Chrysler 300 V6 Mods. Changing The Engine For Better

Can you get more than the producer offers? This question is often asked by people who own good cars. But they want to have even better vehicles. We mean, they want more power, they want more beauty, more comfort, etc. But they don't want to buy a new car. And this category of people is quite big.

Chrysler 300 offers a cool design and wonderful engines. The V6 engine is really good in terms of technologies, power, and fuel consumption. But it won't be right to say that this is the best engine in the class. So, can you make it better? Today, we'll be speaking about the Chrysler 300 V6 and its mods and opportunities to make it better.

Here's what we'll discuss:

1. Chrysler V6 in the 300 model - is it actually good?
2. Engine mods you should consider if you want something better.
3. How long will your Chrysler V6 last with mods?
4. Why don't we recommend any engine modifications for Chrysler cars?

Let's get started!

Chrysler V6 - is it a good engine?

The Chrysler 300 is actually one of the strange vehicles on the American market. It's quite stylish, but we wouldn't say it appeals to a lot of people. We should say that many people find its design a little old-fashioned. And it's not strange. The 300 model was first introduced in 2005 and then the second generation was presented in 2011. And that's all - no major facelifts, no new generations.

But still, the vehicle is classic and some people love it. We'll be talking about the second generation mostly because it's more modern and it offers a lot of up-to-date features for its owner.

So, here's what we can say about the 300's engines:

• the V6 engines are the smallest ones you can buy - two gasoline (3.0 and 3.6) and one turbodiesel (3.0);
• also, you can buy V8 Hemi engines which are pretty cool but not so good for your budget when you are at the gas pump;
• both V6 gasoline engines belong to the Pentastar series and are very reliable and we can say relatively problem-free;
• the company offers a standard 5-speed automatic (G-Tronic) transmission and an optional 8-speed automatic option;
• all engines and transmissions are very reliable, long-lasting, and not problematic at all.

But, of course, all engines still have their small problems. We'll be talking about the 3.0 and 3.6 Pentastar engines that are very well known thanks to Jeep vehicles, other Chrysler cars. These V6 engines have common construction and are not hard to repair. They can last longer and they will not lead you to bankruptcy because of the fuel costs.

The American market is all about the 3.6 Pentastar. The smaller 3.0 engine is specially designed for the Chinese market to reduce the fuel consumption of a base version of the Chrysler 300. By the way, Chinese buyers adore this car and the sales there are still very successful.

3.6 Pentastar V6 engines mods - can you change something?

We should say that no one from our editorial board and writers has ever owned Chrysler 300 with the 3.6 Pentastar. But after investigating the information about this engine on forums, we came to the conclusion that this is one of the best engines. It can be fast if you want it to be, it will not cause financial disaster in your pocket, and it lasts really long if you don't interfere with different mods.

The last phrase of the previous paragraph is very important, please read it once again to understand right now what we think about the engine mods in this car. And now we'll tell you about the most popular mods that we've seen in these vehicles.

Here are some ideas:

1. ECU tuning. This is the fastest and the cheapest way to make your Chrysler 300 V6 go faster. Unfortunately, tuning is not always successful. Sometimes, you will need to backup all the settings and still pay for this.
2. Turbochargers and superchargers. If you want to know whether you can turbocharge the 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine, the answer is simple - yes you can. Unfortunately, it will cost you $3000 - $5000 which is an extremely high price.
3. Transmission mods. The engine is not the only part of your vehicle. You should also think of a transmission because it will not withstand the new torque if you just tune the engine. So, think about adding some mods to the transmission, too.
4. Fuel injection system. Unfortunately, Pentastar engines have quite an old system of injecting fuel into the intake manifold. You can use alternative injectors to ensure that more fuel enters the combustion chamber.
5. New air intake. If you install a new fuel injection and more efficient air intake, you will actually get the same advantages as with a turbocharger.
6. Exhaust system. You should be ready to invest in the exhaust because it has to let more gasses go out. The engine should breathe easier in order to show more power.

Some of these mods are cheap, but some of them will cost you a fortune. That's why you should always think twice before you decide to modify your engine. This is a long way and you will not be able to stop in the middle of it. You will want to continue and to see how much power this V6 can actually deliver.

The good sides are obvious: more power, higher torque, better acceleration, wonderful fun driving. But there are some bad sides to this process, too.

The longevity of the 3.6 Pentastar in your Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 3.6 V6 Pentastar is able to last around 180 000 miles. It's not that bad, but it's not much for a big V6 engine. If you compare this longevity with the durability of other engines of this class, you will see a big difference. Most engines of more than 3 liters that have no turbochargers will last over 250 000 miles.

And this is the biggest problem with your Chrysler V6. It's not very durable and not very reliable. It will start showing big problems even sooner if you use many mods. This engine can even malfunction at 100 000 miles if you use aggressive mods. So, when modifying the V6 Pentastar, you lose its longevity which is crucial in this engine.

Why don't we recommend modifying the V6 Pentastar in Chrysler 300?

We have seen a lot of modified engines that are now in repair stations and garages. Some of them are seen as dead engines because repairing them will cost approximately the same as buying new ones. That's why we don't recommend you use mods for your V6. Otherwise, you will just lose your money.

Yes, you can drive more actively and have fun for some time. But after that, your mechanic will have fun instead of you.

Here are some problems that will come sooner than you expect:

1. Rocker arms. Rockers are not very strong and when you start making this engine more powerful, the rocker arms may fail. The part is not expensive, but replacing it is a long and complicated process.
2. Overheating and head problems. More powerful engines after mods will rotate easily to higher RPMs. And because of that, they will start overheating. As a result, the head gasket may fail or even the head can be damaged.
3. Oil pump problems. Unfortunately, oil pumps fail even without mods. With more power, it will fail even sooner and can lead to a complete engine death.
4. Engine wear and tear. If you use mods in your new Pentastar engine, at 100 000 miles it may just fail. The cylinder block wear will cause big problems and will actually make using this engine impossible.

These are the reasons why we don't like the idea of modifying the 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine in your Chrysler 300. It's not the most reliable unit in the world, and by modifying it, you will get a shorter lifespan of the engine and more technical problems.

If you can't live without mods, you may use ECU tuning. This will add some power but it will not harm the engine much. All Stage 2 and Stage 3 types of tuning as well as turbocharging your V6 engine will cause more harm than good results.

Final words

You shouldn't think that adding mods to your 3.6 Chrysler engine is an extremely good idea. Yes, some tuning you can use, but be careful. If you get too high power from your Pentastar engine, you will destroy the transmission, reduce the lifespan of the engine, and also get many minor problems.

We believe this engine is not bad even without tuning. It's quite powerful, relatively reliable and it's fun to drive. If you want a much better Chrysler 300 and a much faster car, you should pay attention to the Hemi engines (V8) that will cost more but allow more options for tuning. These engines will be really good even without any tuning and mods.