Another 2.7 to 3.2 swap

hello, i am new to the board and wanted to say hello. I know that many people have posted about the 2.7 to 3.2 swap, but i thought i would put one more out there. I just finished the swap this weekend. My 2.7 had 140k on it and has been blowing smoke for the last 20k mile. The swap is pretty easy and strate forward. Took me 2 weekends. I have notice a few differances in what people say you have to do to do this swap so i will give you a list as it is fresh in my mind.

1) Air cleaner, i used the one from my 2.7.

2) power steering pump. make sure you get the res. that goes on the finder well.

3) Oil cooler lines. get a 3.2 radiator or get an aftermarket oil cooler or plug the lines.

4) A/C. make sure you get the bracket the A/C mounts on the upper part or the passenger side of the engine. 2.7 was on the bottom. the old compressor will work you just have to bend the lines a little. it was really easy so no need to break the A/C lines open.i did not unhook the A/C line when i pulled the motor, just move the compressor aside.

5) New pulley for the A/C. you do not need to do this right away the pulley belt for the A/C only runs the A/C, so this can be something that can be done later.

6) throttle cable. cable is shorter. 25.00 at the dealer. easy to install.

7) Motor mounts. the passenger side is the same, driver side is differant then the 2.7. in fact the motor mounts are the same on both side for the 3.2/3.5. same part number.

8) Cutting the exhust pipe 2 inches. this was the only real pain i had. but would be easy now that i have done it. What i did was drop the whole system down off the car. From the Cat to the first muffler there are two clamps were you can break loss the pipe. The first one is right after the O2 sensor behind the Cat. It is right after the pipe bends down in front of the frame. Break the pipe loss and bring the cat and the small section of pipe out of the car. Do this when the engine is out. i did not do any of this until the 3.2 was in the car and it was a pain it the buttt. Cut 2.5 inches of from the pipe just after the O2 sense and before the pipe bend. leave some room to put on a sleave to rejoin the pipe. Rejoin the pieces you have cut and install them back into the car. Do this to both sides. you can install the system on the driver side with out cutting the pipe but it will be a little to long were the first muffler is installed. The pass side will not work with out cutting the pipe. it is to long a will not make it passed the lower part of the frame and fire wall were the pipe bends down under the car..

10) Rad. hoses, Change upper and lower. Had to order them so get them in advance.

9) Everything else matched up and was pretty strate forward. I changed the timing belt and water pump when the 3.2 was out. It was very easy and will save alot of headaches in the future.

This is a very easy swap. Just take your time and go buy a manuel and do a step by step and you should be fine. If you can change a starter or an Alt. in your car you can do the swap...

Sorry for the long post.

how much did you send to swap from the 2.7L to 3.5L?

I spent about 1400.00

OK, i will give you the break down..

Engine. 900.00, has alt. and power steering pump on it.

Motor mounts. 150.00, but could have reused the pass side. so could have been 75.00

Throttle cable. 25.00

Power steering Res. 40.00 used.. 95.00 new.

Water pump.. 60.00 new not rebuilt.

Timing belt. 85.00

Hoses and belts.. 50.00

Probablly 100.00 on other stuff like oil and filters and power steering fluid

So how do you like the 3.2 versus the 2.7?
No tranny hookup problems?

No tranny hook-up problems at all. All the 2nd Gen trannies for the 2.7, 3.2 and 3.5 are the same.

Much more power with the 3.2.

That some great info. I'm going to make this a permanent thread.

Yes, definitely appreciate the info. I'm now contemplating having the swap done as well, as I've found some good engine options and have a contact for affordable labor to do it.

Any other issues with the O2 sensor or any other computer or emissions issues?

O2 sensors hook right up. Every thing is just a plug and play type thing. The wiring harness from the 3.2/3.5 will plug into the wiring harness of your 2.7 car.

the only other thing is the starter. i forgot to add. Alot of people have used the starter from the 2.7, it will fit but it takes about an hour or 2 to get it to fit and the solenoid is right up against the exhaust pipe. So i checked and there is a 3.2 starter and the solenoid is rotated away from the exhaust pipe and it bolts right in. I would change the starter, do not think it will last that long with all the heat on the solenoid.

