Preparing for cam swap, have an idea.

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Bandit517

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Been trying to dig into my options before I get elbow deep into this. Figured I would ask here where more people have more experience with these trucks. I've looked at so many different threads on cam swaps. Then an idea hit me, why not pull the motor and do everything while on a stand? I'm thinking it would save my back and possible damage to my trucks paint. Plus I *think* I can get the motor out without disconnecting my A/C, but I have not looked that close on that yet. I'm doing a cam, lifters, valve springs, headers and oil filter relocation all at the same time. So what do y'all think? Pull the motor or leave it in? I imagine I get a decent amount of work done in the wheel well with the fender liners out. But I'm not sure which would be easier overall. I've got a cherry picker and multiple engine stands so it wouldn't be an added burden to pull the motor.
 

WY.Ram

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Outstanding protocol. I wish I had pulled mine. And I will on next build for sure. I can guarantee no matter how hard I tried in my engine bay, my rebuild would have been cleaner if I had pulled my engine.
All those things you mentioned too. I made more bumper stomping trips into my engine bay then I ever care to count, I couldn't take the belly crawl to the rear of the engine bay any longer I ordered in a top side creeper. meh it helped me finish but I so wished I had pulled it. Once you get to the heads and get them out there is nothing left in the bay but a block, two motor mounts and 10 or so bolts from a bellhousing any way, well a ****** wiring harness and yes the completely sealed AC system. Mine stayed intact.
I think the 1500 allows for standing on the ground inside the bay which probably helps a little, mine has a sway bar there, so no go. I was almost entirely from a prone position, never again. If you're pulling heads, I am a 100% put it on a stand and give it your best possible build.

Also a high quality, 1/4" drive, inch lb, torque wrench is very important. The 3/8" and 1/2" also but if the 1/4" is late on its click a stripped or broken fastener is not far behind, AU heads and little bolts. I broke a lifter rail bolt waiting for my $40 1/4" drive TW to click. When you reach that point in your reassembly pause and imagine the belly repair on drilling that piece of little fastner out. Just a humble heads up on 'be careful about right there'! That little bolt felt like playdoh twisting in half.

98k miles total , 8k on rebuild, sounds and runs amazing.
 

RamRod37

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I done my top end in engine bay and if I had to do same thing over no I would not pull engine even me having A lift you still have 3-4 hrs of pulling items off wiring harness, accessories, intake, radiator. With whole engine pull you have the added trans torque converter bolts, bell housing bolts, starter, motor mounts and if doing this on ground heck no I would not pull it. I pulled front wheels off mine and let lift as far down as I could go yeah it would it have been great to be like the 03-08's where you can pull all cross members and bumper and just walk in yes and did climbing up and down over the cross member suck yes but not enough to warrant the extra time to remove whole engine from bay just my two cents
 
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Bandit517

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My plan was to leave the motor as intact as possible to pull. Then disassemble once on a stand. For the most part anything I have to remove to pull the engine is also needed to remove for access to the cam. I'm figuring bell housing, torque converter, motor mounts, wiring harness are the only added task. Which most of the harness gets pulled when getting to the cam anyways. But I've never had the motor out of a 4th gen so I'm not entirely sure of the space allotted to get the motor out. Either way I planned on pulling the wheels/tires and getting the truck a little lower on stands to save climbing.

@WY.Ram I just picked up some quality 1/4 and 3/8 torque wrenches in preparation for this since I only had a 1/2.
 

Sillygoose

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I think it depends on how big and nimble a guy you are, or are not.
 

DILLIGAF

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Did mine in place as well, Pulling the engine never crossed my mind. But I am lifted and on 37s so dropping the oil pan was super easy. ;)
 

seabrook

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Did mine in place as well, Pulling the engine never crossed my mind. But I am lifted and on 37s so dropping the oil pan was super easy. ;)
how is yours running now- you have a badazz cam so i was wondering how you were liking it
 

Wild one

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Its my DD, and verry happy so far. This summer will be the 6.4 Intake Hellcat TB and 8 speed swap to finish the build.
Keep your eyes open for the Khaos adapter Ian,it's cheaper then the MMX adapter.When i put the Kittycat TB on the wifes 6.4,i found a new one in Ontario,that the guy never used,for about half the price of buying it off Khaos.All told i have 300 bucks into a low mile used Hellcat TB/Hellcat airbox and the adapter to install it on her Challenger
 

