Howdy all!

I have a friend with an 03' Durango. He's got 180k on the clock and is starting to prepare for a rebuild. It runs okay now, but he's trying to spend the money now before it goes out the window on other toys .

I've never rebuilt one of these motors before, but he's rebuilt an injected chevy motor before, and I just recently put an 06' 4.6l (stroked) back together, so we're fairly comfortable around engines.

He'd like to stick to an under 2k budget, so that rules out a Hemi swap I believe.

We're not after gobs of power, but 350+ hp/torque in a usable RPM would be great.

Looking for some guidance here on parts/brands/places to buy, etc.

Figure we'd get the block checked/cleaned/machined if necessary, new pistons, have the rods and crank checked.

I've seen two Comp cam camshafts. I was looking at this one:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-20-746-9/ which is a 216/224 @ .050 with a lift of .506 on both intake/exhaust. The LSA is 114 to keep it at home with injection. I believe they also offer them with a 112 LSA.

How would this cam work with the stock heads/intake. Or would it be a waste to keep the stock heads rather than pony up the dough for some Edelbrock RPMs?

What other internals should we be concerned with? Oil pump, timing chain, etc? Should the lifters be changed at 180k, or do they stand up okay in these engines?

Lastly, what programming options are there for dodge engines? On the Chevy, I used a chip burner and did a tune using Moates.net software. For the Saleen motor, I farmed it out to a company using an SCT as I didn't have the software to write a tune.

You guys probably see this topic a lot, so I appreciate any and all help!

 

Well since I have a 5.9 and am thinking a rebuild here in the next 6 months or so...
Personally I was gonna run the stock crank with better lifters, deaper oil pan and high flow oil pump, ported heads with the direct flow intake, and some headers. High comp pistons, forged rods...hoping for 300hp, 400 trq.
But dont forget the tranny here...cause if you do push more power then stock on a tranny with 180k on it, it wont last long. I would rebuild the tranny as well with a better trq converter and a shift kit with a deeper pan.

 

Tranny was rebuilt probably 10k miles ago or so.

Sounds like a good plan you have. Any recommendations on rebuild kits? Any reason for the forged rods if you're not going for boost? Are the stock style rods exceptionally weak?

Anything I should be aware of with the stock lifters?

I've read a few posts of people going to 1.7 ratio rockers in lieu of a new cam. That to save money, or is the aftermarket camshaft selection for the 5.9 mediocre?

 

if it's within budget you may want to look for a newer 4.7 to start with. they have dual plugs and over 300hp and around 330 torques.


edit:
unless you wanted to swap computer nevermind what I said. I read where you were talking about your buddies truck and thought you had a 4.7 already too. sorry

 

hmmm... why not do a stroker on that engine? it comes in under 2k

 

For the rebuild kit:
http://www.rpmmachine.com/shop/index..._detail&p=5713
Or here, this is what I am going with:
http://www.campbellenterprises.com/e....htm#360racing
With this I am just going with the .30 over and the 65cc pistons for a high comp. But remember you have to run 91oct if you have higher comp.

I was gonna run stronger rods just because. I have never heard of them being weak at all actually and am not to sure on the stock lifters. I am pretty sure I read somewhere on the fourm that you can up grade the lifters to 1.7-but that gives a decent amount of power for low cost.

 

I have to agree, do the stroker and have a custom tune done by hemifever.

 

+ 2 stroker

 

+3 or whatever on the 408 stroker!

 

+4 on that 408