Tech Q and A
I own a 2007 Lime Daytona Charger and to get a little more sound from the exhaust I had the resonator removed. I also had a cold air intake kit installed to hopefully help with the performance and gas mileage. The sound and gas mileage both are improved but it would be nice to know if HP was more. I plan to purchase a 2009 or 2010 “limited edition B5 blue” Challenger. I was excited to see the article “Heavy Breathing” on page 36 of the MM Jan/Feb ‘09 issue about the installation of the Mopar exhaust & intake. After reading, I was very disappointed to see the end results. The owner of the car couldn’t determine if performance was enhanced or if the sound was actually better. Do you know if anyone has installed these items and the actual results from that, or could your staff investigate the benefits from those installations?
MM: I own a 2005 Magnum R/T and installed the Mopar Cold Air Intake (77060003AC) and the Mopar Cat-Back™ Exhaust (P4510855). I noticed a pretty big gain in throttle response and a nice exhaust note to boot. As far as the results for the exhaust, shaving a tenth or two off the 0-60 timer seems pretty reasonable to me. And with the cold air intake results, my perception was a better throttle response and HP gain. Since a cold air intake is only worth about 7-12 hp (in real world dyno testing), it would be difficult to judge by the seat of your pants (especially when the Challenger SRT8® engine is at 425 hp starting out).
I’m wondering about the feasibility of swapping out the 2-bbl Holley and intake on my 1986 318 Grand Fury with a ThermoQuad and intake from a 318 in a 1978 Diplomat. This is just a “quick-fix” approach I conceived with existing components to realize some performance: i.e. improved acceleration. If workable, what difference in mileage could I expect under normal highway driving? Presently, the engine with factory 2-bbl runs erratically at idle, and in the low end immediately after shifting into high gear. I have replaced all vacuum hoses, and without a gauge, found no obvious vacuum leaks, though certainly not eliminated the possibility of a leak. Also, there are heavy throttle bogs in a lean condition, I assume, as it picks up when I let off. I rebuilt the carb to spec without affecting this either. I could live with a better 2-bbl if the ThermoQuad would offer no improvement in mileage, or was a complete pain to accomplish.
MM: Yes, you can swap the intake/carb combo over and it will be a direct fit. As far as fuel economy, you’re replacing a smaller carb with a bigger one, so I would expect, if anything, your performance would be boosted a little but fuel economy would go down. In regards to the shifting issue, you should check your shifter linkage and transmission fluid level. It would also be a good idea to get a vacuum reading with a gauge to find out where you’re at. And finally, you should consider checking for intake vacuum leaks using a non-flammable carb cleaner and spraying a small amount around the intake to head flange surface area. Any change in the idle will tell you if you have a leak or not.
I have a 2000 Dodge Neon with 2.0L. It has 110,266 miles on the engine. I had a local mechanic replace the head gasket last year, but this month it started leaking again. I noticed it when I changed my oil this month. When the head gasket is replaced should head gasket sealant be used? And after the cylinder head bolts are torqued to specification, do they need to be re-torqued after the engine temperature is raised to operating temperature?
MM: One big question with any head gasket replacement is: Why did it let go in the first place? If the head gasket replacement was needed due to an overheating condition, the head could have easily been warped, and replacing the gasket would have just bought you time. The correct procedure when replacing the head gasket would be to inspect the head for cracks and put the head on a surface plate to check if it’s warped or not. If the head is cracked or warped (severely) it should be replaced. If the head is warped slightly it can be surfaced and re-used. The installation of the head is pretty straight forward, no sealant is to be used and the torque sequence is as follows: All (25 lb-ft), (50 lb-ft), (50 lb-ft), (then turn an additional 1/4 turn without a torque wrench), all following a spiral pattern starting from the middle of the head working your way out. Please check with your local Dodge dealer for service procedures.
I just aimed the headlights on a 2007 Dodge Ram. I use a Hoppy Vision 1 Image Processing Headlamp Aimer. I’ve been aiming headlamps for a while now and notice that most manufacturers are not putting on left to right adjustments! All they are providing are up and down adjustments. After a collision, we want the vehicle to go out perfect. But it seems that most light beams point to the left, which makes me wonder if I did something wrong on my repairs? Why do they not put left and right adjustments on many vehicles?
MM: I understand there is no left to right adjustment on the Ram, as long as the core support is perfectly straight (which they usually are from the factory) the headlights will project directly forward with no need to be adjusted from left to right. The vertical adjustment is there to adjust for vehicle load or suspension sag. If the lights are not straight, you might have to get a little creative (i.e. shims).
I have a 1995 Dodge Dakota king cab with a V6 and 5-speed. I purchased a 2002 Durango with a 2003 4.7L engine in it. Can I put the motor in my Dakota and add an automatic to the back of it. If so, what will I need to do to make it work?
MM: A 4.7 swap into an early Dakota would be a tough task. The entire engine Computer/Harness would have to be swapped along with motor and transmission combination. Since the electronics are not a direct swap (JTEC to SBEC), none of the gauges will function correctly. On top of the electronics swap, you would have to fabricate your own engine and transmission mounts. My recommendation would be to find yourself a 318 or 360 Dakota with an auto transmission and swap directly.
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Reply #1 on : Fri August 07, 2009, 07:22:45
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Reply #2 on : Fri August 07, 2009, 10:06:44