V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1

[Mitsuru]

Well after I bust my Chrysler Neon's engine and automatic gear box dragging my dad's Landrover Discovery off the drive to be collected and repaired.
It is soon to be it's time for a heart transplant!!
I am replacing the 4 cylinder 2000cc engine & 3 speed box, with a 3300cc V6 engine & 4 speed auto box from a Chrysler Voyager.
I will be doing most of the work myself!!
Too much time on my hands & too big a plan?
Below are picures of a LHD Neon in the USA with the same engine I'm using but they used a manual gearbox!







This is what my engine bay currently looks like

[TerryG]

You need a REALLY BIG one of these:


It looks like an interesting project. There is a good chance it will go straight in as both engines / boxes are from the same manufacturer. I have never tried moving auto boxes around but between my brother and I we fitted the 3.0 lump from a Mundaneo ST220 into a MK1 Focus. Have you checked you will be able to get insurance after you have done the work?

[JPB]

Hmm, fitting the back row of plugs to that should be fun then.

How did you break your IL4? Can it be mended? Are there any pictures of the broken engine, preferably showing fragments of shattered iron, lying in a pool of oil.

Show us yer engine-related carnage please.

[Mitsuru]

Hmm, fitting the back row of plugs to that should be fun then.

How did you break your IL4? Can it be mended? Are there any pictures of the broken engine, preferably showing fragments of shattered iron, lying in a pool of oil.

Show us yer engine-related carnage please.

Until I have the engine the original engine is staying in the car!!
Some of the problems caused by over use, bad maintenance,
and being hammer by previous owners.
I hand removed the cylinder head and had it skimmed a year
and a half ago but that was cocked up!
They over skimmed the head.
So it has been a long time in coming and my maintenance had
only postponed the need for it to have a replacement engine and box.
So I could TRY to find a replacement.
No pools of oil/fluids on the drive(dad would kill me if it had)
Not so much of going out with a bang but a whimper yes!!

And after speaking to the guys at the scrapyards
I found out the Polish phone a list 3 sheets of a4 long for parts
from a number of scrap yards in the area and come over every
few weeks to ship them to Poland!!

Is it any wonder I can't get parts for cars these days!!

[Mitsuru]

ok!!!
As far as I know this will be the 1st RHD Neon converted to a v6 and keeping it FWD,
not RWD Talk about a learning curve!!!

The fabricating of mounts and brackets won't be a problem dad was a welder on the
rigs about 20+ years ago and still keeps his hand in.

It will be the electrics which will be the fun part!!

If i can bypass certain things on the voyagers wiring such as coded keys / alarm system,
then would only a couple of hundred for engine mounts and driveshaft mods, and
replacing the gear selector.

I found a pack of receipts in the donner vehicle that state an after market alarm and
tracker were fitted in 5- 10 years ago
(Haven't got it in front of me and can't remember the date)

Otherwise, the other option is Mega shift, and there is details for the 41te Chrysler 4 speed
electronic control online with it being able to be used with megasquirt II for the V6.

After a little more research I'm going to edge my bets and spend a little money(£47+ postage)
for the electronics to build a mega shift.

http://www.msgpio.com/manuals/mshift/index.html

It will be made on the cold winter nights on the dining room table,
near to a roaring wood fire.

So if yjhe use of the voyagers ecu's can't be used plan 'B' would be there ready!

[Mitsuru]

Well shall we begin.

1 metric ton Engine Crane £100 second hand
Collected at 1pm (local time)

1 Chrysler Voyager/Minivan Engine, gearbox, drive shafts and engine bay electrics £250 from Local scrapyard.





I did myself a mischief and my back and rest of me is in pain.
So the parts can stay in the trailer for a day or two.

[JPB]

That engine looks big, scary and complicated! Best of luck with the conversion, the car should be totally Pepperami once it's done.

[Richard Moss]

That engine looks big, scary and complicated! Best of luck with the conversion, the car should be totally Pepperami once it's done.

Beautifully simple engines (pushrods etc) - I loved my my 1994 Grand Voyager. The engine was good for 150bhp+ and LOADS of torque.

[JPB]

Hmm, not as complicated as most modern engines then.
Mitsuru, what are the engine's length, width across the rocker covers to its outside edges and its weight? Just curious.

[Mitsuru]

To mischief add food poisoning Yuck!!!

I called my Insurance for a quote the girl at the other end,
didn't know her maths at Tescos!
1997 mk1 neon original engine 132 bhp
mk2 neon engine(adam's when stock) 150 bhp
1998 Voyager 3301cc V6 engine 156 bhp

She stated it was an increase of upto 10% of bhp!!
So including admin charges/taxes it would cost me an
extra £65 on what is left of my policy.
I will call during the week next time and not on a Saturday!

Oh and yes they only went of bhp and didn't include torque.
As regarding the suspension, the drive-shafts on the voyager
are used by Neon owners as direct upgrades( they just
change the ends. But as the springs Adam gave me are far
more robust and lift the car they should be alright as
apparently the engine isn't as heavy as you might think.

The braking system! I will deal with that after I have
managed to shoehorn the engine in!