got Fastman TB too. They`re excellent, no doubt.
blk47dak; Are you starting college with no money to burn?
Do you remember how that is or have you been there?
Personaly, i agree w/ you, but take under consideration Preston`s position. What is good for one, may not be the wise choice for others.
My oppinion is that if you want to start modifying, start w/ a V8.
V6s will never go beyond of the best of second class performance and you knoll that.
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blk47dak
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
13:47:11
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Actually, I am in the military and going to college on the side, still with no money to burn. I am scraping to pay tuition. That's why my truck is receiving no mods for a long time. But, I look at it this way, in two years I'll be out of the military with by Bachelors and Masters making almost twice what I am now. Then I can mod the piss out of my truck.
When people say, start with a V8, it's not always that simple. I could have bought a V8 when I joined the military. My first wife and I were PCSing to England and could only take one car. I convinced her to trade in her car on a Dak and I would buy her some cool foreign car when we got over there. Bad mistake. She refused to drive a stick or let me buy a V8. She wouldn't sign papers. Notice she was my first wife. I had to ditch the bitch when I got back to the states. So I was stuck with a 3.9 automatic. Trading in a truck for another one of equal stature, maybe a 2000 RC V6 for a 2000 RC V8, will still cost you a few grand once the trade is done. If people are tight for money now, you think they can afford a trade?
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Wesley
Dodge Dakota
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5/25/2005
23:37:28
| 3.9L Mod ideas
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I'm a high schooler that has worked on many hot rods but perfers off-roading over racing. I am interested in installing a Turbocharger for my 3.9L On top of that I know how to install a easy nitrous system used to elimnate the turbo lag, save your engine, and make a bottle last. I need information on how to trick the computer to accept the new boost pressure. I have only thought of using the 3000GT computer and installing it in. Yes, new headers are always good for a engine along with TRUE dual exhaust from the headers back using two cats and two mufflers. Some small shops will let you do the work at cost of the supplies. Also I wanna know what other mods you can use from the 5.2 litre for the 3.9?
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Corey
Dodge Dakota
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5/26/2005
01:57:23
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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well,well, well. I see this same problem with all the v-8 cut v-6's. And here's the reason, when a company designs an engine like the 318, they don't usually at the time, think about making that engine into a v-6, back in the old days, when engines like the 5.2 and 5.9 were introduced they used good ol' cubic inches to make power with low technology, then in the future, they decide to make an easy, economical motor like say, the 3.9, that poor motor has the worst of both worlds..It has a kinda small size, (no monster cubic inches to make power)It has heavy parts designed to hold up to 25% more displacement, which is good for 2 reasons,1 is it will take one hell of a beating and keep on running forever possibly to 300,000 miles with maybe rings and bearings and oilpump, or valve job, and #2 is kinda a given regarding the toughness of the engine and that is to apply an artificial atmosphere to it, either supercharging, turbocharging, or good ol' N2O in large amounts, I bet an engine like that could take up to 20 lbs of boost with minor reinforcements such as rods, bearings, caps, studs, head gasket,ETC.. and at least 150 shot of nitrous with those same mods, if you don't do any of those, there is absoloutely NO WAY your going to have a fast engine using an antique 2 valve v-8 derived intake and such a small displacement. That's it, either use the strength of the bullet-proof motor to use heavily forced induction, or take it for what it is, a 150 HP engine that might sip gas and outlast any more powerful motors by maybe 2 times over... If you don't like that get a single or double overhead cam ford, toyota, nissan,or honda motor that uses the advancements of the 21st Century to its advantage!!!!!
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Haulndak
Dodge Dakota
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5/26/2005
07:24:29
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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Just takes a little work. Thats a forged/studded 3.9 bottom end. It should make in the mid 400's at the wheels on nitrous and in the upper 500ft/lb area.
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uh cory?
Dodge Dakota
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5/26/2005
10:40:54
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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U said:" If you don't like that get a single or double overhead cam ford, toyota, nissan,or honda motor that uses the advancements of the 21st Century to its advantage!!!!! "
hey dude all that stuff was invented in the 20th century ain't nutin new about it.
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preston
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2005
21:55:27
|  RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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if you go to truck performance.com you can find a set f headers for a 3.9 liter dakota but they are fairly expensive
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another mark
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2005
22:11:17
| RE: Can you do anything with a 3.9L?
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As someone who has done tons of mods, unless you get drastic your just going to have a slightly faster heavy V6 powered truck.
Drastic = supercharge, turbo, nitrous, engine swap.
How much money do you have to burn? Lots can be done, but in the end, it didn't do much for me.
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