Assembling Parts For Cam Swap, Looking For Opinions
#1
11-10-2017, 05:25 PM
Assembling Parts For Cam Swap, Looking For Opinions
Alright guys,
I am about to embark on a mild refresh of the 150,000 mile 5.9 magnum in my 01 ram. It has a few issues (head gaskets, and/or plenum gasket failure mainly) and I am going to do some cheap upgrades while I'm in there. The engine is coming out of the truck for these upgrades (because the rear main is leaking and I want to paint the block). I am not planning on taking the pistons out of their bores unless something looks off. I don't have machine shop money and don't suspect an issue currently.
List of things to be done:
All new gaskets and seals (fel pro?)
New Main, Rod, and Cam Bearings (cheap insurance while I'm already here) - what brands do you like?
Inspection of rods, pistons, and cylinder walls (suspect all to be fine)
New timing set (found new melling double roller for 25 bucks)
Mild cam. Currently looking at this Hughes grind, but open to suggestions. http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=0814&partid=3021 2 Not looking to get into PCM tuning so I want to keep it mild. Hughes claims this works well with the stock computer and also claim they have seen as high as 40hp and 40tq (I think this is very optimistic) gains. Not expecting that much.
Basic home port work on stock iron heads (no money for EQ's or anything else) using the mopar porting templates. If the heads are cracked, I'll buy a junkyard set of stock heads and port those...and then they'll likely crack too but o well.
Lifters/Pushrods - Going to buy new, but I can use OEM replacements right?
Springs - I'll probably just buy a spring kit from whoever I buy a cam from. This would be the hughes one http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=1199&submit=Go&p artid=30450
Clean and paint the block, heads etc.
Throw on a nice set of mopar magnum valve covers
I actually submitted a cam suggestion request with Comp a few weeks ago and they never got back to me haha. Has anyone run this particular Hughes cam before? I know their reputation is mixed.
I am about to embark on a mild refresh of the 150,000 mile 5.9 magnum in my 01 ram. It has a few issues (head gaskets, and/or plenum gasket failure mainly) and I am going to do some cheap upgrades while I'm in there. The engine is coming out of the truck for these upgrades (because the rear main is leaking and I want to paint the block). I am not planning on taking the pistons out of their bores unless something looks off. I don't have machine shop money and don't suspect an issue currently.
List of things to be done:
All new gaskets and seals (fel pro?)
New Main, Rod, and Cam Bearings (cheap insurance while I'm already here) - what brands do you like?
Inspection of rods, pistons, and cylinder walls (suspect all to be fine)
New timing set (found new melling double roller for 25 bucks)
Mild cam. Currently looking at this Hughes grind, but open to suggestions. http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=0814&partid=3021 2 Not looking to get into PCM tuning so I want to keep it mild. Hughes claims this works well with the stock computer and also claim they have seen as high as 40hp and 40tq (I think this is very optimistic) gains. Not expecting that much.
Basic home port work on stock iron heads (no money for EQ's or anything else) using the mopar porting templates. If the heads are cracked, I'll buy a junkyard set of stock heads and port those...and then they'll likely crack too but o well.
Lifters/Pushrods - Going to buy new, but I can use OEM replacements right?
Springs - I'll probably just buy a spring kit from whoever I buy a cam from. This would be the hughes one http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=1199&submit=Go&p artid=30450
Clean and paint the block, heads etc.
Throw on a nice set of mopar magnum valve covers
I actually submitted a cam suggestion request with Comp a few weeks ago and they never got back to me haha. Has anyone run this particular Hughes cam before? I know their reputation is mixed.
Last edited by Skeptic68W; 11-10-2017 at 05:29 PM.
#2
11-10-2017, 05:38 PM
Spending money on the stock heads is a lot like flushing it down the toilet. They are notorious for cracking, and at 150K miles, chances are REAL good that yours are indeed cracked. May not be real bad yet, but, they simply are not worth putting money into. You can get new casting heads, (much better) for around 620 for a pair. (plus any applicable tax, shipping is free.) Yes, the stock heads are THAT bad.
I know budgets can be tight, but, doing it once, is always cheaper than doing it several times.
I know budgets can be tight, but, doing it once, is always cheaper than doing it several times.
#3
11-10-2017, 05:44 PM
Spending money on the stock heads is a lot like flushing it down the toilet. They are notorious for cracking, and at 150K miles, chances are REAL good that yours are indeed cracked. May not be real bad yet, but, they simply are not worth putting money into. You can get new casting heads, (much better) for around 620 for a pair. (plus any applicable tax, shipping is free.) Yes, the stock heads are THAT bad.
I know budgets can be tight, but, doing it once, is always cheaper than doing it several times.
I know budgets can be tight, but, doing it once, is always cheaper than doing it several times.
Judging by my coolant loss, it's likely that you are correct about the cracking...ugh.
Are you talking $620 for stock replacement or eq?
Last edited by Skeptic68W; 11-10-2017 at 05:47 PM.
#4
11-10-2017, 06:05 PM
