V10

[Elevated 2013]

Just curious, but has anyone done a V10 swap into a 4th Gen Ram 1500? I know the PCM, fuel lines, fuel injectors, computer harness and all sensors would have to be swapped in and exhaust would have to be changed and possibly even engine mounts fabricated. I'm just wondering if anyone has ever tried it and what all it took to do it?

 

[Brandon-w]

Sounds like an ls swap would be easier. [emoji1787][emoji12]

 

[Tach_tech]

Sounds like an ls swap would be easier. [emoji1787][emoji12]

Think I just threw up a little.

 

[Brandon-w]

Think I just threw up a little.

[emoji16] My work here is done. Lol

 

[Elevated 2013]

Nobody has done a v10 swap into these trucks?? I can understand going with a Hellcat engine these days, but I would think it would be cool to see a v10 go in one, especially if it's lifted just to see how much better it performs.

 

[Brandon-w]

Honestly for the amount of work and time and money you'd probly be better off doing a full 6.4 build up. It would be cool if you had it all sitting around and could start swapping but to buy it all and put it in would be too many $$. Not gonna lie it'd be pretty cool just not practical when dodge makes v8s that could make equivalent power and bolt right in. But don't let anything but fear and common sense stop you. [emoji846] If you do get to doing it post lots of pics!

 

[blackbetty14]

Not worth it but u knew that. I’ve done engine swaps in other platforms, I stuffed a 521 BBF in a 87 firebird lol... that was fun and confused the hell outa people.

It’s way more involved than just motor, electrical, fuel, PCM and mounts. You got a longer motor I believe so that means trans mount as well, which then affects the driveshaft length. Cooling will be different and u will prob have to ditch the mechanical fan, exhaust, then it’s getting the V10 PCM to communicate with the stock electronics (speedo and tech etc).

 

[Elevated 2013]

I've done plenty of engine swaps in my time (usually carbuerated vs fuel injected) with great success. I know a fair amount about all of the things that is involved with it although I hadn't thought about the trans mount/driveshaft possibility. I pretty much knew about the rest of the stuff being needed to be changed. I've already ditched my stock mechanical fan and i'm just running the stock electric fan that is tuned to turn on at 180 along with a 180 thermostat which is working perfectly as my coolant never goes over 200 for more than a minute while i'm sitting at a light in 80+ temperatures. I was just curious if anyone had ever done this swap and thought it would be cool to see the pics of it. I'd have to find an engine in good shape that's pretty cheap if i'm going to do it.

 

[Tim Garceau]

Which viper v10 are your referring to?

The 8.0 magnum is absolute garbage and I'd mod a pentastar or even Eco-diesel before wasting my time with that 10 cylinder abomination.

 

[Elevated 2013]

I was thinking about the Ram V10 from an SRT10 Ram.

 

[Tim Garceau]

ZB1 (3rd Generation)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viper_engine

Would certainly be unique, but there are cheaper and easier swaps that will make more power a la 392/426 stroked.

 

[Elevated 2013]

Thanks Tim!

 

[Tim Garceau]

I like the thought of a 6 speed manual in a truck though, but those 8 liter motors aren't available often.

 

[Elevated 2013]

I have a 6 speed auto at the moment that would obviously have to be gone through and strengthened if it even bolts up at all. But that just means that a shift kit and better torque converter will get added as well and pray that the transfer case is strong enough since I never saw a SRT10 Ram with 4 wheel drive when I was a mechanic for Dodge in the late 90s when they came out. Lots of things to even think about even before starting to gather the parts if I decided to do it.

 

[TXCOMT]

You could do what a guy in my office did...he's got a Hennessey-tuned SRT! I've only walked by it in the parking lot, but I'm sure it moves!

Like the other, more knowledgeable posters here have said, I'm thinking you'd be better off building up something else. It'd be a wow thing, I'm sure, but for the time and money involved, is it worth it? That's the big question only you can answer.

