Inherited my Fathers truck, want to swap a Hellcat motor to honor him.

My father passed away 6 months ago, and I inherited his 2008 ram 1500 4x4 sport with the 5.7 Hemi. It runs fine, but at 170,000 miles, and knowing my dad was bad about oil changes, I know this engine is not going to last as long as I wish to keep it, which is al lest another 30 years.
When I was a child, back in the 80's, he had a beast of a 57 Chevy hotrod with a Pontiac 400 and a six pack, four on the floor, Posi with 4.11 gearing, thing was a monster. my dad was a gasser back in the day. he built it in the early 70's. I want to honor his legacy with this truck. So, I would like to swap the engine for a Hellcat crate motor. I know, I am looking at over 20k for the engine, and my transmission wont work. I want to convert it to six speed manual, so that is like another 12k. I don't care. This will take time. But I can do it, it just may take 3 years.
I know the new engine and transmission are going to reconfigure my driveline. New driveshafts are not a big deal. And I weld well, so custom work is not that much of an issue.
But I find myself with questions I cant seem to find answers to. Will my driveline handle this? I don't even know what differentials I have or what my transfer case is. Online specs just tell me the gear ratios, not who made the parts. I want to keep it a 4x4. And I want everything to work right. Cruse and everything. I know I will need an aftermarket ECM, but I am a bit lost here.
I have done a number of engine swaps that were on the crazy end in the past, but never anything with fuel injection. this is way more complicated than just getting the wiring right. There is a lot of tech that I would like to preserve. Like the trip computer. Any advice or info would be appreciated. I know, I should just build up something else. Trust me, I wanted to sell it and the LS swap an 88 Fierro. But, this was my Dads truck. And I can not bring myself to part with it.

Then don't part with. And it was your father's truck, and he wasn't driving it around with some Hellcat crate motor in it. It was just his pick-up truck. Honor him by doing all the currently needed maintenance to it, yourself. Give it that kinda refresh. Auto work sounds like something you like/know how to do, put that kinda time in with the truck and give it all the TLC it needs. And then keep around in your life and enjoy driving it when you do, and being behind the wheel will make you think of him.

Condolences on your loss.

I see your point, and I could go that route. I really had planned to just sell it, trucks are worth a lot here in AZ. epically luxurious 4x4 trucks. perhaps I will just fix all the body damage (he should not have been driving as long as he was, kept hitting fixtures) and rebuild the stock engine.
I just believe he would smile at a 707hp 4x4.....

sir-jeff-the-wise said:

I see your point, and I could go that route. I really had planned to just sell it, trucks are worth a lot here in AZ. epically luxurious 4x4 trucks. perhaps I will just fix all the body damage (he should not have been driving as long as he was, kept hitting fixtures) and rebuild the stock engine.
I just believe he would smile at a 707hp 4x4.....

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or, just change the oil & filter on it first. drive it a bit, see if it leaks oil. if it runs good, and doesn't drip anything on the ground, and the transmission feels solid, then start putting some time & $$ in it servicing. change out old fluids, air filter, change the spark plugs and new PCV, and replace any other needed worn out parts. if needed maybe get some new tires on it. clean it up inside and out. and then enjoy driving it. maybe later, and over time, start touching up the cosmetic issues that bug you.

I replaced the air filter, changed the oil and filter, and checked for codes as soon as I got it. standard procedure for a used vehicle. have not touched plugs yet. it runs great, but gets worse fuel economy than it should. and i don't know why. It is possible i have a lot of gunk in the engine due to improper oil change intervals, which dad was known for, and from what i understand that can **** with the "progressive displacement" or whatever they called it. My system tells me I get an average of 13.6 mpg. And my commute to work is almost all freeway. I barely go anywhere else. i just work. I thing something is not right.

And it leaks nothing.

Contact John OMalley / Boosted Motosports on facebook.He's done more hellcat swaps then most,and might be able to give you some pointers.The biggest issue i see is there's not many 6 speed transmissions set-up for a transfer case.

