possible problems?

[ramaholic224]

What problems could i be facing with taking me stock 5.7 out of my 2004 1500 and replacing it with a 6.1 crate with billet fuel rail, 80mm throttle body, and programmable ems kit? also going to do a trans rebuild and rear end rebuild

 

[ramaholic224]

also plan on adding a turbo when the money comes around for that. anybody know of a good size turbo to add to a 6.1?

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Start researching so you can decide on your goals...

 

[ramaholic224]

main reason why i am on here to help make my decision. but with the reaserching i have done this is the route i want to go. have the money for the motor just need to know some of the problem i will face with putting it in

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Is your block still good? If so if it were me I would take your block and do a fordged 370 stroker kit with a good set of BV heads and a turbo cam so your set to run boost. Now if the 6.1 creat motor your looking at has fordged rods and pistons then yes you can go that way (stock 6.1 only has fordged crank). A 66mm turbo should be more then fine.

 

[charonblk07]

Is your block still good? If so if it were me I would take your block and do a fordged 370 stroker kit with a good set of BV heads and a turbo cam so your set to run boost. Now if the 6.1 creat motor your looking at has fordged rods and pistons then yes you can go that way (stock 6.1 only has fordged crank). A 66mm turbo should be more then fine.

This would be my starting advice as well. If your block is good then build from there, however, if you're set on the 6.1 crate engine, then I'd look at at least a set of drop-in pistons to allow you to safely boost higher than 8psi, even if you don't plan to run that high. Since you'd already have the block out of the truck you may as well set it up so you don't need to go back in later.

There shouldn't be any issues with bolt up, just make sure you have the correct reluctor wheel on the crank, there's a 32- and a 58-tooth option and I don't know which an early 3rd gen uses, I believe it's a 32-tooth but don't hold me to that.

You'll also need a different flexplate if it comes with the oem flexplate.

You will need a different intake filter tube, but running a LMI Hammer is the easy way to do it since you can just flip the intake tube around to the passenger side.

I believe you will need to use a truck oil pan and dipstick, the block should have the hole on the driverside for the tube, but the 6.1L pan has the reservoir in the front and it would interfere with the front crossmember.

That's what I can think off off the top of my head. It's all fairly easy to make it fit, just requires a few different parts.

 

[03MopaRamman]

Great advice Guys, my 2 cents, Not sure if you can have the PCM flashed to recognize the 6.1 like can be done with the LX cars as they came with both Motors. The dealer can but won't and can't recall off hand which outfit does that but said vendor is out there. I recall seeing some folks on here with 6.1 in their signature so this is possible but I see a lot of hassle vs a stroker build and likely a PCM swap is probably needed but again that is only a Guess. Like Greg said it will take the research and a ton of reading and a lot of Mechanical Dexterity.

 

[charonblk07]

The PCM can be flashed to run the 6.1L programming. Johan has done it quite a few times and I believe the guys at HHP and Arrington have done it many times, mostly on LXs but they've done some trucks as well.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Im looking at it price vs power unless the OP is getting a hell of a deal on the 6.1 c motor. A built correctly 5.7 with a 370 kit with heads and cam will lay down more power then an off the shelf stock 6.1 with both being tec 370ci. If boost is in order then you get the kit for low comp and make sure you tell the vendor how many lbs of boost you want to peek it at. If you decide against boost then you can go the high comp rate and even go to the 392 kit that is very pop with the trucks. Charon made good points on if you want to get the 6.1 atleast get rods and pistons for it, I would suggest while its out get ARP studs for the motor and spend the extra money on Cos gaskets so you dont have to do that later on.

