5.7 hemi swap in a non A body?

Stock computer and wiring harness or aftermarket ECU

  • factory

    Votes: 7 36.8%
  • EFI source Goldbox

    Votes: 8 42.1%
  • microsuirt/megasquirt

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • Total voters
    19
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dusted

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Messages
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Location
Creedmoor, NC
Im startling the hemi swap in my 91 D150. Wondering if anyone wanted to see this tread. I have to assemble the engine, install it and the 727 trans and wire it up using the stock harness and computer. Different vehicle but the principals and parts are the same.
 
Well seems like most people, all 3 of you would like to see the progression so here are some pics, descriptions and prices :popcorn:.

91 318, FITech and 904 was sold after taking a friend for a ride, + $2000.
I had recently purchased a 5.7 that dropped a valve and ate up the head and piston -$100. Installed a used piston and rod, cylinder looked and felt fine, free from a friend
Got a spare head from LKQ for -$41 including the core charge. This one came off an 03 and had no provision for an EGR, score!!!
Began thinning out a 04 hemi Durango harness from LKQ -$36 and free.
I’m off to a good start and more to come soon.

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Machine shop (nephew) is fixing the heads, hopefully he can get me squared away soon and I can start assembling.
 
One big screw up "Ma" made in my opinion was putting hemis in Durango's and not Dakotas...................
 
Took a break from wiring to do some engine cleaning and cylinder head work.
LS and hemi heads playing together in the parts washer.
Nice and clean and valves being ground.
Had 4 bent intake valves. Used some spares from another head, 2 of those were bent! Finally got a good set machined and ready.

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Began engine assembly.
MDS plugs, lifters and trays, cleaned pistons and gasket surfaces, installed front and rear seals and front cover.
Do these bolts look like the right ones for the rear seal?

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Went to install oil pan and found this! Yes that’s a crack. Looks like a rod might have broke. This might be the pan from my friends 5.7 that broke a rod and windowed the block. I read that the oil pan couldn’t be welded because it’s layered with plastic for noise dampening. We will see about that!

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Oil pan welded! Nephew used his tig. I’m gonna smear some JB over it for extra insurance. Once painted no one will know. That’s gonna be it for tonight.

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I don't know about the plastic layered in. I do know that there are two thin pieces of metal that were stamped together to make the pan. I also know someone who cut a section out of a Hemi truck pan (rear sump) and welded it back together to make it shorter for his Dart.
 
The earlier Durango pans had that. Heavy dang things.
 
Yes, they are. It should minimize all the bad noises from reusing all the bearings.....haha.:lol:
 
Lol, if they're still good, use 'em! The 5.7 in my son's Scamp has 100,000 mile factory bearings.
 
Love the build thread. I have been stuffing a 6.1 in a old Demon. To your point the problems and road blocks are the same. Feel free to PM me anytime and I will tell you anything I have learned. There is actually a bunch of us on here doing swaps. Many of the guys are super savvy.
 
Thanks for that!
Biggest challenge as of now is do I want to continue with the stock harness only to have someone flash the computer for a manual ($375-$475) which I wasn’t aware I had to do. Then I have to rig up the tv cable with my black box like DIY hemi has shown.
I have HP tuners so tuning won’t be an issue but I have to buy credits

Or use the talked about to be garbage Indy mod man that I bought used years ago for like $150.00 and buy a MSD HEMI6. $525 and $200 for harness.but at that cost I could buy a harness and have the computer flashed, maybe $500 more.

Or megasquirt/microsquirt which I built MS1 a year ago for fun but I would upgrade to MS2.

Next challenge will
be the power steering line to my existing box.

By far the easiest is mod man (since I have it) and MSD, all the trans and accelerator cables will bolt right up and this may be the way I go for now and EFI it later in the spring.

Other than that I hope to be installed soon and depending on me, running by end of the month.
 
Here is teaser pic of things to come one day. We redrilled the heads exhaust mounting for future plans.

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Engine assembled, waiting on converter, odds and ends, so I can install the engine and trans together. Having the aluminum valve covers powder coated in a satin black wrinkle finish now. Should look nice with the color I am painting the engine, and it’s not Chrysler orange, race hemi or street hemi orange.

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Engine assembled, waiting on converter, odds and ends, so I can install the engine and trans together. Having the aluminum valve covers powder coated in a satin black wrinkle finish now. Should look nice with the color I am painting the engine, and it’s not Chrysler orange, race hemi or street hemi orange.

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Here’s my Hemi parked in front of the bar!
 
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