My nearly new, 0 owner 2017 Dodge Challenger GT
- Thread starter olds307 and 403
- Start date
Works as it should, has lights and backs as it should a neat little package, a super easy install. I ran the trailer 4 pin wire through the vent in the trunk and put a loom on the wires. The Curt 4 pin bracket locks in the connector, nice and tight with a tight fitting 4 pin cover. The 3.6 8 spd hardly noticed the boat behind it. I am getting this for a hitch cover, my Wife HATES tailgaters.
As a dodge tech I have to agree that not only the new challenger but all of the Chrysler products redesigned since the fiat merger post Daimler days (any platform that can accept a 3.6) are miles ahead of their predecessors. Also don’t buy the 5.7 not fitting the 8 speed almost every rwd platform vehicle we make since 2014 is an 8 speed engineered by ZF the Internals are different as power goes up ie 8hp45 is good for approx 450 pounds of torque where an 8hp95 (hellcat/trackhawk) is good for approx 950 pounds of torque those specs aren’t exact I don’t have my paper from class with me but I do remember the numbers being very close, actually if I recall the it’s actually newton meters not foot pounds but either way. The problem was the awd systems that fit L body cars not holding up to the power, commonly had issues with the hemi awd in the prior generations. Either way that 3.6 is one heck of a good engine. Make pretty decent power good fuel mileage very reliable. The left heads burning exhaust valves is pretty much over, if you do regular oil changes the lifters and rockers don’t fail, don’t overtighten the oil filter the oil cooler won’t leak (seriously first squeak of the plastic it’s tight) besides that very good I’ve put 70k on my 11 3.6 charger in under 2 years of ownership )for a total of 170k and it’s been great to me. Typical it needed a thermostat, threw a set of plugs in and did the oil cooler because I was leaking when I got it, that’s it.
Supposedly they redesigned the oil cooler and the updated one should be on my 17. I run full synthetic and do oil changes around 10,000 km, not miles at the dealer till the extended warranty runs out. Yeah, there should be 0 packaging issues with a Hemi, AWD and a 8 speed. The 3.6 is more powerful, better on fuel and no tick of death or oil usage like the 3.5 our 2010 had. I accidentally stretched on oil change to just under 8,000 km on the 3.5, it used oil and ticked worse and worse till we traded it off. Not my fault GM makes nothing in a reasonable price range I want to own, hopefully the Challenger lasts a few more years.
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Oil cooler redesign started 2014 model year so you’ve got the new one but that just fixed the oil bypass from breaking they still leak, but like I said before it’s from people going crazy overtorquing them and actually cracking the plastic. 3.5s definitely loud and oil burning boat anchor of an engine can’t hold a candle to a pentastar
So we took the Challenger towing, it did great. It ran 1800 to 2000 rpm at 100 km/hr(60 mph), so probably in 7th gear. It used a 1/4 tank driving 100+ kms, 1/2 as much as my Dakota. My wife is turning off the back up alarm today, drove her nuts and she backed up badly, she is usually good at it.
The GT did great and got 22 mpg Imperial towing the boat. Found out 2 km an hour makes a huge difference towing, kicks down to seventh gear. So we should see 25+ if we do 100 km/hr vs 102 km/hr.
We got 24 mpg imperial towing 2 km an hour slower. About what a new truck would get without towing anything.
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The Challenger has done great towing, low to mid 20's Imperial mpg. The oil change was getting too long in the tooth at 9800 KM, down to 35%, usually can go over 10K and be just under 40 percent. So I did my first one on the Challenger GT myself. I used the Motomaster OE plus oil filter made by Champ Labs and Coop 5W20 full synthetic Dexos 1 Gen 2 approved oil. I like the cartridge style filter.
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