Lsx Charger, considering the swap
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TECH Resident
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From: Austin/Cedar Park
Lsx Charger, considering the swap So my girlfriend has a 08 charger, its the base 2.7l and it just doesn't make any enjoyable power. So we where looking at swaping a hemi into it, it seems pretty common on the charger forums, How ever I think hemi's sound like cows and don't make the power as a lsx would, not to mention the going price on hemis.
So I started talking about a lsx platform, the engine bay has plenty of room and you can get a lq4/lq9 or even a ls1 for cheap now days.
I don't think there would be much more to it then swaping a hemi into it, Just the wiring is my question. Since the car is so new Im not sure how wiring would, Her car and all the hemis are electrical Throttlebodys, So I assume a ls2 throttlebody would work in idea, but im not really sure how the electrical tb would work coming from her factory pedal to the ECU to a lsx TB.
So if anyone has any imput on the electrical work for this project would be great.
Thanks!
So I started talking about a lsx platform, the engine bay has plenty of room and you can get a lq4/lq9 or even a ls1 for cheap now days.
I don't think there would be much more to it then swaping a hemi into it, Just the wiring is my question. Since the car is so new Im not sure how wiring would, Her car and all the hemis are electrical Throttlebodys, So I assume a ls2 throttlebody would work in idea, but im not really sure how the electrical tb would work coming from her factory pedal to the ECU to a lsx TB.
So if anyone has any imput on the electrical work for this project would be great.
Thanks!
Do your homework first. Lots of cars have separate body control modules and other systems separate from the computer. Make sure things like AC, ABS, cruise control, etc... will still function after the swap.
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So my girlfriend has a 08 charger, its the base 2.7l and it just doesn't make any enjoyable power. So we where looking at swaping a hemi into it, it seems pretty common on the charger forums, How ever I think hemi's sound like cows and don't make the power as a lsx would, not to mention the going price on hemis.
So I started talking about a lsx platform, the engine bay has plenty of room and you can get a lq4/lq9 or even a ls1 for cheap now days.
I don't think there would be much more to it then swaping a hemi into it, Just the wiring is my question. Since the car is so new Im not sure how wiring would, Her car and all the hemis are electrical Throttlebodys, So I assume a ls2 throttlebody would work in idea, but im not really sure how the electrical tb would work coming from her factory pedal to the ECU to a lsx TB.
So if anyone has any imput on the electrical work for this project would be great.
Thanks!
So I started talking about a lsx platform, the engine bay has plenty of room and you can get a lq4/lq9 or even a ls1 for cheap now days.
I don't think there would be much more to it then swaping a hemi into it, Just the wiring is my question. Since the car is so new Im not sure how wiring would, Her car and all the hemis are electrical Throttlebodys, So I assume a ls2 throttlebody would work in idea, but im not really sure how the electrical tb would work coming from her factory pedal to the ECU to a lsx TB.
So if anyone has any imput on the electrical work for this project would be great.
Thanks!
6.1L -425hp
6.2L LS3-430 hp
i think your facts are a little off.
and i agree about making sure you dont dump her
sell it, buy a hemi car. you'll destroy the v6's resaleabilty (if ever) and have a bunch of headachs. If the v6 was blown up, i would say go for it. But time/expense/cool factor just wouldn't be there for me. but if you decide to do it, good luck and keep us posted with pics. 
Thread Starter
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From: Austin/Cedar Park
sell it, buy a hemi car. you'll destroy the v6's resaleabilty (if ever) and have a bunch of headachs. If the v6 was blown up, i would say go for it. But time/expense/cool factor just wouldn't be there for me. but if you decide to do it, good luck and keep us posted with pics.
thats what all the charger people are saying to her, but she is set on keeping the car. we went and test drove a RT "R/T" and she wasn't impressed with it. Maybe a SRT8 would be better but idk.
I discussed resaeability with her, didnt seem to bother her. Im sure down the line it could be sold to someone instead of a dealer.
sell it, buy a hemi car. you'll destroy the v6's resaleabilty (if ever) and have a bunch of headachs. If the v6 was blown up, i would say go for it. But time/expense/cool factor just wouldn't be there for me. but if you decide to do it, good luck and keep us posted with pics.
Me personally I would take it to a dealer and trade it off for something that already has a V8 in it....by the time you add the downtime, expense, and headache you could have gotten something ready to go.
I did a KBB on a 2008 Charger with 36,000 miles with both the 2.7 and the Hemi...this is what i found out:
2008 Charger with 2.7, Value in exellent condition - $15,100
2008 Charger with Hemi, Value in exellent condition - $ 17, 565
Difference = $2,465 to upgrade to a V8...
This is a WHOLE lot cheaper than trying to convert to a LS1, I'm already more than that invested in my swap and my car has been down since december. And I got a cheap 5.3 vortec engine...heck the engines are cheap and dime a dozen...where you spend money is all the extras to get it running.