Wild one

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They are on sale for 99$ right now on the website... :)
That seems to be their permenant price,lol.They were on sale for that price 6 months ago.I picked the one up i have for 90 bucks Canuck including shipping from Ont.I put a post up on a couple facebook pages looking for one,that's how i found the one i have.
 

savage_46

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I think it's doable by not disconnecting the a/c. May have to wait til the fan shroud is out to swing the compressor over. I'd hang it off the hood with a bungie cord if possible. Just be careful not to bend the aluminum part of the lines or snag the rubber.

Good info on the khaos adapter, just saved me $100
 
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Bandit517

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I've got the V6 fan already so I figure once I pull the fan and radiator I should have enough room to unbolt the compressor and leave it hooked up. Same for the condenser. Which would have to be removed if I did the swap leaving the engine in. I'm thinking it's probably about even as far as overall difficulty/complexity. But as I think of this more I'm leaning towards pulling the motor and doing everything while it's on the stand. I'm trying to watch the weather forecast closely to decide when I'm giving the truck a detailed wash and stuffing it in the garage to start wrenching on it.
 

seabrook

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Keep your eyes open for the Khaos adapter Ian,it's cheaper then the MMX adapter.When i put the Kittycat TB on the wifes 6.4,i found a new one in Ontario,that the guy never used,for about half the price of buying it off Khaos.All told i have 300 bucks into a low mile used Hellcat TB/Hellcat airbox and the adapter to install it on her Challenger
that's super awesome that your wife likes you modding her car- my wife is the opposite she wont let me touch hers and i'm dying to do some mods, she grew up with her dad and brother doing 1/4 mile drags and all of the family cars were were fully built (cam, heads, headers stalled etc....) and fast (for the 80's) crazy!
 

seabrook

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I've got the V6 fan already so I figure once I pull the fan and radiator I should have enough room to unbolt the compressor and leave it hooked up. Same for the condenser. Which would have to be removed if I did the swap leaving the engine in. I'm thinking it's probably about even as far as overall difficulty/complexity. But as I think of this more I'm leaning towards pulling the motor and doing everything while it's on the stand. I'm trying to watch the weather forecast closely to decide when I'm giving the truck a detailed wash and stuffing it in the garage to start wrenching on it.
can you do headers on a stand then drop it back in?
 

Wild one

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that's super awesome that your wife likes you modding her car- my wife is the opposite she wont let me touch hers and i'm dying to do some mods, she grew up with her dad and brother doing 1/4 mile drags and all of the family cars were were fully built (cam, heads, headers stalled etc....) and fast (for the 80's) crazy!
She loves drag racing as much as i do, she probably did more street racing in this old toy then i did,back when we were first together,lol.She bought her 1320 Challenger with the sole intention of beating my truck,lol
 

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EdGs

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.......She bought her 1320 Challenger with the sole intention of beating my truck,lol
So, tell us. Did she whoop your ass with the Challenger?
 

seabrook

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She loves drag racing as much as i do, she probably did more street racing in this old toy then i did,back when we were first together,lol.She bought her 1320 Challenger with the sole intention of beating my truck,lol
now that is awesome!!!!
 

Wild one

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So, tell us. Did she whoop your ass with the Challenger?
O-ya the car is about a second quicker then the truck now,even stone cold stock it was faster,lol.If you haven't ran into a 1320 Challenger heres a short little video on them,they're kind of known as the baby demon.They come through with a factory high stall convertor with differant shift mapping in the 8 speed,compared to normal Scatpacks.They'll eat a normal 6.4 Scatpack Challenger/Charger for breakfast ,lol.


Little article on the 1320's that's worth reading if you're in the market for a new Scatpack Challenger.

 
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Bandit517

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can you do headers on a stand then drop it back in?
I'm not sure. I haven't found any info pointing to if it was or was not possible. I'm guessing I can probably squeeze it in with the headers on. At least bolted up but maybe leave them loose to navigate them in between the frame rail and bell housing.
 
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