Maybe give us more info on the 6.1 your looking at to see if its currently built in anyway

 

[charonblk07]

Im looking at it price vs power unless the OP is getting a hell of a deal on the 6.1 c motor. A built correctly 5.7 with a 370 kit with heads and cam will lay down more power then an off the shelf stock 6.1 with both being tec 370ci. If boost is in order then you get the kit for low comp and make sure you tell the vendor how many lbs of boost you want to peek it at. If you decide against boost then you can go the high comp rate and even go to the 392 kit that is very pop with the trucks. Charon made good points on if you want to get the 6.1 atleast get rods and pistons for it, I would suggest while its out get ARP studs for the motor and spend the extra money on Cos gaskets so you dont have to do that later on.

Maybe give us more info on the 6.1 your looking at to see if its currently built in anyway

I'd agree with the power vs price. Unless you plan to build the 6.1L up to a blown 392 or a N/A 426-440 you're better off with the built 5.7L for the price.

If I was to build a stroked and blown 5.7L for the '04 I'd go with the 370cuin as well with the lowest compression pistons (8.6?) but run ported BV eagle heads which would give you a high 9/low 10 compression ratio. Throw a blown spartan cam in it with a new set of springs and rods.

I ran the Cometic gaskets and they did just fine on my sprayed '07, but talking with several builders, the oem gaskets hold up to around 15psi when combined with a set of head studs, something to keep in mind.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

The Eagle heads are the best bang for the buck and just need custom cut rods to run right. Seeing as you typically go through a shop IE Inertia, Sharadon, Arrington, Pwr, PPP that shouldnt be much of an issue. The Apache heads have come down and the Thiket heads are the new high dollar ones but are cheaper then they were a few months back.

Alot of good info being exchanged... makes me wanna do another motor now.

 

[ST-8]

Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does "BV" mean when you say BV heads? I have no idea what it means.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

BV= Big Valve

Anyone have a link to Eagle Heads?

 

[charonblk07]

I got my Eagles done through Arrington and I picked up the cores from a local guy who had them for a Magnum build but decided to go with an aluminum 440, dirt cheap, especially for when eagle heads were starting to rise in price because people had learned they were a better swap onto pre-eagle blocks.

The Apache heads have me wondering about an upgrade in the future, but if I'm going that far I may as well go with the Thiteks... the things I could do to those heads... lol.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

We had a set of Thiteks we put on a 440 Jeep that were nice.
Here ya go charonblk07 http://www.ramforum.com/f8/small_vroom_vroom-30965/
Greg, sending out a text to see if there is a set of Eagles in Ashalnd or not on the shelf

 

[charonblk07]

Yeah, I've seen a set upclose and they are an absolutely gorgeous head. If I remember correcly they are 8lb lighter than the 6.1L head, correct? What were the valves on those ones, I thought there are a few configurations you can choose from.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Yeah there are a few diff options, to be honest I cant remember how those were setup. My main memory on those were they deff were very light and that one of the heads did not have the oil passage plugged so we had to tap it and install the plug. I felt like I should have been wearing white butler gloves.

 

[squirrel42072000]

is this reallly the best truck out there

you know for this 2010 1500 big horn i got with the 5.7 hemi. at only 70,000 miles the warranty has practically rebuilt my eniter truck. is this typical or is there something more dependable out there?

 

[ramaholic224]

truck has 260,000 miles on it so im not interested in using the same block. 6.1 crate has been stroked to 426 not sure what the heads are or what the cam is in it. will have to contact them for that info

 

[charonblk07]

If it's stroked to a 426 then I wouldn't advise going boost, and most builders don't recommend it either just because of how much piston rock you can have at the piston/cylinder skirt with the longer stroke. To keep the rings seated in the piston at maximum travel they typically need to be higher on the piston wall, which is what you don't want in a boosted application... you want more top ring land to handle the additional heat. Also, the wrist pin is moved higher, reducing room for the rings further.

Where is the 426 at right now? Private sale or coming from a builder?

Unless the block has a hole in it you can get it hot tanked, line bore the mains, deck the block, and overbore to 3.922 or 3.937 and it's good as new again. All that with a new rotating assembly is less than most crate engines. Engine builders reuse high mileage blocks all the time when they're returned as cores. Your other option is to buy a block and send your back as a core.