My Dakota friends Dynamo and the Mature Marine have agreed to help me with this build. Dynamo has done his part by taking the V8 bait and passing his 3.9 V6 project complete with SS headers. Not only at a sweet price but met me half way to boot. That's the kind of thing an online community can do for you. The Mature Marine, not sure what he has gotten into has offered to post pictures as it moves along. As with anything 1 2 3 test. We will see how this goes. Steve
I won't bore you with a walk around photo display, that will be so important hanging everything on the completed build. If they are needed I have and will share. I was and am very pleased with the core engine. It shows signs of life in the far north. We will talk about that more later. I had been talking about wanting a few more HP and was concerned about the cooling system and timing chain on my 3.9. I was not happy with the results of a cooling system flush. At that point I had invested in all the cooling system parts. Who would hang those nice parts on a slugged up engine. Then along comes this engine a set of headers, what could I do? Steve
Once all the power robbers and brackets are removed we have the beginning of our search. More about the power robbers later. Right on top the V6 throttle body. There is a lot of talk about just replacing it with a V8 one. I can't help but wonder if that's the cure all why didn't Dodge just do that? I spent some time with Richard at Hi Po Tech, who was kind enough to listen to all my ideas and plans. He was honest enough to tell me what he thought of each good or bad. I learned there are two different V6 throttle bodies one can and one can not be fully modified. The later is cast with additional material allowing it to be bored out and larger butterflies fitted. I can see the logic of a $45 junk yard V8 TB vs a $230. modified V6 TB. I have sent mine off and look forward to getting it back Will share that when it happens. As mentioned not for the weak, I just missed a chance to save $185. plus shipping.
Right under the TB is the famous Keg. I think we need to take a look at this thing and talk our way though "Is it the root of all Dakota evil?" "Is there any thing to be gained playing with it?" Steve
This was my first look at a Keg belly pan. It appears the water cooling at the front helps control heat in that area. As it goes back the burned on oil gets worse. How hot does oil have to get to do this? Do we think someone ran the wrong oil? I have read about running a splash shield to stop hot oil from reaching the Keg pan. I have bought the Hughes Keg plate since there splash plate is for a V8 and has to be cut to fit a V6 I'll go from scratch. Looking down the TB bores the inside appeared clean. All you can see is the pan right below the openings.
This makes me return to my oil temp and volume concerns. I'm not looking for temps below 180/190 F but I think higher temps did this. If you have seen this have thoughts or done something about it I'd be interested. Steve
After removing the belly pan it is clear they do leak oil so a vacuum leak is possible. Turning the Keg over it is clear oil has been though out the entire thing. The leak appears to be in that corner. I was wondering if the PCV valve could be a possible source. There is no indication of a leak trail in that area. I know more about Kegs now and I see they can and are an issue. Nothing I have learned is good.
The plan is to make a little more HP within the abblitty of the computer to support it. The vacuum signal is very important and as we know oil reduces the octane rating of gas. Yes I'm greedy, I want HP, MPG and continue with regular gas. Having done a fair amount of reading I've decided on my own approach to Keg mods. Based on the VRP approach, with my own twist. Steve
Taking a look at the Keg you can see the dark marks in the areas near the runners and the wide space at the center rail. The issues with the Keg are costing me HP. The Hughes Keg plate looks like a possible answer to the leak issue. What's that $125 for the plate. Just the plate seems like a smart approach. I had no idea when I started working on the Keg I'd end up with 2 hours in the milling machine, 6 hours of hand work and $60 in welding. I'll admit I looked at what others have done and chose my own course. If it works as planned great if not I'll chop up another one. Steve
I'll save us the pain of starting with note book paper and working up to this material and on to card board. I thought it would be possible to do in one piece but found that not possible or maybe just not practical. Sorry this is my approach the the VRP mod. By placing plates to close off sections of the Keg we might increase velocity improving low end torque and throttle response. Rather than increase the angle creating a larger opening and shortening the runners I machined the runners square maintaining the length. The next picture will help make it clear. A NASA guy looked at it and said it won't work. That alone gives me great hope. We know engineers, "can you show me the math?". Steve
I have a large table top mill and put it to use. Gives you and idea of where I'm heading. Porch swing engineering I see leaks at the point where port meets plate. Must be a low pressure area, has to be we are not pushing anything though these ports it's all being sucked. I hope by lowering those walls it will reduce tendency to vacuum leak and suck oil. Maintaining the length reducing the volume in Keg some hand work it may work?
I realize in a U-tube world this moves painfully slow. It is also a forum and this is a discussion. The block and crank are currently at machine shop. The Keg just happens to be my project this week. I want to wrap it up and move on trouble the work has to be done and as mentioned time and again the Keg may not be worth it. There you go, at shop rate I'd have $1000. in billable hours. I may get rid of a vacuum and oil leak, improve of hurt low end torque and throttle response and got some neat pictures. The port matching and relieving the injector ports with a large ball mill must be worth something in my mind if no where else. Steve
Beginning to look different after first trip to the mill. Once back on the bench I realized the mill could still be my friend. A little close trim work and a ball mill to relieve the injector ports. Back to the mill and there will be plenty hand work still. Steve
This kind of brings it into focus. A fit like this would be very tough one piece. Once all welded in place then epoxy the seams fill with expanding foam and seal the hole. The ports have been matched here and I have just begun working them in Keg. I'm thinking smooth as only air passing here no fuel to keep suspended.
All welded up and sealed with epoxy where not welded. Still a couple more hours hand work on the ports. The next step was a lot of fun and a mess. Drilling a 5/16 hole in each plate and inject expanding foam in the cavities. I found a plastic jug with a lid about the same volume drilled hole and injected it and counted the length of fill. After a wait of 15 min it looked like about the right amount. Maybe not quite enough. Feeling brave I drilled the plates and shot foam an extra two seconds in each just in case. I waited and nothing so I shoot another two seconds in each. The instruction suggest gloves, eye protection and safety equipment of any kind you have. I had my gloves and eye protection. About that time it decided to start coming out. I was scooping it into the trash as fast as I could. Then my gloves got stuck together. I took them off and a really stupid move. At that point I should have run screaming from the building. My fingers were stuck together it was in my hair and all over me. I couldn't see though my glasses. Steve
This is after it calmed down a bit. There are two wood blocks to keep the foam from spreading the plates and the putty knives are to tighten them. What would have been nice to have would be a putty knife. The ports are now insulated on the inside. I'm not expecting any additional HP from the Keg. While I'm leaving the keg for now my goal is maintaining low end torque, throttle response and cooler air within this Keg. That will mean stopping splash oil from valve train, the 1/4 inch Hughes plate and perhaps a sheet of insulation and a reflective plate? Steve
Below the Keg the lifter valley has oil drain back holes cast into the forward low spots but not at the rear. Again there is signs of baked on oil and it gets worse as you go back. I wonder is a couple well placed small holes drilled would put a end to some of this. I know a splash pan will be made to keep hot oil off the Keg. Steve
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