Just curious if there is anything that I can do to get a little pep out of my car. No mechanical issues and it has about 85k miles on it. Any advice would be cool, I work a seasonal job so right now I have all the time in the world to do work on it. Just want to have a bit more fun with it without having to buy a quicker car.
How to gain power on a 1996 Dodge Stratus 2.4L?
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My best advice is be concerned with whether or not it has a 20 year old timing belt then id do any tune up items that arent fresh. Then get a cold air intake and exhaust, at least it might sound fastish
Stratuses (Strati?) weren't typically known either for their power or their dependability. The 2.4 allegedly made 150 hp from the factory but this is only a pipe dream in the case of a 24+ year old example.
I think you should feel lucky that the thing starts and runs dependably. Any efforts to juice the output of the engine will likely quicken the old dog's demise.
Can you afford for this thing to die on you right now?
If not, I suggest you milk it along in it's current form as long as possible. Any available extra cash should go to PM type activities.
I think you should feel lucky that the thing starts and runs dependably. Any efforts to juice the output of the engine will likely quicken the old dog's demise.
Can you afford for this thing to die on you right now?
If not, I suggest you milk it along in it's current form as long as possible. Any available extra cash should go to PM type activities.
JHZR2
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Do an MT swap from a 2.0 Breeze.
My parents had a breeze, it was a great car. The 2.0 was a bit noisy when loaded on the hills, but otherwise it returned >30 MPG and they got rid of it with 200k on it. I know at least at the 10 year mark, it still had its original battery!
My parents had a breeze, it was a great car. The 2.0 was a bit noisy when loaded on the hills, but otherwise it returned >30 MPG and they got rid of it with 200k on it. I know at least at the 10 year mark, it still had its original battery!
Swap it for a SRT-4 motor.
Nitrous
Originally Posted by SVTCobra
Nitrous
It'll probably end about as well as when Tyler Hoovie of Hoovies Garage tried nitrous on a Prius
I 2nd the idea of an SRT-4 swap.
Nitrous
It'll probably end about as well as when Tyler Hoovie of Hoovies Garage tried nitrous on a Prius
I 2nd the idea of an SRT-4 swap.
Do all of the maintenance, oil, spark plugs, timing belt, brakes, ATF etc if they haven't already been done. Put a cold air intake in it maybe, don't put a loud muffler on it unless you're into loud/harsh four cylinders. Then push it off a cliff if you want it to go faster.
In all seriousness, having driven my late grandparent's '96 Cirrus with the same engine right before it met its rusty western Pennsylvania demise, just be happy it's still on the road and treating you well. And save up for something else. A car even 10 years newer in that class will feel light years ahead performance wise.
Or SRT-4 and/or manual swap, because I am a bit of a Mopar nut.
In all seriousness, having driven my late grandparent's '96 Cirrus with the same engine right before it met its rusty western Pennsylvania demise, just be happy it's still on the road and treating you well. And save up for something else. A car even 10 years newer in that class will feel light years ahead performance wise.
Or SRT-4 and/or manual swap, because I am a bit of a Mopar nut.
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There's nothing you are going to be able to do to that engine, barring a high performance re-build, that is going to net you any performance gains. This means either an engine swap with an SRT-4 or a power adder. I assume there may be afternarket turbo or supercharger kits, though not sure how durable the rest of the bits are to deal with the increase in go power.
Simplify, then add lightness!
![[Linked Image from nerocam.com]](http://www.nerocam.com/SCC_Images/image033.jpg "[Linked Image from nerocam.com]")
This engine does not have the compression or cam for much improvement, however a tune, low restriction air and exhaust will help.
Originally Posted by Macsignals
In all seriousness, having driven my late grandparent's '96 Cirrus with the same engine right before it met its rusty western Pennsylvania demise, just be happy it's still on the road and treating you well. And save up for something else. A car even 10 years newer in that class will feel light years ahead performance wise.
Yeah, I guess in that vein if the OP has time, should just work a side gig like Uber and put the money toward a newer car. That is usually the most effective way to increase performance. Aside from the maintenance items mentioned earlier, anything extreme, you'd never get back on a resale, better to save the money and put it toward something newer.
In all seriousness, having driven my late grandparent's '96 Cirrus with the same engine right before it met its rusty western Pennsylvania demise, just be happy it's still on the road and treating you well. And save up for something else. A car even 10 years newer in that class will feel light years ahead performance wise.
Yeah, I guess in that vein if the OP has time, should just work a side gig like Uber and put the money toward a newer car. That is usually the most effective way to increase performance. Aside from the maintenance items mentioned earlier, anything extreme, you'd never get back on a resale, better to save the money and put it toward something newer.
Play Steppenwolf, Metallica or Pantara whenever driving, you will feel like you are going much faster then you are. Meanwhile you should probably find a side hustle, because the first thing you need is to save for a new car whose engine won't sheet the bearings at the thought of adding 25hp. It's amazing that car is still on the road, do stupid mods win stupid prizes.
there is no hope for that motor. just maintain it; change all of the fluids - to extend its life. I echo the "push it off a cliff" comment!! It's the first thing I thought of!!! We have a 96 Sebring Jx with that motor. 225k on it.
the bottom end and transmission have never been touched. it's gone through 2 head gaskets though.
the bottom end and transmission have never been touched. it's gone through 2 head gaskets though.
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The exhaust manifold on those year (96-2000) cloud cars is very restrictive. In the cloud cars Chrysler tuned the engines for low and midrange torque. A header or a PT Cruiser exhaust manifold and exhaust system by a muffler shop would give a slight bump in power in the upper end of it's RPM range. I don't think it's worth the money to do it though. A cheap couple of horsepower at the expense of more engine vibration can be found by dropping the oil pan and cutting the balance shaft chain, they usually end up breaking by themselves anyway lol.
...Or find a 2000-2002 Neon, take that 2.4 out of the Stratus and drop it into the Neon. With some PT Cruiser parts and a 1st gen Neon DOHC intake it's a bolt in swap, even the original SOHC PCM and engine wiring harness from the Neon will run the 2.4 properly. Adding stock 1st gen Neon DOHC cams to the 2.4 when doing this swap is worth 5 horsepower. Chrysler could have offered the N/A 2.4 in the Neon as an option, they already had all the parts.
...Or find a 2000-2002 Neon, take that 2.4 out of the Stratus and drop it into the Neon. With some PT Cruiser parts and a 1st gen Neon DOHC intake it's a bolt in swap, even the original SOHC PCM and engine wiring harness from the Neon will run the 2.4 properly. Adding stock 1st gen Neon DOHC cams to the 2.4 when doing this swap is worth 5 horsepower. Chrysler could have offered the N/A 2.4 in the Neon as an option, they already had all the parts.
An optimised gearset makes more of a difference than you would believe.
How is this 25 year old cloud car still running?!?! Head gasket blowing 2.4 attached to that rubbish ultradrive auto trans, all wrapped up in that marvelous mid-90's Chrysler reliability.
I say mothball it, stow it away in a garage for 10 years then really turn some heads in 2030 when you pull it back out.
I say mothball it, stow it away in a garage for 10 years then really turn some heads in 2030 when you pull it back out.
How about saving the car as the daily driver ? Keep it properly maintained, then put your time and effort into something else that you do not rely on for basic transportation. If you keep it running, it will serve you for cheap transportation.
Hate to say it, but any attempt to squeeze more power out of that slug motor is likely to result in a blown head gasket, or worse! Drive it & save your money (the same advice I give my 26 year old son when he complains about the Cherokee!)!
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