Building a new hemi for the 2500. Need input

[msorbara10]

Whats up everyone. Just today I picked up a used hemi that spun a rod bearing. I paid $100 for it.





I want to build a new motor for my truck. You all may be asking why I would be doing this so here is why. My engine now is running well but it was once a plow truck and while my truck is very clean, a lot of parts on the engine are not. The block is flaking and I can tell the oil pan gasket is looking like its about to leak...Also you can imagine a lot of bolts are rusted so its a nightmare taking everything off....

So what I wanted to do was buy a used once like I did and build one up with everything I wanted in it and then swap it out. This is something that will take some time as I will save money for the parts and ofcorse the labor for the machining.

I want to hear what you guys think I should do with the engine..
This is what I plan on right now. I want something obviously with a lot more power and torqueier if you will.

Plans so far.. Get the block blasted, bored, honed etc.. Not sure about boring them out a little bigger.
Comp 260 cam, Ported heads, (I have 6.1 springs, new retainers, and valve seals,) 6.1 hemi oil pump, shorty headers (2500's can only have shorty), 87mm TB, good intake, MSD ignition plugs and wires, upgraded push rods

As far as pistons, rods and other parts I am really not sure what else to get. Coated pistons? forged parts?

I was looking at stroker kits but they are just so expensive. I understand that they are all forged parts but are they as simple as boring out the cylinder and swapping out the crank, rods, and pistons?

I would like to have a machine shop clean up the block and assemble the bottom end and I would like to finish the rest. Both to save money and I just enjoy the work. I will be talking to the shop that I plan on having my engine build but I wanted to get some input from the ram guys on here first.

I have a edge torque converter and shardon stage 2 valve body to upgrade the tranny a little bit.

Anyway I was hoping I could get some input and suggestions about ways to go about building this engine. It wont be something that will be done soon and I apologize because I know everyone like seeing pictures and progress of projects but I will keep you all posted

 

[RonJon '06]

I just did a very similar build to yours. My pistons were CP Carrillo Bullets and the connecting rods were Molnar. The timing kit for the 6.1L is stronger than the 5.7L so I would upgrade that as well. Also the 6.1L crankshaft is forged, not cast like the one in the 5.7L so going with that makes for a very strong bottom end. I got a used 6.1 crank balanced and everything for $200. I think the standard overbore on the cylinders is 20 thousands which means you gain about 4HP there. Do you already have a tuner and what year is the motor that you're using?

 

[msorbara10]

I just did a very similar build to yours. My pistons were CP Carrillo Bullets and the connecting rods were Molnar. The timing kit for the 6.1L is stronger than the 5.7L so I would upgrade that as well. Also the 6.1L crankshaft is forged, not cast like the one in the 5.7L so going with that makes for a very strong bottom end. I got a used 6.1 crank balanced and everything for $200. I think the standard overbore on the cylinders is 20 thousands which means you gain about 4HP there. Do you already have a tuner and what year is the motor that you're using?

Its a motor from a 04 just like mine except from a 1500. I believe the only difference is that I dont have an EGR.. And yes I have a diablo trinity on 93 tune. Going to get a hemi fever tune when I am all done

 

[usaf2006]

Good deal on the motor dude.

 

[RonJon '06]

Its a motor from a 04 just like mine except from a 1500. I believe the only difference is that I dont have an EGR.. And yes I have a diablo trinity on 93 tune. Going to get a hemi fever tune when I am all done

Yeah I think you're right, just the EGR is different. Several members here have done an EGR delete and just caped off the opening on the head. I replaced my lifters too and soaked them and the pushrods in oil overnight before installing them. The other thing if you didn't know already is that you can pull out the ASD relay on the '04 and crank the motor over to build up some oil pressure before starting it the first time.

 

[msorbara10]

Yeah I think you're right, just the EGR is different. Several members here have done an EGR delete and just caped off the opening on the head. I replaced my lifters too and soaked them and the pushrods in oil overnight before installing them. The other thing if you didn't know already is that you can pull out the ASD relay on the '04 and crank the motor over to build up some oil pressure before starting it the first time.

Yea I know I don't have egr and it's blocked off. And good to know I was actually wondering how I would "prime" the engine before starting it. How hard was it to assemble to too end? I don't want to mess with the crank and pistons I rather have a shop take care of the and then do the rest myself.

 

[msorbara10]

Good deal on the motor dude.

Thanks I couldn't pass it up!

 

[RonJon '06]

Yea I know I don't have egr and it's blocked off. And good to know I was actually wondering how I would "prime" the engine before starting it. How hard was it to assemble to too end? I don't want to mess with the crank and pistons I rather have a shop take care of the and then do the rest myself.

I actually did the opposite, I assembled the bottom end and had the machine shop do the valve job, I just had to put in the lifters and pushrods. I also had the shop install the new cam bearings. If you replace those then the new bearings might have a groove on the backside so that the oiling hole can be placed at any position and the machinist put mine at 3 O'Clock. The stock cam bearings just have a hole and no groove so the hole had to be placed at 6 O'Clock to line up with the hole in the block.

The bottom end assembly really wasn't that difficult if you follow the directions. The only special tools you need are a torque wrench, ring compressor and an angle gauge for torquing the connecting rod and main cap bolts. I used plastigauge to check bearing clearances. I didn't have to calculate the bearing size they came with the crank. Same thing with the connecting rod bearings.

 

[msorbara10]

I actually did the opposite, I assembled the bottom end and had the machine shop do the valve job, I just had to put in the lifters and pushrods. I also had the shop install the new cam bearings. If you replace those then the new bearings might have a groove on the backside so that the oiling hole can be placed at any position and the machinist put mine at 3 O'Clock. The stock cam bearings just have a hole and no groove so the hole had to be placed at 6 O'Clock to line up with the hole in the block.

The bottom end assembly really wasn't that difficult if you follow the directions. The only special tools you need are a torque wrench, ring compressor and a dial gauge for torquing the connecting rod and main cap bolts. I used plastigauge to check bearing clearances. I didn't have to calculate the bearing size they came with the crank. Same thing with the connecting rod bearings.

I was planning on having the shop port and assemble the heads for me. The reason I didn't want to to the bottom end is because I was not sure if I were to bore the block out a little and or machine the crank or possibly putting a stroker kit in, if there were any special clearances or such I needed to worry about.

Did you have a manual to go by when assembling the engine?

 

[RonJon '06]

I downloaded a spec sheet for the 2004 5.7l. It has torque specs and instructions for both disassembly and assembly. If you PM me your email I can forward it to you.....its too big to use as an attachment.

 

[msorbara10]

I downloaded a spec sheet for the 2004 5.7l. It has torque specs and instructions for both disassembly and assembly. If you PM me your email I can forward it to you.....its too big to use as an attachment.

Appreciate it! Pm sent