The 3rd generation Dodge Ram 1500 came with a trio of great engines but only one of them packed big power – the 5.7L Hemi. While the Hemi was the most popular engine choice of 3rd generation Ram buyers, some folks buying used trucks who are either looking to get a bunch more power or they are simply looking to replace the worn out factory engine have turned to swapping the 5.7L Hemi into their Ram 1500 in place of the V6 or 4.7L V8. DF member T-Muns is one of those folks, pulling the broken 4.7L V8 from his 2002 Ram to make room for a 5.7L Hemi from a 2004 Ram 1500.
This isn’t exactly a tech thread as it doesn’t include step by step directions like a DIY but any Ram owner considering swapping out one of the smaller engines in their 2002-2008 Dodge Ram for the Hemi can learn a great deal from this thread. T-Muns explains all of the items that he needed to install the Hemi in his 2002 Ram and he even includes images of the Hemi looking awesome in what else but Hemi Orange.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
