Another Hopeless Case. Ram Van 3500.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Looking at the engine is a waste of time (other than to get it running in spec) until after he addresses the way the power gets used: aero losses, gearing and getting a handle on that 4 speed transmission. Changing the torque characteristics before you've got control over how the power output gets used is putting the cart before the horse- literally.

Correct, only modifying the engine if needed and AFTER changing the gearing.

[96CX]

RE: the rear gearing: I'm pretty handy-- i.e. I have no qualms about changing my own oil, installing aeromods (obviously), fixing something if it breaks, etc.-- but in the big scheme of things, I hate wrenching. So if the current 4.10 rear axle is in good condition (which it is, afaik, since I had it apart to change the gear oil), I'm not about to take it off to put in something that is an unknown.

Also, I don't have a shop, which makes any mechanicking project into a have-to-get-it-done-before-it-rains-again project, which sucks even more fun out of it (Hooray for the pacific NW...).

I'll keep it in mind for the future, though.

[t vago]

You might could consider a coolant-based intake air heater. Both my Dodge Dakota's 4.7L V8 and my Dodge Magnum's 3.5L V6 have taken really well to heated intake air, it's a lot easier to plumb than trying to take heated air off exhaust parts, and I think that coolant does a better job of heating air than exhaust components do. I can get 90 to 100 F air going into the engine, when the outside temperature here is 0 to 10 F.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Heated intake manifolds were widely used in dedicated-ethanol versions of Brazilian cars, though they had a limited usage in gassers.

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Looking at the engine is a waste of time (other than to get it running in spec) until after he addresses the way the power gets used: aero losses, gearing and getting a handle on that 4 speed transmission. Changing the torque characteristics before you've got control over how the power output gets used is putting the cart before the horse- literally.

Makes sense, but some engine tuning is still worth considering.

[ksa8907]

Are you certain you have 4.10 gears? I think you might have 3.92's. 3.92 would be 1787rpm @60mph and 4.10 would be 1867rpm @60mph. 3.55's were optional, 1622rpm @60mph.

[Fat Charlie]

Get me the VIN. There's a lot of information in there.

[Miller88]

Does it even have overdrive? I thought the Ram Vans never got an overdrive transmission? Chrysler held on to the 3 speed automatics as long as they could.

[Fat Charlie]

At least in that model year, the 32RH was only available with the 3.9 V6. The 5.2 and 5.9 V8s came with the 46RE.

[Miller88]

Mmm. Chrysler 4 speed automatic.

Better save for a rebuild if it hasn't been rebuilt in the lats 30K miles ...

[t vago]

Originally Posted by Miller88

Mmm. Chrysler 4 speed automatic.

Better save for a rebuild if it hasn't been rebuilt in the lats 30K miles ...

Or save for a manual conversion, instead.