[gary680]

I love my trep but the 3.3 just isn't cutting it for me anymore. I have done no engine mods except for taking out the air resrictor. Si you said that putting a cone k&n would help, but how much? I have done a 0-60 time test on my own a few times and it has never been below 10.7 secs (i'm sure its off a bit...i was using a plain old stop watch)...I was even thinking about getting a new trep that had a 3.5, but maybe there's an easier way... Does anyone know how difficult, if possible, it would be to take a 3.5 engine and put it into my trep? What all would need to be changed along with this?? Computer, exaust, transmission, etc... Also if this sorta thing could be done, what am I looking at for the price of the engine itself along with labor involved? Currently I have 153 hp, and getting an extra 61 hp would be great... If I were able to get this whole setup completed in the $$1200-1500 range I think it would be well worth the money. One reason for doing this is that everyone calls my trep a "slow old man's family car" and I can't stand it...lol any comments are well appreciated

 

[Warlord187]

I would imagine that the labor alone is going to cost a pretty penny. You could always save your money and in a couple of years get a 3rd gen Intrepid.

If want to get a new car now, go for the R/T. Typical 0-60 is 7.8 seconds (before any mods).

 

[Lafrad]

well, a new tranny installed on these cars is $2000 roughly. for the engine... I would say, start going up from there

 

[blkbute]

An Engine swap in a Intrepid is not worth your while, unless you must for some reason keep the car you have. You are best off to just go out and buy a newer one with larger engine.

 

[Lafrad]

hey, when I am finished with this think called school... I wanna play with the ol' '96... rip the engine out, do a complete overhaul, go 0.040" oversize and take a cut off the heads... bump the compression up a bit... put a custom computer in there than knows what I just did. maybe alot more...... kinda be like my toy. and when I get this done I will be drivin my new '04 intrepid.

Ahhhhh... a guy can dream cant he?

 

[NCBrit]

A reconditioned 3.5 runs somewhere around $2500 - $3500 depending on where you get it. Labour to change the engine will be around $1000. I think that the Transmission is the same, but the computer is probably programmed differently, safest way to change is to install a new transmission controller. The engine PCM is different, and will need to be changed also. The exhaust is probably the same from the cat back. You would have to look at the difference between 3.3's and 3.5's to be sure. On top of all this, you would probably run into any number of unknown's.

All in all, its not really cost effective to change from one engine to another. You could probably pick up a cheap ES trep with the 3.5, that requires some body work, and minor mechanicals, for about the same cost as the engine change.

On second thoughts, does anybody know if the gear ratios are different between the 3.3 and 3.5?

 

[Si]

Gary, I notice an increase in perfromance and it was more reactive to acceleration..

Swapping the engine out really as the others say not the most economical way... But I am happy, I run mid grade and the filter, I am wondering now whether the ignition system would be benificial, the performance one...

Considered re-configuring the exhaust system? Many folks here have done that, (3.5 engine, rarewolf springs to mind!)

Also Nitros? Someone said that they knew that it could be done with a Trep.... I wish
my Concorde wasnt a Daily driver, I would rip it all out and just have a passenger seat and drivers, rip all the weight out and do all of the above.. thats next year though with another car

 

[Warlord187]

I think I will eventually look into putting NOS on my car for those "special occasions". Most people don't think that a "family car" can go as fast as it can now, let alone with a shot of NOS! Damn, that would be sweet!!!

 

[Si]

Not very good for youre engine dude, more heat etc... Oh well! But then again, it would be pretty good.. Le-Zoom!

 

[1mz-fe]

well, NC Brit is right on almost everything. the exahaust isn't identical from the cat back. the 3.3 has the middle resonator (aka muffler) under the center of the car and then a straight outlet to the rear of the vehicle. the 3.5 has a secondary resonator, a turbo-style muffler, installed behind this under the back bumber where the twin pipes come out of. you could probably get away with leaving it stock but it'd be easier to just find a wrecked 3.5 car and pull the resonator off it and remove the original muffler, then straight-pipe to the new rear resonator.

 

[Aggressor]

Yeah, and the engine, computer, wiring harness, and everything else.

 

[1mz-fe]

get a 3.5 intrepid, if it needs body work, then cannibalize your car and then get a new paint job.

 

[jnutz]

Also with the exhaust the 3.3 has 2 1/4 in. and the 3.5 has 2 1/2 in.