The car will also run a little rough at first and stall when you first start it up. mine did not want to idle for the first hour or so. but after the computer relearns the fuel maps for the new engine it runs just fine.

i recently had the swap done,i now get a p0455 code,emission leak, could this be the gas cap? i checked the lines everything seems to be hooked up right. thanks,Ron.

Well, I'm finally going to fix the paperweight....

I've got a few good buddies, one of whom is in racing, who are going to do the 2.7 to 3.2 swap for my Intrepid.

I'll keep you posted!

Agandblack- I talked to two different mechanics who told me the wiring harness was different between the two, which is a major deal.

You noted that it's compatible...can you clarify a little more on that or speak to it at greater detail based on your experience? Thanks...

A have also successfully made the swap.

Total price $2300.

Go the engine Monday and started it Friday. Took about 20 hrs. Wasted a good portion trying to make old starter fit and pulling pulley off 2.7L power steering pump to replace the bad on I got on used 3.2L pump.

I bought a kit off Ebay with save me some time tracking down parts but probably cost more than it should have ($560). I ended up getting a remanufactured starter $150, and use alternator $40, power steering pump $25, the motor was $1400 from Cherry auto. It was used and was stripped of alt, starter, p.s.p. Had mostly intact wiring harness.

The engine started on the first crank, music to my ears. I did notice a hint of rough idling the first time a backing it out of the garage, nothing since.
I think most mechanically inclined people could make the swap.

I'd be glad to share advice with anyone else attempting the swap.

Slider, the wiring harness that is on your 2.7 car will connect right up to the one on a 3.2/3.5 engine. the only thing is if you have a 98-01 car then the 3.2/3.5 needs to be from a 98-01 donor car. if you have a 02+ car then the 3.2/3.5 has to be from a 02+ donor car. There is a big difference between the 98-01 and 02+ harnesses.

The problems you have when switching from a 2.7 ECU that is in your car to a 3.2/3.5 ECU are 1) you have to make sure it is not a sentry ECU, If it is then you have to get a new steering column so you can use a sentry key. 2) You will have to have the ECU reprogrammed with your cars VIN number and Milage. The VIN and Miles on the ECU have to match what is on the BCU and the TCU, if not the car will not start. Will it will start like 5 or 6 times for a few min then stop. after that it will not even fire at all.

I would just use the 2.7 ECU in your car much easier. There are two connectors on the driver side on the car and your 3.2 harness will plug right in. that easy. they only things that it does not have is the sensor for low power steering fluid. so your 2.7 ECu will be looking for that and not see it so you will get a error code in the 500's but that is it.

Hope this helps.

Cool- thanks for the advice. I'll keep you posted.

Hey, I have the 05 magnum with the 2.7,will the 3.5 work and how much for the entire cost.

Originally Posted by armstead29

Hey, I have the 05 magnum with the 2.7,will the 3.5 work and how much for the entire cost.

Honestly, it would have been easier if you spent a little more money and got the SXT. You can do it but I don't know how much more it is going to cost you.

This is promising thanks for the good advice i will be doing a swap this weekend i got a 3.2 with 34k miles on it and told the junk yard to please unhook wires and hoses and leave everything on the engine im lucky it hasnt been pulled yet got the motor for 900.00 yippie ill update you on how it went

ron-- a few possibilities there-- p0455 indicates a large leak was detected in the evap emission system-- if all of the lines from the engine to the fuel tank are connected and have no holes or kinks in them, then it is very possibly the leak detection pump or vapor canister on top of the fuel tank-- if the gas cap was missing or broken, it will also cause this code---

I am planning on doing an 2.7 to 3.2 engine myself...Is there any thing special I should look for when I purchase the engine from a local salvage shop?

You want to make sure the 3.2 engine has all the accessories, alt, p/s, starter, and a/c pump. also, make sure they included the engine mount brackets on both sides- and didnt break the upper intake plenum when they pulled the engine or cut any of the wiring. also remove the oil cap and check for sludge in the valve cover and pcv hoses.