TXCOMT

 

[Elevated 2013]

I've been talking off and on with Jeremy Satera who is known for having the fastest Hellcat record right now and I may just have him turbo or supercharge my engine and then tune it. I'm not really looking for speed as I am low end power and the ability to get up and go whenever I want. I may make my truck into more of an offroad mudder type truck but I would want more power before I even attempt it with a pretty much stock truck with a lift. I've just heard that the 5.7L can only handle so much power before the block says see ya. This was more of a curiousity thread than something that I was definitely going to do thread. Unless I got really lucky and came into a cheap v10.

 

[HemiLonestar]

Nobody has done a v10 swap into these trucks?? I can understand going with a Hellcat engine these days, but I would think it would be cool to see a v10 go in one, especially if it's lifted just to see how much better it performs.

No, because it would be a step backwards and a royal pain to integrate PCI bus controls into a 2nd/next gen CAN bus vehicle. I've seen a 2002 1500QC that had the drivetrain swapped in, though he didn't bother to upgrade anything else (brakes, suspension, rear). Relatively easy to do since they both used similar electronics.

It’s way more involved than just motor, electrical, fuel, PCM and mounts. You got a longer motor I believe so that means trans mount as well, which then affects the driveshaft length. Cooling will be different and u will prob have to ditch the mechanical fan, exhaust, then it’s getting the V10 PCM to communicate with the stock electronics (speedo and tech etc).

Trans mount is pretty much the same, but they were different length transmissions originally (T56 or 48RE, neither available in a 4th gen) with two different driveshaft lengths. The engine sits well forward, has no clutch fan nor electric fan, actually has a hydraulic driven cooling fan. Then there's that goofy ass exhaust...

I was thinking about the Ram V10 from an SRT10 Ram.

The "Ram V10" is the gas hog truck engine. The one is used in the SRT is the same Viper engine the Vipers got with no change.

I have a 6 speed auto at the moment that would obviously have to be gone through and strengthened if it even bolts up at all. But that just means that a shift kit and better torque converter will get added as well and pray that the transfer case is strong enough since I never saw a SRT10 Ram with 4 wheel drive when I was a mechanic for Dodge in the late 90s when they came out. Lots of things to even think about even before starting to gather the parts if I decided to do it.

I wouldn't trust an RFE to hold up long term, especially at that power level. It's possible to retrofit an 8HP70 or 90, but that's just added cost. Engine wise you'd be well ahead of the curve with a factory 392 or a stroker based on one. Your electronics have no problem running a VVT engine and you can pretty much do anything to it.

 

[Elevated 2013]

Thanks HemiLonestar! I worked for Dodge at the time the SRT10 trucks came out but never really got to deal with them or the Vipers as I was still an apprentice at the time. I'm just so used to swapping bigger engines into vehicles that it's almost second nature at this point. The thing I always try to do is as much research and questioning as possible in case I ever decide to actually do it. I just figured why stop at the 392 engine unless I went with a Demon engine from a wrecked Demon and just go straight for the biggest and do all sorts of things to it instead. I can see where the PCI vs CANBUS issue would be a huge pain and obviously the cooling and exhaust would have to be worked through as that's always a given. The problem is that nobody ever really sits and thinks about the rest of the drivetrain (trans, transfer case, differentials) or the suspension that has to deal with all of the added power and weight that wasn't there to begin with and would probably just make for a bigger nightmare if not done right before or during the swap.

 

[HemiLonestar]

And that's why I did all that stuff first lol

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

 

[Elevated 2013]

Yep. I added the Power Stop Z36 Heavy duty drilled and slotted rotors all around already. Shocks and struts are on my list. I already have a 4" Rough Country lift with several upgraded parts there. I'm working on going through my trans/transfer case/differentials as well. I already have the 3.92 diffs from the factory, but I need to get in and inspect them for wear and tear as they have 65,000 miles on them now and i'm not sure what the previous owner in Canada did or did not do to them. Being an ex-mechanic and a performance enthusiast of 20+ years and having friends that are into fabrication and drag racing and Hemis really has helped me out off and on to not make bad decisions and throw money out the door on useless upgrades. I've only had the truck for 3 months and I want it around for a while, so i'm kind of taking my time with upgrades. This thread was just a "what if my engine blows up what should I do?" type of thing for me. I'm really considering doing a supercharger or turbo for some extra low end power for now but I know the 5.7L has it's power limits.