Hemi Swap Checklist

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JGC403

JGC403

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I have been researching the swap as much as possible reading other peoples threads just trying to figure out everything to expect when doing the swap. I'll make a list of everything I found and if people who have done the swap can look over and correct if I am wrong.

For my swap it will be going into a 1976 Plymouth Duster. I'll be keeping the stock K-member, manual steering, manual brakes, and I'll be using a 833 trans. I would like to find a car Eagle 5.7 or a 6.1 ideally. But I have only been finding early truck 5.7.

Parts:
-Milidon oil pan and pick-up
-Headers
-starter from 2005 Dodge Ram
-flywheel
-90* oil adapter
-offset master cylinder bracket
-Jeep alternator- (if using car accessories)
-motor mounts
-TTI have they gotten any better? I have read a thread that the engine sat crooked
-Schumacher mounts are they better than TTI?
-Pace Performance for power steering delete pulley brackets


Modifications:
-cut steering column tube shorter
-bend engine heater tube at rear of engine


PCM:
Stock PCM and wiring harness
-Pros: retain Knock sensor, Variable valve timing with Eagle 5.7
-Cons: Drive by wire throttle, more wiring to deal with

Mopar Performance
-Pros: plug and play, Cable driven throttle
-Cons: only works easily with early 5.7 and 6.1, loose knock sensor, intake manifold not as good as stock intake

FAST XFI2.0
-Pros: cable driven throttle, retain stock intake manifold,
-Cons: loose knock sensor, loose variable valve timing

If I can only find an early 5.7 I would probably use the stock PCM as long as I can get the wiring harness. If I can find a 6.1 or a 5.7 eagle I'll probably go with FAST XFI 2.0.

So let me know if I missed anything or if I am way off with my list.
 
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Cant help too much myself, but ill be watching you progress as these swaps always interest me. I'm doing a magnum swap as I already had the motor and it requires less finagleing.

Does the hemi use a crank sensor at the flywheel like the magnum, or something up front on the pulley?

Best

CE
 
You seem to bounce back and forth a few times between the VVT, and NON VVT engines. Very different animals. front accessories also don't switch back and forth, and tuning/ecm availability is not the same between the two. Maybe you know all that, just making sure.

If i could offer ours any cheaper i would, but by comparison...I bet the money "saved" on a pullout engine isn't as much as one would think when you start tallying up the costs.

DCC-68259164-FX - Pace Performance 5.7L HEMI 460HP Crate Engine with Controller.
 
When I'm ready I will be contacting Pace myself. Having everything in one kit is very appealing. I would love to see a kit with a T56 though.
 
Mopar Gen III HEMI Crate Superstore

I have T-56 kits assembled for about the same prices as the above. BUT..due to their size, there isn't a bolt in trans crossmember avail. You'd have to fab your own. Also the Torsion bars are questionable at that point as to how much you have to hack the torsion K. But anyways... i can do a t-56, no problem.
 
Fantastic, very good to know. I have no torsion bars to get in the way and custom fabrication isn't a problem either.
 
and sorry OP for threadjacking, i'll gladly answer any questions i can either way. We sell some nice fuel rails and billet water necks and such, so maybe we'll do business either way.

Just want to make sure you're all set on the early vs late issues.
 
Yea I think I understand the differences. The reason I was bouncing between early and eagle hemis was that it depends what one I find. FAST XFI 2.0 should be able to control just about anything though.

What PCM is in the kit that you had posted?
 
JGC403 said:
Yea I think I understand the differences. The reason I was bouncing between early and eagle hemis was that it depends what one I find. FAST XFI 2.0 should be able to control just about anything though.

What PCM is in the kit that you had posted?
Click to expand...
We use the holley HP in that kit, and the dominator with our auto trans kit. I assume your desire for the pullout engine is cost driven?
It's just going to be a pretty different route pending which way you do.
 
I wanted to bring back this thread. After looking through some more builds I found some more things I wanted to verify.

1. Using a stock K-frame, manual steering is the only thing that fits?
2. A brake booster will not fit?
3. The heater blower motor needs to be moved a bit?
4. The windshield wiper motor needs to be relocated under the dash?
 
