So I was wondering if I would be able to drop a 408 into my stock 2001 ram 1500, 2x4, 5 speed manual tranny. I am looking to make a lil sleeper. What is the difference financially from purchasing a crate 408 that will run fuel injection vs. getting an old 360 and DIY? I know that I need a 360 to punch out and all, but will I be able to run the 408 on my stock fuel delivery system? What about the pcm, do I buy a 360 pcm, do I just have mine flashed or do I get a piggyback system? I have been doing a little research and just don’t know. I’ve read A LOT of posts and am seeking guidance.

Please help, momma gave me the go ahead and want to get it started before she changes her mind!

 

Many on here have built their 360 up and have been very happy with the results...

Just for the record I'm jealous of your standard

 

Well i am jealous of them! Would i be able to do that with stock truck or what mods will i need?

 

i dont think the manual tranny will work with a 408

 

i would get a 360 and punch out and that way you know the tranny well bolt up but if you plan on puting a lot of power to the ground then you might as well forget about the stock tranny.

 

There's a few things that need to be changed and that is the PCM must be reflashed.

The injectors you have now are not the correct flow rate and will need to go up to a min of 24/lbs and, even at that, those are barely making the cut. If your modding it with a CAM or boring it out, you will need to up to 26/lb injectors for sure. There's a chart for choosing the correct injector per engine / HP specs.

The CAM will need to be resynced to the PCM via DRB III tool once the CAM has been retimed with the distributor gear in order to run properly.

I have seen lots of problems with running a 408 to the OEM computer because of the limitations at the PCM level.

I spoke to quite a few programmers and they all told me the same thing: Dodge is limited in what can be accessed and what can be done because it's relatively new so, even with the top of the line flash tool, they can not access some of the parameters. They all say you must go to the dealer to have this or that done and, when you do that, depending on which state you live in, or what mods you have done, they will either take one look at it and tell you to go pound sand or, they will help you.

This is the sync offset value that must be addressed when changing engines to a PCM that is timed to another engine. The use of a DRB III tool is the only way to addres that issue as it can't be done without one and, someone who knows how to retime your engine and resync it to the PCM. It can be done so, don't misunderstand me, it most certainly is doable but, it's a lot of work.

Due to emission and federal regulations regarding OBD standards, they (some dealers) will not work on vehicles that they feel is going to put their license at risk.

I have had this happen by the way. I have some mods and they told me point blank they will not touch my truck. It's very real and, in some cases, they will report it because, by law, if they see anything come into their shop, they are required to log it into the database per federal mandated requirements and regulatory controls. This database ties into the Department of Motor Vehicles and sets a flag to your registration. Then, the cops run your plate and automatically pull you over for it along with impounding the vehicle out here in So Cal.

In some states, hey, it doesn't seem to matter and, if that applies to you, hey, run with it and go wild.

But, you can take a 360 and bore it out, have everything from the intake to the externals bolt right up and with a few mods, you can have a wicked powerhouse under the hood without having to up the block size. Add some twin turbos and you've got some serious HP at around 2K RPMs. Get up and go quick type of power.

Plus, in addition to that, the other benefit is that the modded 360 will be less weight as well. Throw on some Al heads and your shaving more pounds off. Add some Sharps, perhaps a cam, (again, depending on where you live, the CAM will affect your emissions at test) etc, you can really get more out of the 360 and not have to change mounts, change externals etc etc.

I would really consider that over the 408. Plus, the tranny will bolt right up too.

Just a few things to consider.

 

well thanks for all the info. i am thinking that i might just but an agressive cam and a good set of heads on a 360 without punching it out and then flashing the pcm of that engine. I live in texas and my truck is registered in a rural area so i dont have to worry about emmisions. can you suggest any other mods for the 360 or a good setup to get plenty of power?

 

Mainly just heads, roller-rockers, good set of tuned headers such as Gibson or JBA, and a Hughes FI intake setup. Add in a mid range cam and that would give you some extra without losing too much low end along with a nice custom flash and that'll do it. Oh, one more thing, you can also go with a Hi Flow CAT that'll allow the exhaust to flow better along with changing the exhaust setup but, this area needs to be done carefully for, if you increase the pipe size too much from OEM, it can actually do more harm than good due to loss of backpressure thus losing some low end.

It's a balancing act of maintaining input and output relationships between the intake and exhaust output flow. There's some detailed posts about this on here. I don't have time to search them but, use the search function to seek out about exhaust flow rates and cam profiles / sizes.

Some of the guys on here know a bit on which cam profile to choose for all around use. I like top end as I drive nothing but freeway and like to punch it to get out of the way of a rear end collision (due to some bloke on a cell phone) or, to pass quickly. I like to get up and go.

But, if your towing, hauling or off-roading, you would choose a cam that best suits those applications.

CM

 

I would just do the 408, you'll never look back and regret it! I love mine to death, I just need a tranny that will hold the power lol. really it's a simple thing to do, as for the reflash of the computer it as simple as contacting hemifever and get a SCT tuner. He makes custom maps to get the most out of the engine. As far as emission stuff goes, I've ran mine by several road side test stations and haven't had any problems. As for your tranny I'm guessing you got a nv3500, I don't know how long that will hold up to the power (a lot depends on how you drive it) you may want to look at up grading to a nv 4500 or a t56. Just my two cents.

 

thanks a gain fellas. I am looking for a daily driver/sleeper. I talked to a Dan Arcand about a 408 bolt in package but it may be a little out of my price range. I really like the idea of going BIG while i am already in the playing field. From what i understand so far is that a 408 will bolt right in. I can have my 5.2 pcm flashed with a SCT tuner and then i will need to up my injectors to 26 lbs. I would need to get a new tranny (he sugested the nv4500). new manifold and exhaust (right now i just have glass paks). thant brings me to around $9k with indy heads. I am not sure wether to get an old engine from the junkyard and rebuild my self would much better. What do you guys think?