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Want to swap my 2018 Kia Sorento lx engine 3.3 liter with a larger more powerful engine. I'm attempting to make the car more powerful so I can tow more weight than the car is currently rated for. I will need to replace my transmission at some point as well. The car has 185,000 miles on it.

EDIT:

Thanks for your responses. I guess I WAS asking if there is a conversion kit. However, based on the responses, as was asked; why?, knowing what I know now I will ask a this question: My 2018 Kia Sorento currently has 160,000 plus miles on all original equipment. It has been used for personal and busienss use. I won’t have the car paid off for the next 14 months, at which time I would like to kee it so I have no csr payment.

I believe the transmission is starting to slip or wear down and i imagine I might have another 40,000 miles on it. It looks like I can get a used, good transmission for about $1,300 plus labor.

My engine is the 6 cylinder 3.3 liter in the LX trim line. It had been a great engine. I drive it back and fourth from reno to the Bay Area often and he be e driven it all over the country. I believe the engine could last another 90,000, that will be about a year to 14 months at my current usage.

The car needs some inside the wheel well repair in terms of the wheel well liners. The splash guard needs to be replaced as well. I believe the front end is out of alinement s little bit. I see where I can buy the interior body parts online and it seems somewhat straight forward.

The other consent is the suspension. The cars suspension seems like it’s pretty shot to me. Here driving in San Francisco, reno and huge road trips have taken its toll. I would upgrade the struts and shocks if, and when, I do the suspension.

I’d like to do is start using the car to tow s travel trailer. I believe the 3.3 liter is rated up to 3500 lbs.

I would also do some cosmetic things like good dog lights, s light bar, protective trim around the wheel wells, etc…. As well as adding a remote start system.

I see this happening all over the next 2 years. I’d did a little research and I believe I could do what I’ve listed for about $20k, give or take $2k. If it were more than that, I would rethink this.

I would like to know if there is anything I can do (that makes sense) to increase the towing capacity.

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  • Anything can be done if you have enough money, are you asking if there are conversion kits, or what the process is to switch, or something else? At the moment your question isn't clear.
    – GdD
    Commented Oct 20, 2022 at 10:55
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    Keep in mind that if you uprate the engine to pull more weight you also need to uprate your brakes - a bigger engine gets you started but it doesn't help you stop, which is more important.
    – GdD
    Commented Oct 20, 2022 at 10:56

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The 3.3LX configuration, which has a rated HP of 290 HP should be capable of towing things up to the rated limit. But the engine is almost certainly NOT the limiting factors. You also need to consider things like brakes, suspension, wheels, tires, and just about everything else.

Not the least concern is the body structure (I'm sure this is a unit-body design) and what its load capacity is. So just putting a larger engine in this, if there was one - and there is not - it not going to help your situation.

While it's conceivable, given enough time and money, that you could upgrade your car's components and structure to tow something beyond the rated limit but WHY? It should be much more economical to simply get rid of this thing and get a more appropriate towing vehicle.

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