3.9 V6

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
FABO Gold Member
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I recently got a tip from a friend who knows I am always looking for old cars and parts.

What he found this round is a 91 dodge van with a 3.9 L V6.

At first my thought was that I am not interested in the van because I am no longer in the market for a van of any kind.

Then I started thinking, it does have the newer efi and all the modern stuff......

I wonder how the 3.9 V6 would do, powering a duster or an early A.

Any thoughts?
 
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I had considered the same thing.
Figured the v6 would make as much power as the old stock v8.
More than a /6.
Dont know if i would go to all the trouble,unless the drive train was available for a very good price.
 
I had a 3.9
I think I replaced every sensor on it at least once. It seems like it was always throwing a code and running like crap.
Nothing mechanical broke.
I couldn’t get rid of that truck quick enough.
 
I had a 94 Dakota with that engine.
It was probably one of the best trucks I ever owned.
Never had a problem with that truck.
 
Well , I like the V6 engine, in that van it will be a roller engine @Rainy Day Auto , I have a 91 318 van here on the hill with only 60 grand on it, roller engine. It drives great but it don't have reverse, I would think taking a van engine out is a PITA ....

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memike said:
Well , I like the V6 engine, in that van it will be a roller engine @Rainy Day Auto , I have a 91 318 van here on the hill with only 60 grand on it, roller engine. It drives great but it don't have reverse, I would think taking a van engine out is a PITA ....

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I can tell you with 100% absolute certainty that taking an engine out of a van is a severe PITA. I took this 5.9 out of a 94 B350 last month and it would have been impossible with a standard engine hoist. We cut the front frame cross member and used the a fork lift. The only other way would have been to lift the body off the K frame assembly.
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autopar3000 said:
I can tell you with 100% absolute certainty that taking an engine out of a van is a severe PITA. I took this 5.9 out of a 94 B350 last month and it would have been impossible with a standard engine hoist. We cut the front frame cross member and used the a fork lift. The only other way would have been to lift the body off the K frame assembly.
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Yep, that would be the way to do it, I hope to drive the van to a few fishing holes even with out reverse , but if I do use the engine it will be taken out the way you did it :thumbsup:
 
I have seen the 3.9 go well over 200K miles. Could be a nice for a daily driver, Fuel injection and all.
 
I have 3.9's in both my 96 Dakota pick ups and had one in a 2000 that I owned. I just replaced timing chain and gears in my 96 4 wheeler. It is just like any Mopar small block. Those engines are Magnum's with good heads and roller cams. There was a member here that put one in a 66 Dart wagon. I'll see if I can find the post. I would stay away from the 3.6 and stay with the LA style 3.9 pushrod engine.
 
Same amount of work to put in a V8. Plus doing anything on a B van sucks! Even taking the engine out!!
 
We have a 93 Dak 4WD we bought brand new with the 3.9 with 218,000 on it. Never been opened up or any sensor replaced! Did have to replace a starter, water pump and radiator (twice - love those plastic tanks!). Service every 3000 miles guess has helped.

I bought a 92 2WD Dak for the motor (3.9), A500, all the wiring, computer, etc to go in my 47 Dodge project (or after this thread I’m thinking my 65 Dart wagon!).

I think another member used the 3,9, A500 and all the FI stuff in a 66 Valiant or Dart wagon. Apparently worked quite well and got decent gas mileage. Car got stolen and totaled as I remember.

If you’re contemplating the swap, I’d say go for it!
 
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65 Dartman said:
We have a 93 Dak 4WD we bought brand new with the 3.9 with 218,000 on it. Never been opened up or any sensor replaced! Did have to replace a starter, water pump and radiator (twice - love those plastic tanks!). Service every 3000 miles guess has helped.

I bought a 92 2WD Dak for the motor (3.9), A500, all the wiring, computer, etc to go in my 47 Dodge project.

I think another member used the 3,9, A500 and all the FI stuff in a 66 Valiant or Dart wagon. Apparently worked quite well and got decent gas mileage. Car got stolen and totaled as I remember.

If you’re contemplating the swap, I’d say go for it!
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Lol I was posting about the wagon while you were typing.
 
The 3.9 is a 5.2 with 2 cylinders missing . If you want a cheap swap ,go for it . If you want a hot rod that is different , go for it . Personally , I like them and it will be in my next project . I love to show people different ways of hot rodding . I thinking an early A-body with a v-6 warmed over and a 904 prepped , highstall converter and 3.23 gears . I'm thinking a great cruiser with some zip . Or maybe a Pro-Charger ?
 
Exactly. A 3.9 is a 5.2 minus two cylinders. Was the 5.2 a good engine? Nuff 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.
 
My brother had a 3.9 in his 2000 Dakota, about 3 years in he got in an accident on the freeway that smashed the radiator into the front of the engine, only damage (to the engine) was a broken tensioner pulley, since that day the only thing that engine ever gave him problems with was the replacement tensioners going bad every 30k miles
 
I pulled a 360 out of a van. First I pulled the tranny underneath. Then I removed the dog house and passenger seat, opened the door and out she came :D
 
The ‘91 was the last year of TBI, ‘92 was first year of MPI Magnum 3.9 with a huge increase in performance - so no it does not have newer efi.
It would be good in a duster. It’s just as much work & $ as putting in a V8 so I wouldn’t bother with swapping it in something else.
The Magnum 3.9s have a lot of torque for a V6, just a touch lower HP than Jeep 4.0 but much more torque.
Not sure there is much available for increasing performance and the Magnum really need a better intake manifold.
 
SSVDP said:
The ‘91 was the last year of TBI, ‘92 was first year of MPI Magnum 3.9 with a huge increase in performance - so no it does not have newer efi.
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Good catch on the TBI in 91 and the much better MPI in 92!
 
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