Cascade Crew

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:49 am Post subject: Latest Project

So trying to help 3 friends out. I'm taking a "junk" car off of ones hands, going to fix it and give to a young lady to drive (just starting school to be a nurse). Then have a friend help and pay him for some labor.

Been at it almost 2 weeks. First week was nothing but research, planning, making sure she could afford insurance on it, pass inspection, etc. 2nd week was spent hunting a motor down. Spent last saturday in the rain pulling a motor at a junkyard. Now taking it apart to check and test it. Seems most of the parts have to be special ordered Rolling Eyes

Car is a 1998 Dodge Intrepid ES. Came stock with 3.2, I'm dropping in a 3.5. 240hp should be more then enough for a 5'1" blonde around.

Any tips or suggestions welcome... besides get a brain because I already figure out this was a wack idea, lol

The car

new motor

[/img]

blue89 · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:18 am Post subject:

I would have stopped when I saw the word "Dodge" on the side. Hehe. Will the ECM handle the different motor? Hope it's not too much work for you. Those are FWD with a longitudinal config?

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:04 pm Post subject:

In part of my research, the wireharness is the exact same in a certin year window... so thats the motor I found. The pcm will control it just fine(even a 2.7pcm will control a 3.5!!). I could try and merge in a newer harness and different pcm, but its not worth it. If I was going for every single hp I could, I would.

Correct on FWD long.

Doing the work wont be an issue, I got the skills n tools. Just I have all the over time option I want for this month. So trying to balance making cash vs getting this car to her on a decent time base. I am finding out these parts are freakin expensive and hard to find. Not what I expected since I see a million of these cars on the road.

Right now I'm waiting on the owner of the property the parts are on to get home so I can use his air compressor to do a cyl leak-down test.

IROCDave · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject:

My advice, leave it in the other persons yard.

iansane · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:58 pm Post subject:

Good luck with that. Very Happy

Very noble of you. Are there not better platforms to start with down there?

GREG DAVIDSON · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:06 pm Post subject:

If I'm not mistaken isn't that the engine they used in the Prowler ?? Good luck on it I know those are not the ideal car to work on from experience.

91RSVert · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:16 am Post subject:

Ian. Very likely, but when its free, it works.

Greg, I have no clue. The block might be the same??? But for a whole donar engine I had to find a 98-01 3.2l, or 99-01 3.5l. From an intrepid, concord, or 300m. :edit: you are correct, same motor line. Just some slight variations over years.

91RSVert · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:43 am Post subject:

[/img]

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:54 am Post subject:

Straw removal improved that car a lot. Razz

91RSVert · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:20 am Post subject:

LOL, it was pine needles. But I understand and agree.

I pressure washed it too, even the door jambs and engine bay.

iansane · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:58 am Post subject:

Is that the new motor?

Good looking progress!

91RSVert · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject:

Yep, thats the "new" motor. I did a leakdown test on it, so I gotta take the heads back off.

This week I'm going to do some piddle wiring and interior cleaning tell I can afford the gasket set. Along with some OT at work.

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:43 pm Post subject:

iansane · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:43 pm Post subject:

I wonder why they went to the trouble of engineering a longitudinal motor instead of going with the more common transverse. Someone a big fan of the toronado over at chrysler in the 90s?

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:18 pm Post subject:

No engineering involved, they merely stole it from the french.

The French, or course, having such a fantastic record of automotive engineering achievement.

GREG DAVIDSON · Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:27 am Post subject:

If I'm remembering right didn't SAAB use that design back in the early 80's to ?? I remember working on one before.

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:52 am Post subject:

Saab and Audi both used it.

In case you were wondering, the primary benefits are lack of torque steer (half shafts are equal length) and more hood clearance (engine not on top of transaxle). Of course the downsides are inherently short wheelbase, interior space, and weight distribution, which is why nobody makes them anymore. Razz

91RSVert · Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:21 am Post subject:

This thing seems to have lots of space to me.
No torque steer? Good, little girl wont have to much problem controling it then.

Now I can agree on the rest. The nose on this thing is kinda long for a modern car w/o a v8.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:22 am Post subject:

W8 ..... FTW as all the cool kids say.

91RSVert · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:25 pm Post subject:

So I have most of the coolant system back in and connected.
Main power wires hooked up.
Wireharness repaired.
Heads back off n ready for gaskets n new bolts.
Alot more cleaning done, mostly inside.
Painting the intake(these look so good painted)
Did some sorting to figure out the best of which parts.

I think I had to sign away my first kid I dont have yet to get the head gasket set. I will have to sign away my second kid for the head bolts. Id rather get a root canal then hunt parts down for this thing, damn!