I love how you want to honor your pops this way. I say go for it! Start a build thread here and keep us informed. Should be a great project. You've got the right attitude about approaching a project this big and funds and time don't seem to be an issue. Do it!

If you suspect there are engine deposits, I just decrease the oil change interval to deal with that gradually and safely. Fresh oil will dissolve it back into suspension and not run the risk of suddenly releasing massive sludge amounts like cleaning products can do.

Put fresh oil in and drain it after 1k miles. If it comes out black and looks like it has 5k on it you’re on the right track.

TRX runs a full time 4x4 transfer case to deal with the power. You could go that way. Whether the original case stands up to big power depends on how aggressively it’s driven. Big difference between cruising the strip vs going to the track.

sir-jeff-the-wise said:

I replaced the air filter, changed the oil and filter, and checked for codes as soon as I got it. standard procedure for a used vehicle. have not touched plugs yet. it runs great, but gets worse fuel economy than it should. and i don't know why. It is possible i have a lot of gunk in the engine due to improper oil change intervals, which dad was known for, and from what i understand that can **** with the "progressive displacement" or whatever they called it. My system tells me I get an average of 13.6 mpg. And my commute to work is almost all freeway. I barely go anywhere else. i just work. I thing something is not right.

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...after 170k and @13.6 mpg, and possible no know history of the spark plugs, I'd speculate their replacement is needed.

N osense spedning all teh money for a hellcat swap.

Pick up OEM Long block hemi, slap on a whipple, tune it, upgrade a new tranny, beef up rear end and have a super fun truck to run around in. Leave the body alone, let be exactly as he had it. Body can always be doen and with miles ucrently on the truck, its the drive train that needs goen through, the most.

no sense spending 20 ro 30k on a truck when youcan have just as much fun for half teh money and keep it running, longer and less likely to crash teh thing being a goofball with the power ya got.

Dam only 170k.. its still a baby you can get 300k orig driveline on a 3rd gen if taken care of.

OP, I understand the sentiment.
The Ram I have is the same.
The difference is when I inherited the truck, I knew I would need a new crank and pistons but I wanted to do it because my father wanted to get it done if it wasn’t for the curfew.

I would suggest for you to start with a complete replacement for the oils, spark plugs and belts.
Go for an oil change cycle to see how the car is, then plan your upgrades.

gofishn said:

Pick up OEM Long block hemi, slap on a whipple, tune it, upgrade a new tranny, beef up rear end and have a super fun truck to run around in.

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The stock internals will limit the amount of boost from a supercharger. Might as well upgrade the internals of the engine too.

Richard Holdener has some good video's on boosting a stock 5.7.They'll take a fair bit of boost even with stock pistons if you open up the ring gaps.

Point being, keep it cheap. keep it stock as he got it form Dad. WHo cares about body if it runs gr8?
Keep it a Sleeper.

Buuild it up, by all means, but do so with longevity, in mind.
Doubt any of those super tweaked ngines last longer than the warranty when you run them and if you truly run them, imagine gettign them replace,d under warranty, woudl be a nightmare.

Where you lucked out with wanting to do this swap is that you already have a CAN bus vehicle. VVT engines require next gen CAN to run (which you do not have) but it can be made to work inside previous CAN architecture. I see a few routes here, cheapest to most expensive:
1. Leave it stock, fix it up and enjoy something that links you and your pops.
2. Cam the engine and enjoy a little more pep possibly without grenading the transmission. Once you go beyond this step it's time to look at tranny swaps.
3. Stock displacement with boost, your choice of turbo or blower. At that point your RFE is living on borrowed time. Now it's time to look at 8HP75 or 46RH/RE swaps.
4. Bigger engine. Few options here, easiest/cheapest being a 6.1/6.1 stoker (not so cheap) or a 5.7 based stroker (cheaper and more plentiful). Both of these can use your stock accessory drive and be run off your existing PCM.
5. Bigger stock style engine with boost.
6. Bigger VVT engine, i.e. a 6.4/392. This will require total arrangement of your accessory drive as well as adapting the newer PCM to run it.
7. Bigger VVT engine with boost, i.e. a 6.4 BGE. requires the same as above as well as a trans swap of some sort to hold it.
8. Hellcat swap. Since you want to keep 4x4, you'd need the setup from a TRX/Trackhawk/Durango SRT. This is the Hellcat engine with 8HP95 AWD. You'll need your fab skills to mount it properly and then a PCM and adapter harness to integrate it into the truck. Will need to mount the intercooler tank and run the piping. Also custom driveshafts.
The diffs should be fine, especially if you're keeping 4x4 or AWD, though I would have both F/R diffs gone through, bearings, seals, etc. While there is an easy bolt in upgrade for the 1500 rear, there really isn't one for the independent front.
Something else to keep in mind, with great increases in GO, there must be corresponding increases with the WHOA. BRAKES. Can't count how many times I see people wanna throw huge amounts of power at something just to totally ignore the thing that just might save their ass.

