Choices choices choices, transmission is broken

[09RollinRam]

I have an 09 Ram 1500 with 5.7L with 6 speed and 200k miles. Truck has long tubes and a hemi fever tune, so she's peppy but not fast. I finally lost 4th gear in it and I'm left with choices. Looking for some advice or any other creative ideas.

1. Get trans rebuilt and keep on moving a long.
- leaves me with high mileage motor and meh trans compared to an 8hp style trans

2. 8hp swap it
- leaves me with a high mileage motor that needs a refresh in the near future

3. Buy a 5.7l with 8hp and swap that in with some mild upgrades, mostly a cam and the while you're in there's.
- leaves me with a case of the shouldas, shoulda swapped in a scat pack motor

4. Buy a scat pack setup and swap it in with some mild upgrades
- leaves me with the wife complaining that I should of bought something new and worse gas mileage

I haven't done much research and how many cans of worms I will be opening with each approach. Was looking for thoughts or ideas on what direction to take from those that might of gone down this road.

Attached are some pics of her.

 

[HemiLonestar]

1. Quickest and cheapest.
2. True, but the trans part would already be done.
3&4. Directly relates to budget; how good of shape is the rest of the truck and how attached are you? I had my previous truck for 20 yrs, you're almost there lol; honestly, the mileage will only be that much worse if you can't keep your foot out of it constantly. Even with no MDS, stock 392's (if you leave it stock) do surprisingly well if you aren't planted to the floorboard constantly. With MDS they are even more surprising. If I behave on the highway I can do a 300 mi round trip two states away and still have a half tank left.

Regardless of engine choice, I am overwhelmingly in favor of the ZF swap. Might be a PITA up front but there are no downsides after it's done. 8 speed was my #1 criteria when I went looking for a newer truck a couple years ago.

 

[caulk04]

Do you like the truck? Want to keep rocking it?

Do a built-ish trans with a good tune, I bet you're surprised how much better you'll like that.

That said, I really like the 8spd.

 

[Fast69Mopar]

1. Quickest and cheapest.
2. True, but the trans part would already be done.
3&4. Directly relates to budget; how good of shape is the rest of the truck and how attached are you? I had my previous truck for 20 yrs, you're almost there lol; honestly, the mileage will only be that much worse if you can't keep your foot out of it constantly. Even with no MDS, stock 392's (if you leave it stock) do surprisingly well if you aren't planted to the floorboard constantly. With MDS they are even more surprising. If I behave on the highway I can do a 300 mi round trip two states away and still have a half tank left.

Regardless of engine choice, I am overwhelmingly in favor of the ZF swap. Might be a PITA up front but there are no downsides after it's done. 8 speed was my #1 criteria when I went looking for a newer truck a couple years ago.

Every option you have presented is easily doable but that "easily" part will be heavily dependent on a few factors. That being said you need to be realistic with yourself about a few things.

Now, the Budget. The killer of all mechanics and hot rodders dreams. How much can you spend? Is money not a problem? Can you spend $10K right now? Even if you get killer deals on your parts and the motor and trans you're still making a significant investment here.

Now, a few questions...

Is this truck your daily driver?

Do you have another vehicle to drive?

If so, how long can it be down?

A stock 5.7 and a stock RFE swap doesn't take long and doesn't require any modifications to be made.

One of the big factors here is how much of this work can you do yourself?

Can you weld and fabricate and wire and tune or is this stuff that will have to be outsourced?

What does your tool and equipment situation look like?

Do you have a lift?

Do you know how to tune with HP Tuners if you go with a 6.4/8HP swap?

If you go the route of the 8HP swap are you going to use a kit like from Sound German Automotive or are you going to piece it together yourself?

Do you have a good, quality scan tool?

Do you have a place to do the work that keeps you out of the elements instead of under the truck in the driveway?

Have you looked at any of the other 8HP swap thread to see what you are dealing with?

These are things to seriously consider before getting started so you don't drive yourself, your wife and your sanity crazy and then blow the budget out of the water.

 

[HemiLonestar]

Every option you have presented is easily doable but that "easily" part will be heavily dependent on a few factors. That being said you need to be realistic with yourself about a few things.

Now, the Budget. The killer of all mechanics and hot rodders dreams. How much can you spend? Is money not a problem? Can you spend $10K right now? Even if you get killer deals on your parts and the motor and trans you're still making a significant investment here.

Now, a few questions...

Is this truck your daily driver?

Do you have another vehicle to drive?

If so, how long can it be down?

A stock 5.7 and a stock RFE swap doesn't take long and doesn't require any modifications to be made.

One of the big factors here is how much of this work can you do yourself?

Can you weld and fabricate and wire and tune or is this stuff that will have to be outsourced?

What does your tool and equipment situation look like?

Do you have a lift?

Do you know how to tune with HP Tuners if you go with a 6.4/8HP swap?

If you go the route of the 8HP swap are you going to use a kit like from Sound German Automotive or are you going to piece it together yourself?

Do you have a good, quality scan tool?

Do you have a place to do the work that keeps you out of the elements instead of under the truck in the driveway?

Have you looked at any of the other 8HP swap thread to see what you are dealing with?

These are things to seriously consider before getting started so you don't drive yourself, your wife and your sanity crazy and then blow the budget out of the water.

Probably should've quoted the OP's post instead of mine lol.

 

[Burla]

6 speed is the best trans for the RFE so it would be a close call, but they were not available in 09, so clarify is this a different then factory trans? Also what gears? Sounds like 3.55 as most people are happy with 3.92's, if so an 8 speed would be desirable as gears matters less with the 8 then the RFE.

 

[Fast69Mopar]

Probably should've quoted the OP's post instead of mine lol.

Haha oh yeah. My bad.

 

[RamDiver]

Haha oh yeah. My bad.

That's easy to fix. PM me if you require any assistance.

.

 

[09RollinRam]

This is my backup when the truck goes under the knife. I'm an ok DIY guy one of my boys is swapping a CTS-V motor into a 96 Impala and doing all the wiring himself. I'll probably call on his crazy @$$ to help or I might pay him to do it since he's been laid off.

I think my pipe dream is the scat pack, realistically a 5.7 refresh with SGA 8HP swap. Maybe a cam at the same time, it would be nice to hit 450 ish HP with the 5.7 but I know I'm asking for way to damn much.