performance increases

[BILL WILKINSON]

where would i go to find information on ways to increase performance from my vehicle? i’m driving a 2005 dodge dakota 4×4 v6 (3.7L) auto trans. i don’t
know if it is suitable to pull a 3000# trailer with this vehicle.there are (2) electronic programers available but with only 10 to 12 HP increases at a cost of
$339.00. Summit racing has only a limited choice for this vehicle. any help would be greatly appriciated,thank you.

Topic

[James P Grosso]

It should tow #3,000 is stock configuration.
If it does not have a transmission fluid cooler, it would be a good idea when towing. The added load is hard on transmissions and cooling system.
Correct towing hitch and braking also. Make sure you have good brakes, and if the trailer has electric brakes, a brake controller.
I think the truck was rated for around #3,000 stock, so the stock load rated tires should be OK. If you were loading the bed or hitch with additional weight, you should look at higher load rated tires.
I haven’t used the programmers on a gasoline engine, but a performance tune might be the wrong way to go when towing. Usually they increase ignition timing and require higher octane fuel. The added timing may create pinging when towing. The knock sensor should catch it and retard the timing, but then it is overriding the new tune.

[Nicholas Clark]

With a 3.7 sixer, I would leave it stock and make sure it has a very clean bill of health all around. 451Mopar had the right idea with a trans cooler. That kind of thing is necessary for towing. The 3.7 is never going to have a lot of power, and so the trans is going to be downshifting and in lower gears all the time, therefore creating trans killing heat.

I have a F-150 with the 4.2 V6 and it’s no powerhouse, but now that I think about it, I did modify the intake a bit for more top end, which is not what you really want for towing anyway. You could replace your rear end gears with something like 3.73’s or 4.10’s. That would give you lots of pulling power at the expense of your highway mileage. It would make things a lot easier on the engine and trans.

[dan]

as Hockeyclark has stated increasing power is the last of your concern, your first concern is how it is going to affect your drivetrain, and that is even a factor in the W body performance world, lots of guys swap out the old in radiator tranny cooler for a larger external mounted cooler, when you put a greater load on your drivetrain your transmission is going to suffer the most, make sure it has plenty of opportunity to stay cool.

[Texarkana]

HP ain’t cheap. I spent 1200 in bolt ons for my 3.8 six banger and only gained 35-40 crank horsepower. As a result of increasing power if I take the car over 4.5k RPMs on 87 octane I end up throwing a P0106 code due to a lean condition and misfires/knock retard. I can’t beat on it unless I have 93 octane.

[Author]

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