REDinAZ said:

Then don't part with. And it was your father's truck, and he wasn't driving it around with some Hellcat crate motor in it. It was just his pick-up truck. Honor him by doing all the currently needed maintenance to it, yourself. Give it that kinda refresh. Auto work sounds like something you like/know how to do, put that kinda time in with the truck and give it all the TLC it needs. And then keep around in your life and enjoy driving it when you do, and being behind the wheel will make you think of him.

Condolences on your loss.

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Same - sorry for your loss.

I agree with keeping it but do what you want with it. I did something simular with a car I got which had a Iron headed and cammed 383 SBC (prob made 350hp and 400+tq) and a leaking th350 (3 speed non lockup). I swapped in a used 5.3 LS I went through with a stage 1 cam and it will make 400hp all day but I was going to put a centri supercharger on it. I can't get the supercharger to fit due to the engine bay constraints at the moment but I will probably get on there in the next few years (I just want to get the car done and on the road). It was built for streetability hence a stage 1 high lift cam as I wanted good brakes and good street manner as the car will be street cruising only (c3 corvettes had glass for rear ends). I put in a 700r4 for overdrive and lockup converter to bring it all together (he built it a while back) but made some changes and cleaned it all out. Car sounds real good and I know he would be happy.

The car I inherited is a 78 corvette from my dad and I'm close to finishing it now after 2 years. The car was in terrible shape, didn't run, he took it apart and lost most of the parts or didn't have them. The car was in a wreck prior to him and had bad body work and the paint looked like a cracked lake bed all over the car with multiple layers of paint. It's taken me 2 years but the car should be done this summer. I had to basically build the car from scratch but kept most of everything he did and fix things for it all to work. It's got a a new driveline (used LS cammed 5.3, 700r4 trans that he built for another project and I went through it. New interior is going in once I finish paint. I just got all the body work done and sprayed the first coat of high build primer and it feels great. It has been a year of just body work and fitting of panels and fixing which has been terrible in so many ways. It would have been cheaper to replace the entire front clip but kept it bc thats the point. This is what he would have done only mine will come out better bc I'm more detail orientated than he was. I wouldn't change it and when I'm done I know he will be happy. Keep it, fix it, make your changes that you feel are worth it and you won't be disappointed in the end.

FWIW I wouldn't do the hellcat due to costs. You could drop in a gen 4 Hemi, 8hp70 trans, Holley terminator and a torque storm supercharger and push 700hp for less money. Due what your capable of doing and affording and change what you want but remember not to change too much.

Another possible cause of fuel mpg decreasing at 170k could be that the fuel injectors may be a bit clogged, but not gone and can be cleaned. That and spark plugs are the cheapest way to get back mpg.

Wild one said:

Contact John OMalley / Boosted Motosports on facebook.He's done more hellcat swaps then most,and might be able to give you some pointers.The biggest issue i see is there's not many 6 speed transmissions set-up for a transfer case.

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I talked to John a while back on one of his live streams and I asked the question. What would it cost for me to swap a Hellcat into my 2018 1500 2wd. His answer made me cringe. He said the bare minimum was well over $35k and hundreds of hours of time building new harnesses, etc.... just to get it going down the road. Then there's all the little nitpicky quirks that each truck has that have to be worked as they pop up. I shelved that idea.