This is a 2005 truck pullout 5.7 with 6.1 intake I still have wiper motor, heater. Yes I have brake booster but not factory k member. I would avoid 2009 5.7 pullout unless you replaced timing chain They had a recall on the car 5.7s

IMG_4850.PNG
 
The best thing to do from my experience is get a ledger get prices for everything. Fuel cell. In tank or external pump. Harness accessories all of it and compare. If you are good with ECM WIRING you can try it but May look into Hotwire for a harness. Check out packages from Pace and MODERN MUSCLE. YOU get good tech support from Modern Muscle for sure I have seen Pace respond to several threads so it seems they may have good customer service. It depends on budget. My alterkation suspension was no where in my budget but after screwing up with tubular k members and doing everything twice I bit the bullet. If you change your mind in the middle it's gonna cost you more money
 
Don't spend $800 on a radiator I got mine from Dillon radiators online for $142 shipped have had on for 5 years now 50,000 miles driving daily in 100 degree temps in traffic good luck.
 
Thanks for the reply. I created this thread trying to figure out all of the pitfalls that I could come across before hand. But since there are so many different ways of doing this swap its hard to do.

I'll be doing this swap into my 1968 Barracuda instead of the Duster that I had originally planned when I created this thread. The Duster would of been a little easier since its a Manual transmission car. The Barracuda is a floor shift automatic and I want to retain that feature. I don't want to cut up the floor and shoehorn one of these new transmission in.

So I'll probably be getting the 5.7 from Pace Performance. Their kit comes with a cable driven throttle body, eliminating the drive by wire, which I think is awesome. He said most people use there kit with a manual transmission or they put a manual valve body in the auto trans. I don't want to do that so now I need to figure out a way to hook a kickdown cable from the throttle body to a 904.

Has anyone used Pace Performance kit:
DCC-68259164-FX - Pace Performance 5.7L HEMI 460HP Crate Engine with Controller.
with a 727 or a 904 using a kickdown cable?
 
Engine Management Systems Products. Check these guys out they have been doing it longer than anyone. Most of the venders get their stuff from same manufacturer. All they do is mopar new hemis no ferds or cheby swaps. So they are experts in it. Very friendly they are in Virginia and Florida
 
Call or email them on what you have and what you want they can give you a complete price list. If you do a 5.7 2005 to 2008 and trans you can use ECM from 2005 get at most salvage yards for $75 and save $600 on new one.
 
I was wandering what you are planning to do with car. Race, daily driver, cruiser. If you plan on driving highway and long distances you might wanna get a gear vender overdrive on that 3 speed. The guys around here that have done the auto wish they had overdrive. I can only speak from my experience I have the 545rfe trans and enjoy driving it. I would rather have a manual but my knee won't hold up. Opening the tunnel up is not as bad as you think.
 
I live where I work so I don't have to drive much. So it will be mostly a cruiser. I would like to be able to take it on long trips though. I don't really want to cut the tunnel up. My car has the floor shift auto and I want to keep that setup, so that is why I'm using the 3 speed. I don't think anyone has used a modern trans and kept the floor shift auto. I would like to find a low ratio small block 904 and use that with a 3.23 or 2.94 rear gear. With the lower 1st and 2nd gear should feel more like a regular geared 904 with a 3.55 rear. I'm going to try this setup first if I don't like it I can always put the GV OD behind it and throw in a 3.55 or 3.91 in the rear.
 
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Mine was a column shift now a floor shift. I bought the floor shifter for 68 barracuda from a guy was gonna use it and found Lokar makes a direct bolt on shifter so it was easier to just use that but there are guys using the shifter. I didn't know if you already had your trans. Have you called Modern Muscle they have a lot of options and will help you through it on your budget not theirs
 
I bought the Barracuda without a drivetrain. I was going to put a Big Block in it and I had a Big Block 727 that would work with the floor shift setup so that is what I was going to use. But now since I'm changing directions and going GEN III Hemi I got to track down a small block low ratio 904. I haven't talked with Modern Muscle. Do they sell transmissions?
 
That's exactly what I did bought a 400 and 727 then figured up how much it was gonna cost to rebuild it and went with the 5.7 it is 10lbs heavier than the slant six was. Is your k member small or big block. Cause the slant six won't work I know the sell new transmissions trimec but don't know about 904.
 
The Barracuda has a stock biscuit type small block K member in it right now. I have a small block spool mount K member that I plan on using.
 
Have you found motor yet. If you get a pullout I think the truck motor is the easier one to use with k member because all accessories are up top. I feel your pain their are so many options and it all cost money your smart getting as much info as you can and can be overwhelming
 
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