If it's her Daily Driver I wouldn't touch it....
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2007
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Hey everyone here is right about it being a headache and alot of work and the price might add up.. BUttt.... that car would be the only charger with a ls motor ... that = a cool rare factor that everyone will be like wow ..... and with the ls motor upgrades such as cam heads ect..... are very cheep easy to get and easy to install....
I would defentaly do it if i had the charger .... Dodge engines are JUNK they need a hemi to get close to ls3 power imagine if the ls3 was a hemi lol wow ....
DO IT
We are here to help .....
I would defentaly do it if i had the charger .... Dodge engines are JUNK they need a hemi to get close to ls3 power imagine if the ls3 was a hemi lol wow ....
DO IT
We are here to help .....
Most people wouldnt know what a LSx swap was if it ran them over. Swap cars wont give a good profit in the end, esp when the Chargers already came with a comparable engine for less money
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Nebraska
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Austin
Yeah, but do make sure you don't dump her.
sell it, buy a hemi car. you'll destroy the v6's resaleabilty (if ever) and have a bunch of headachs. If the v6 was blown up, i would say go for it. But time/expense/cool factor just wouldn't be there for me. but if you decide to do it, good luck and keep us posted with pics.
I agree, the car is only two years old and should still be in really great shape. I hate when people take an otherwise great running vehicle and tear one up like that. Is she still making payments on it??? Heck it should still be under warranty if anything.
Me personally I would take it to a dealer and trade it off for something that already has a V8 in it....by the time you add the downtime, expense, and headache you could have gotten something ready to go.
I did a KBB on a 2008 Charger with 36,000 miles with both the 2.7 and the Hemi...this is what i found out:
2008 Charger with 2.7, Value in exellent condition - $15,100
2008 Charger with Hemi, Value in exellent condition - $ 17, 565
Difference = $2,465 to upgrade to a V8...
This is a WHOLE lot cheaper than trying to convert to a LS1, I'm already more than that invested in my swap and my car has been down since december. And I got a cheap 5.3 vortec engine...heck the engines are cheap and dime a dozen...where you spend money is all the extras to get it running.
If it's her Daily Driver I wouldn't touch it....
Me personally I would take it to a dealer and trade it off for something that already has a V8 in it....by the time you add the downtime, expense, and headache you could have gotten something ready to go.
I did a KBB on a 2008 Charger with 36,000 miles with both the 2.7 and the Hemi...this is what i found out:
2008 Charger with 2.7, Value in exellent condition - $15,100
2008 Charger with Hemi, Value in exellent condition - $ 17, 565
Difference = $2,465 to upgrade to a V8...
This is a WHOLE lot cheaper than trying to convert to a LS1, I'm already more than that invested in my swap and my car has been down since december. And I got a cheap 5.3 vortec engine...heck the engines are cheap and dime a dozen...where you spend money is all the extras to get it running.
If it's her Daily Driver I wouldn't touch it....
So many assumptions, sir.
Hey everyone here is right about it being a headache and alot of work and the price might add up.. BUttt.... that car would be the only charger with a ls motor ... that = a cool rare factor that everyone will be like wow ..... and with the ls motor upgrades such as cam heads ect..... are very cheep easy to get and easy to install....
I would defentaly do it if i had the charger .... Dodge engines are JUNK they need a hemi to get close to ls3 power imagine if the ls3 was a hemi lol wow ....
DO IT
We are here to help .....
I would defentaly do it if i had the charger .... Dodge engines are JUNK they need a hemi to get close to ls3 power imagine if the ls3 was a hemi lol wow ....
DO IT
We are here to help .....
Swap thread. Not jinx relationships thread.
If your still making payments on the car I would not try to drop in another motor, if it's in that bad of shape trade the car off for something else. Don't **** your money away by completely reworking a car you still owe on.
But it's your money and time, do what you want to..
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Austin
If your still making payments on the car I would not try to drop in another motor, if it's in that bad of shape trade the car off for something else. Don't **** your money away by completely reworking a car you still owe on.
But it's your money and time, do what you want to..
It's not as simple as comparing it like that...we wouldn't be picking up a Hemi with 70k miles on it... Mopars typically implode before the reach 70k
... all the HEMIs we've looked at are $24k+ with 27-37k miles, and are honestly not that exciting to be behind the wheel of...and, again, sound like cows. I'm trying to stay away from refinancing another car. Yes, I still have some to pay off on the 2.7l...but dropping in another motor just comes out to so much less expense. Yes, it'll probably be an extremely frustrating and trying process, but I figure it'll be worth it in the end to not have another couple years added on to my loan.Throw financial logic out the window. If you were given a 2.7l Charger and an LSx motor...tell me you wouldn't put them together??
